Have you ever seen the show, “How It’s Made?” It’s a fun look at the manufacturing process of many of the products we use every day. In my role, as manager of the Customer Success Marketing program, I’m constantly looking at our customers in search of the next success story to share, and I love researching what they make. We serve such a wide spectrum of industries, and each is unique in their manufacturing process.
History of Hand-Washing and Rubber Gloves
If you’ve ever been to the doctor, you are all too familiar with the “snap” of rubber gloves. Although that noise can bring on anxiety for some, it’s one of those items that has been key in preventing the spread of illness and disease in modern medicine. Did you know that it wasn’t until the mid-1800s that doctors began the practice of washing their hands before performing medical exams and treatment? These days I’m sure a clinic would be shut down if doctors didn’t wash their hands and put on a pair of gloves before an exam or procedure. It’s what we’ve come to expect for both our safety and theirs.
Manufacturing Rubber Gloves
While researching customers for our Life Sciences Industry Diagram – a cool project highlighting our customers’ success in the operating room – I came across our customer, Medline. I found out that they’re a manufacturer of medical equipment and accessories, which includes a large line of rubber gloves.
Seeing rubber gloves tightly packed into their box at the dentist recently, I couldn’t help but wonder how they got there. What does the process look like? One search later, and I was absorbed in the manufacturing process of rubber gloves, thanks to The Science Channel’s How It’s Made series.
It all starts by sanitizing ceramic hand molds – that process alone is quite fascinating. It’s mesmerizing to watch rows of identical hands attached to a machine get washed, coated in chemicals and dipped in rubber. From there they go into an oven so the rubber dries to the hands, brushes then roll up the cuffs so that the gloves can be easily pulled off the molds. Next, the gloves get quality tested with air and water, and finally sent to packaging. Next time you’re at the doctor or dentist, and they put on a pair of rubber gloves, take a moment to appreciate all of the work that went into them!
ERP Built for Life Sciences Manufacturing
QAD understands that no two companies are alike and a one-size ERP solution doesn’t fit all either. We have specialized expertise in six specific industries – learn more about QAD Cloud ERP built just for your industry.
Thanks for sharing helpful article
Informative article. Loved it.