If the logo cracks when you twist the tray, fix draft before the freezer
Logo ice cracks or sticks in the tray? Shore A for cubes vs spheres, draft, FDA/LFGB, freeze-thaw life, MOQ 50, prototype 3-7 days from RUUIPON Shenzhen.
Kyler Yang · Founder5 min read
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Catalog spheres look fine in the product shot, then the branded cube for a hotel launch either sticks in the well or snaps the serif off the logo. Plastic trays do not flex; cheap tin kits tear after a season of freeze-thaw. The brief we get is almost always the same: the ice is the brand for that drink.
RUUIPON builds custom silicone ice molds for bars, restaurants, and beverage brands at MOQ 50. Prototype usually 3-7 days after CAD approval; production trays on a 2-4 week band when dimensions are clear. Chocolate and baking use heat - ice is freeze and peel. Do not reuse those Shore notes here.
Shore A: cubes vs spheres
Soft enough to peel the mark; firm enough that a large sphere does not oval when you open the shell. Pick for the biggest piece on the tray, not the hero Instagram cube.
| Ice type | Shore A | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Logo / branded cubes | 30-40 | Peel letters without crumb |
| Small spheres | 32-40 | Round hold + flex demold |
| Large slow-melt / Collins | 35-45 | Shell stiffness; often two-part |
Broader table: Shore hardness guide.
Logo depth in ice
Ice logos read differently than chocolate. Too shallow and the mark vanishes as the cube melts in the glass; too deep with zero draft and you tear silicone or crack the cube on twist.
- Typical emboss/deboss band we quote: about 0.4-1.0 mm for service cubes, adjusted to stroke width.
- Thin strokes need enough face width or they fill with cloudy ice and look muddy.
- Shop note: a hotel cube came in at 1.6 mm depth on 0.4 mm strokes. We cut depth near 0.8 mm, added draft, Shore ~35. Crack rate on demold dropped on the next freeze test.
Draft, fill path & air traps
- Deep logo wells need 1-3° draft or a softer Shore - same logic as undercuts & draft.
- Large spheres often split: one-part vs two-part.
- Fill so air can escape - trapped bubbles under a logo face show up as cloudy blotches guests photograph.
- Multi-cavity bar trays: spacing so sheets stay flat - cavity layout.
FDA / LFGB for ice contact
Ice is food contact. US retail and many hotel groups ask for FDA 21 CFR 177.2600; EU paths often want LFGB. Pink silicone is not a certificate. Details: FDA vs LFGB · food-grade molds.
Freeze-thaw & tray life
- Cavity walls usually 2.5-5 mm; thin letter roots tear first.
- Full freeze before peel. Soft centers crack logos when you twist.
- Rinse, dry, store flat. Metal pry tools shorten life faster than freezer hours. Grade note: platinum vs tin.
DFM pushbacks before we cut steel masters
RFQ checklist
- STEP/STL or photos with mm (cube edge or sphere diameter)
- Logo artwork and target depth
- One-part peel vs two-part sphere shell
- Service vs retail kit; cavity count
- FDA / LFGB / neither
Contact RUUIPON · [email protected] · WhatsApp +86 135 3006 2969.
FAQ
What Shore A for custom silicone ice molds?
Most logo cubes land in Shore A 30-40. Large spheres and Collins blocks often want 35-45 so the shell holds while you peel. Too soft and big spheres oval; too hard and logos tear on demold.
Ready to order custom silicone molds?
Free quote for OEM/ODM projects. MOQ 20 · Prototype 3-7 days · FDA/LFGB available.