Manufacturing Custom Stress Balls with Happy Worker

Manufacturing Process
How Happy Worker Makes Custom Stress Balls

Manufacturing Custom Stress Balls with Happy Worker

Just The Basics

Design & Creative Decisions

Manufacturing Process

On this page you’ll find an introduction to how Happy Worker prototypes and manufactures custom corporate stress balls and custom stress relievers.

Many of our clients don’t want to know all the nitty-gritty details of custom stress ball production. And really, there’s no need - we handle all aspects of manufacturing. We fuss over all the little details so our clients can focus on their own business. We’ll guide your team through the process and involve you and your team only when necessary.

However, if you’re the curious type and like to know how we create custom stress balls, then this page is for you!

First things first: If you haven’t already, please visit Custom Stress Toys - The Basics to get started on the right foot.

Custom Stress Ball Prototyping

Prototyping Stages

Working from the concept artwork and creative decisions, the stress ball’s first rough prototype is sculpted from wax or clay. We’ll share digital photos of the sculpture in progress.
From your feedback, we’ll make any adjustments to the shaping of the prototype.
Then we will create a plastic resin copy of the sculpture, which we’ll courier to you so you can see the prototype in person. Note - because this prototype is made of a hard resin it won’t be squeezable just yet. If any changes are needed we’ll make them prior to moving onto the next step.
With approval, we’ll create a single set of stress reliever molds and produce a few test stress toys in the final PU foam material. We’ll paint these prototypes according to the concept artwork. Logos, graphics, and slogans are also added to the painted prototype to produce a final “pre-production” prototype - or one that looks and feels just like the final custom stress reliever. Again, we’ll courier these sample toys to you so you get to examine and play with them in person.
On approval, we will get started manufacturing your custom stress balls!

Custom Stress Ball Manufacturing

Stress Balls Production Process

After the stress ball pre-production prototype is completed and approved, it’s foam toy-making time! Custom stress relievers manufacturing includes the following steps:

Mold Making (Tooling)

Additional sets of production molds are created as required, to properly produce the desired order size and meet the production schedule.

Materials Ordering

The next part of stress ball production is fairly rudimentary - raw materials and paints are ordered or created. In many cases we make new paint colors and decals so that the final stress toys match Pantone PMS colors and brand guidelines exactly.

Toy Molding & Production

The production molds are used to cast the number of stress relievers needed to fill the order. This is also called “foaming”. After the newly birthed stress toys are removed from their molds there is some extra foam material left where the two halves of the mold meet. This is carefully trimmed. Then the foam stress relievers are inspected for quality, and any small spots are filled to ensure that no bubbles or holes mark the surface of the stress balls.

Painting

While Happy Worker manufactures stress balls in quantity, each stress ball is painted by hand with the use of air brushes and paint masks.

Printing & Decals

Any graphics, slogans, or logos are now applied to the surface by printing or decal application.

Stress Balls Quality Control

Before being packed the stress balls are checked for quality assurance against our toy quality control checklist. Additional stress ball safety testing is also performed.

Packaging

Great toys require great packaging. The finished custom stress balls are carefully and happily placed and sealed in their packaging. Then the packaged toys are placed in shipping cartons and prepared for delivery.

Delivery of Custom Stress Toys & Stress Balls

Whether it’s for an event, trade show or retail launch, we’re experienced at delivering custom stress balls around the world, from large shipments to small, by sea, truck, or courier. We can also kit stress balls together with other items and manage complex distribution requirements.

Together we’ll discuss your distribution needs, and then work with our shipping and logistics partners to deliver your order happily on time and in great condition.

For super important rush shipments – if we agree to produce a rush order (e.g. stress balls less than 18 weeks), then please see our Time critical rush shipping – the fine print for additional information to be aware of.

Quality, Testing and Product Safety

All the toys Happy Worker manufactures as well as their raw materials are subjected to quality and safety testing.

Additional safety testing is required for collectibles intended or marketed for children and teens less than 15 years old. Happy Worker works with certified toy testing labs that perform U.S. CPSC, CPSIA, ASTM and other tests as required by each country and region to meet and exceed federal and international safety standards.

Important Extra Step: Happiness Now & Forever

We’re just as excited about your custom stress balls as you are. And we want to make sure your new stress relievers aren’t just delivered to the quality we both expect, but that they achieve the goals of your program and business.

We follow-up both during launch and a few weeks or months after launch to get your feedback and that of stress toy recipients – to make sure we know that together we’re achieving the design and program goals. In our spirit of constant betterment, any potential improvements to products and processes are captured so we make sure that every new custom collectible and gift is our best item ever.

Next Step

Create Custom Stress Balls Now

Create Custom Stress Balls Now To learn more, receive a quote and begin creating your custom stress relievers please contact Happy Worker– and we’ll be very happy to help: Phone: 1-888-494-8697
Email: custom@happyworker.com