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Production Process
Latex Compounding Preparation
Compounding equipment is used to ensure consistently reliable latex
condom product through perfect latex compounding process.
Dipping Line and Drying
Dust-free and filtered air room (rival clean room environment in the hi-tech
equipment manufacturing) is equipped with state-of-the-art automatic dipping
machinery from Germany. The production is under strict supervision by our experience
supervisors who were trained by the expert from Great Britain.
Electronic Tensile Machine
Electronic tensile machine tests the condom tensile strength, elongation and
force, in compliance to quality assurance.
Condom Burst Test Machine
This imported machine is used to test condom bursting volume and pressure.
It is also used to check the evenness of the rubber film.
Pin Hole Testing Machine
By using this ultra sensitive pinhole-testing machine, each condom is electronically
tested in a special air-conditioned room with tight humidity regulation to ensure
that Simplex is the highest quality product available in the market.
Sealing Machine
Every condom is lubricated and hermetically sealed.
Wrapping Machine
Automatic wrapping machine applying convenient tear tape system for best protection
and luxury.
Sterilization
Available through the use of "gamma ray" radiation.
Testing Condoms
Since 1976, condoms have been regulated as medical devices by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA). Manufacturers test each lot of condoms according
to voluntary performance standards established by the American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM) and recommended by the FDA. As new technologies and testing
procedures develop, these standards undergo periodic review.
Every condom manufactured in the United States is tested electronically for
holes and weak spots before it is released for sale. Samples of condoms from
each batch that pass electronic testing then undergo a series of standardized
laboratory tests for leaks and breakage. If the sample condoms fail these tests,
the entire batch is destroyed and not permitted for sale. Imported condoms are
required to pass the same tests as domestic condoms, and should be equally safe.
In the water leakage test, randomly selected condoms are filled with 300 ml
of water and checked for holes. Moisture detected on the outside of the condom
is considered a failed test. Batches with more than four failed tests per 1,000
sampled condoms are not permitted for sale in the United States. In the air-burst
test adopted by ASTM in 1994, samples of condoms are inflated until they burst;
the volume at burst point is documented.
Choosing and Buying a Condom
All condoms are tested for defects. But, like rubber bands, condoms deteriorate
with age. If properly stored, they should stay good until the expiration date
printed on the wrapper of each condom.
Condoms may be transparent or opaque, tinted, nipple-ended, rippled, studded,
contoured, dry, powdered, or lubricated - with spermicide or without. Read labels
on "novelty" condoms to be sure they protect against pregnancy and
sexually transmitted infections.
Usually, size is not marked on the package. But condoms come in different lengths,
widths, and thickness. Try different brands and styles to find out which fits
best.
You can get condoms in drugstores and drug departments of other stores. They
also are available in Planned Parenthood health centers and other family planning
clinics where they may be less expensive or free.
Don't be embarrassed by the thought of going into a store and asking for condoms.
Be proud. Buying condoms says that you are responsible and that you accept your
sexuality as a normal part of living.
Protection Against STDs and HIV
When used consistently and correctly, latex or plastic condoms with or without
spermicide provide highly effective protection against bacterial and viral STDs.
When placed on the penis before any genital contact, the condom prevents contact
with semen; genital lesions on the shaft of the penis; and penile, vaginal,
or anal discharges. In-vitro laboratory studies show that latex condoms provide
a highly effective mechanical barrier to bacterial and viral STDs including
HIV. In vivo, condoms have proven to be highly effective against a wide variety
of STDs such as gonorrhea, herpes simplex virus, and HIV infection. Of 10 cohort
studies to date, evaluating condom use and HIV infection among heterosexual
couples, all showed a protective effect for the consistent use of condoms.
In one European study, no uninfected partners in 124 couples, in which one
person was HIV positive and the other was not, who used condoms consistently
became infected. Conversely, in another sample among 121serodiscordant couples
who reported using condoms inconsistently, 12 uninfected partners (10 percent)
became HIV positive.
In a second European study, among 171 similarly partnered couples who used
condoms with every act of intercourse, three (two percent) uninfected partners
became infected with HIV. In contrast, 16 uninfected partners (12 percent) of
134 couples who used condoms inconsistently or not at all became infected. A
third study in Haiti found that only one (2 percent) of 42 couples using condoms
consistently became infected in contrast to 19 (14 percent) of 135 couples who
used condoms inconsistently. A troubling finding in each study was the high
percentage of such couples who use condoms inconsistently, despite a known risk
of exposure to HIV.
In developing quality product, we are keenly aware of few important factors
such as quality standards, workers performance, production know-how, and equipment
reliability and raw material quality. In achieving consistently high quality
products and passing the WHO and ISO standards, we recruited a prominent British
condom expert to assist and guide our employees to acquire the best condom production
know-how and to manage the consistency of our high quality products. Combining
the state-of-the-art automatic dipping machinery from Germany with stringent
control and supervision of our products, Simplex is considered one of the most
reliable and safest condom products available in the market.
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