How to Select Silicone Oil with Appropriate Viscosity for Different Production Processes?

Silicone oil has become popular among different industries, but it is important to remember that it comes in different viscosities and that these different viscosities affect the end product differently. This is why selecting the oil with the appropriate viscosity is a critical step in the production process to ensure consistent production and positive output value. Among companies, Guangdong Cosil Silicone Co. Ltd. is a professional enterprise, and has a wealth of experience in the application of silicone oils. A firm’s understanding of the production processes and the associated silicone oil viscosities helps in precise selection. 

Understand the production silicone oil viscosity and its subsequent value. 

Before the selection of silicone oil of a desired viscosity, understanding the value of silicone oil viscosity in the production process is paramount. Viscosity determines the silicone oil’s flow: low viscosity silicone oils are thin and liquid; high viscosity oils are thick and are harder to flow. Different production activities require different levels of silicone oil fluidity. For, even coating processes, silicone oil should have medium fluidity to ensure even spreading across the product surface.

Having a very low viscosity can lead silicone oil to flow too rapidly, resulting in uneven distributions. Conversely, overly high viscosity will lead to difficulties in spreading, causing incomplete distributions. As such, understanding silicone oil viscosity basics will be most helpful in making a first selection.  
  
Different Production Processes Different Requirements Different silicone oil viscosity depends on the production process and is at the core of the selection process. During mold release, for example, low silicone oil viscosity is preferable when the mold has complex shapes and narrow gaps. Low viscosity silicone oil will easily get into the gaps of the mold, creating a thin uniform release film that allows for residue-free demolding. Conversely, the preparation of silicone rubber products requires high viscosity silicone oil. High viscosity silicone oil boosts the rubber’s elastic/tough quality and is more likely to remain in the mixture, thus preventing an excessive flow, which keeps the formula concentrated. For the textile softening process, moderate viscosity silicone oil is the best choice.

The silicone oil will form a soft film on the surface of the fibers without overstickiness or loss of softness. It won’t overwhelm the textile or make it abrasive.

Temperature and Silicone Oil and Viscosity Viscosity 

Temperature has a direct influence on the viscosity assigned to silicone oil and must be considered. It is a known fact that the viscosity of silicone oil is inversely related to temperature. When temperature increases, viscosity decreases, and the opposite is true. In high temperature operations, for example high-temperature rubber vulcanization, oil with low viscosity opt for silicone oils with low viscosity at room temperature, but it is likely to be too low at high temperatures and will underperform. In these situations, using a silicone oil with slightly higher viscosity will function better, as it will have the appropriate viscosity for the oil and appropriate performance at high temperatures. The opposite is true for low-temperature production settings, as it is better to have silicone oils with higher viscosity at room temperature to prevent excessive buildup of high viscosity silicone oil, which hinders production.

Consulting Silicone Oil Product Specs and Expert Advice

Visiting and listening to product specs and professional advice is critical for choosing silicone oils for your tasks. Specs contain comprehensive info including the different viscosities for different temperatures and what silicone oils can be processed for. These can help enterprises do their first screening for suitable types of silicone oils. Also, the branded tech team can help enterprises based on specific conditions like production equipment, product final characteristics, and working conditions. Doing this will help enterprises lessen the inefficiency and result documentation of the process, having clearer losses in case of not improving product quality.

Do Preliminary Testing of Selected Oils in Production Process

Doing preliminary testing with the selected silicone oil on smaller production steps before application ensures the selection is right.

This test helps replicate real-world production conditions. Start with a small batch of production silicone oil at the specified viscosity. Examine the silicone oil's functionality throughout the procedure and assess the quality of the final product. For instance, you can evaluate the coating process. Once the silicone oil is applied, assess the uniformity of the coat, identify any coating defects, ascertain the presence of bubbles or pinholes, and check if the drying time is appropriate. Defects of the test, such as inappropriate viscosity, causing uneven coating, help provide an opportunity to adjust the viscosity of the silicone oil and repeat the test until the desired result is obtained. Small-scale tests verify the appropriateness of the silicone oil viscosity and aid the company in identifying and fixing problems early to avoid wide-scale losses that may result from the incorrect large-scale application of the product.