doll

Any excess material produced during the molding process is usually discarded, since it cannot be recycled back into the process. The composition of the virgin material would be affected that would change the quality and color of the doll. Sometimes, the waste material is recycled for other purposes.
 
 
 
 
 
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Byproducts/Waste

Similar safety standards exist in Japan and Europe. An international standard is also under development that will serve as a set of requirements toward which all other countries can begin to harmonize.

The CPSC regulations are incorporated by reference in the toy industry's voluntary standard, ASTM F963, published by the American Society for Testing and Materials. ASTM F963 and federal regulations include more than 100 separate tests and design specifications to reduce or eliminate hazards that have the potential to cause injury under conditions of normal use or reasonably foreseeable abuse. These tests are conducted in-house or by independent testing laboratories.

In addition to spot checking the doll parts for defects during the molding process, plastic dolls must meet specific toy safety regulations first established by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). These include requirements and test criteria for paint and other similar surface-coating materials; sharp edges and points; small parts which could be swallowed or inhaled; use-and-abuse testing; hazardous substances; flammability and toxicity; among others. All raw materials are tested by the supplier and are shipped with property data sheets. Before the doll is packaged it is sent through a metal detector to make sure no metal contaminants are present.

The next step is to dress the doll and trim any hanging threads. Any special labels or tags are attached before packaging. Most dolls are packaged in boxes by hand since they often must be posed. Each doll is given a final check before the box is covered. The boxes are then packed in shipping cartons.
Quality Control

Before all the body parts are assembled to make the doll, the facial features and hair are applied. First, the eyes are inserted and then cheeks, lips, and sometimes lashes are spray painted using an air brushing method. This process can involve up to 15 steps.
If the hair isn't molded as part of the head, nylon is rooted into the vinyl using a special sewing machine that is operated by hand. The hair is then carefully trimmed, combed, and set. The head can now be attached to the body, along with the limbs.
Dressing and packaging

During rotational molding, the mold cavities are first filled with a predetermined amount of the compound, in liquid form. Each metal mold consists of multiple cavities and the quantity depends on the size of doll. For instance, as many as 60 heads can be made at once. After the molds are closed, they are placed in a heated oven and rotated biaxially. During the heating cycle, the resin melts, fuses, and then densifies into the shape of the mold cavity.
Next, the molds are slowly cooled inside a chamber using air and water. Once cooled, the molds are removed from the chamber, opened, and the finished part is removed.
During blow molding, a hollow tube called a parison is first formed out of molten plastic by extrusion through a tubular reservoir. This tube is then placed between two halves of a steel mold and forced to assume the shape of the mold cavity by use of air pressure. The air pressure, ranging from 80-120 psi, is introduced through the inside of the tube, forcing the plastic against the surface of the mold.
After either molding process, the part is trimmed by hand to remove the flange.
Decorating the head

A separate compounding operation is required to convert the form of a resin, while also introducing any additives, into one suitable for the molding processes. Usually this step is done at the plastic manufacturer, though sometimes it is performed by the doll manufacturer if a special formulation is required.
Molding

Raw material preparation

Two major plastic forming processes are used to make doll body parts. The heads and limbs are made by a process called rotational molding. Rotational molding is used for producing hollow, seamless products of all sizes and shapes with uniform wall thickness. Blow molding is sometimes used to make the torso if cost is an issue since it is a faster, more economical method.

The Manufacturing
Process

Two major plastic forming processes are used to make doll body parts. The heads and