A general view of the fabrication process, click on the sub-tabs to see details.
1. Laser cut the molds from acrylic sheets, one for top layer and one for bottom layer. Assemble and glue the parts.
2. Mix Ecoflex 00-30 part A and B and pour it into the molds. Mold release and vacuum de-bubble are not necessary here because of the materiality of the acrylic mold and silicon rubber. Keep them on a completely flat surface; otherwise the thickness would be uneven. Evenly distribute the silicone and rub off the excess silicone.
3. Leave the silicone to set and cure in about 2 hours. Use a heat lamp to accelerate the process.
4. Peel off the cured silicone carefully.
5. Assemble the tube into the reserved channels. Use a little amount of uncured Ecoflex 00-30 to glue the top and bottom parts together. Apply some mold release on the thin air channels to prevent them from clogging together. Carefully squeeze out all the air bubbles; otherwise they become the weak point during inflation. Use Ecoflex 00-35 if this process can be done in 2 mins. Wait for the silicon to cure.
6. Actuate and check for clog and openings. Use a thin rod to pierce clogs and Ecoflex 00-35 to seal openings as needed.