Client Background
Mosteb was chosen as a reliable glass candle holders company by an independent Norwegian candle brand specializing in clean-burning, minimalist candles to add to Nordic interiors of the home. In creating a new container in their signature line, the brand made a bespoke matte-clear glass candle holder with slight horizontal ripple texture and a thick and heat-buffered bottom.
The design was selected because it is an expression of the Scandinavian simplicity, and it enhanced the lighting diffusion and the safety of the users. The ripple texture provided a visual texture without distraction of the candle, and the reinforced bottom helped to make it stable when kept burning long. Mosteb was selected by the brand due to the direct manufacturing in factories, the good experience in working with custom molds, and the possibility to provide the similar quality in re-production.
Challenges
During sampling and early testing, the brand encountered two realistic challenges:
- Inconsistent Ripple Definition: Some samples showed uneven ripple clarity, affecting the uniform look required for retail display.
- Heat Accumulation at the Base: Extended burn tests revealed that certain units retained more heat than expected, raising concerns about surface safety.
Cause Analysis
The engineering staff of Mosteb made the fundamental problems analysis and determined the following problems:
- Minor changes in the speed of glass flow in the forming process led to inconsistency in the definition of ripple.
- The initial base design was not evenly dispersed in glass mass resulting in low heat dissipation.
- In order to overcome this, we conducted controlled forming trials, mapped thermal behavior in burn simulations, and checked mold geometry to maximize the distribution of glasses.
Solution
- Adjusting the speed and pressure of the fine-tuning of how the ripple texture is produced in all units.
- Re-designed the base profile by enhancing heat dispersion without changing the outside look.
- Prolonged the annealing duration in order to promote thermal performance and structural stability.
- The pre-shipment batch-level heat and stability tests.
Result
The last glass candle holders were of consistent texture, heat resistant, and consistent in performance of production batches. The Norwegian brand has managed to introduce a new container of candles, which have been well accepted by the retailers and the consumers. After this project, Mosteb is their new long term partner in its future development of custom candle holders.
