The Role and Manufacturing Process of Swimming Goggles: An In-Depth Analysis from Function to Technology
INTRODUCTION
Swimming goggles are indispensable equipment for swimming, and their core function is to protect the eyes and improve visual clarity underwater. According to the global sports equipment market report, the market size of swimming goggles has exceeded 1.8 billion dollars by 2023, with a CAGR of 4.5%. In this article, we will analyze the design principle and production process of swimming goggles by combining scientific data and manufacturing technology.
Part I: The Core Role of Swimming Goggles
1. Eye protection
Chlorine and salt water erosion: Chlorine concentration in swimming pool water is usually 1-3 ppm, and the salinity of seawater is about 3.5%. Swimming goggle seals (mostly made of silicone) isolate chemicals and reduce the risk of conjunctivitis.
UV protection: Competition-grade goggle lenses are UV400 compliant, blocking 99% of UVA/UVB rays (wavelengths ≤ 400nm).
2. Optimized underwater vision
Anti-fog technology: Reduce water vapor condensation by hydrophilic coating or nano-coating on the inside of the lens. Tests have shown that high-quality anti-fog coating can maintain a clear field of vision for 30 hours (test conditions: water temperature 28℃, humidity 80%).
Optical Correction: Some swim goggles offer diopter adjustments from 50 degrees to -800 degrees, with a refractive index (n) of 1.56-1.67 (close to the cornea of the human eye at 1.376) to minimize visual aberrations.
3. Hydrodynamic design
Competition goggles have a frame thickness of only 2-3 millimeters and a streamlined design that reduces water resistance. Wind tunnel tests show that professional goggles can reduce head resistance by 15%-20%.
Part II: Swimming goggles manufacturing process and technical parameters
1. Material selection
Lens components, commonly used materials are polycarbonate (PC), the key performance parameters are light transmittance ≥ 92%, impact strength ≥ 60 kJ/m2.
Mirror frame/seal components, commonly used materials are silicone rubber (hardness 30-50 Shore A), the key performance parameters are tensile strength ≥ 8 MPa, temperature range of -40 ℃ ~ 200 ℃.
Headband components, commonly used materials are thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), the key performance parameters are elongation ≥ 400%, resilience > 90%.
2. Lens manufacturing process
Injection molding: PC particles melt at 280-320 ℃, injected into the mold (precision ± 0.02mm), after cooling to form the lens substrate.
Coating process:
Anti-fog layer: vacuum sputtered silica (SiO?) or titanium oxide (TiO?) coating, thickness 50-100 nm.
Anti-reflective layer: multi-layer coating (e.g., MgF?) to reduce light reflectivity to <1% (ordinary glass reflectivity of 8%).
3. Frame and seal molding
Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) Injection: Vulcanized at 160-180℃, mold accuracy of ±0.05mm to ensure fit to face contour.
Anti-microbial treatment: add silver ions (Ag?) or organic antimicrobial agents, anti-bacterial rate > 99.9% (ISO 22196 standard).
4. Assembly and quality control
Air tightness test: pressurize to 0.5 bar, detect leakage <0.1 mL/min.
Anti-fog durability test: assess coating integrity after simulating swimming action (5000 times of friction between lenses and water).
Part III: Innovative Trends and Environmental Technologies
1. 3D printed customized frames
Adopting light-curing (SLA) technology to create frames based on users' facial scanning data, with a 40% better fit (Source: Speedo FitTech program).
2. Bio-based material applications
Some brands use castor oil derivatives to replace traditional silicone, reducing carbon footprint by 30% (EU LCA standard).
3. Smart Goggles
Integrated AR displays and motion sensors (e.g. Form Smart Goggles) can display real-time data such as stroke rate, heart rate, etc. and last up to 16 hours.
Conclusion
swim goggles are much more than meets the eye, with a design that combines material science, optical engineering and ergonomics. In the future, with the development of biodegradable materials and smart wearable technology, swimming goggles will realize double breakthroughs in performance and environmental protection. For consumers, when choosing swimming goggles, they need to pay attention to the three core parameters of light transmission, fit and anti-fog validity to match the needs of different scenarios.
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