In this study, the effects of gel application on a substrate were examined, with a particular emphasis on mechanical characteristics such as hardness and the volumetric changes due to swelling and shrinking. Influenced by the research of Chung et al. [1], it was found that crosslinking critically alters the mechanical properties of gels, similar to GelMA hydrogels. In silicone-based gels, crosslinking was observed to enhance material hardness and diminish swelling when exposed to water. Less crosslinked gels, in contrast, exhibited more pronounced swelling, indicating their potential for tailored applications [2]. The increase in material hardness due to crosslinking was attributed to an elevated crosslink density. Conversely, reduced crosslinking led to increased swelling upon water ingress. These phenomena were essential for understanding the implications on the application performance. The resulted stress changes in a substrate, caused by variations in gel properties, were particularly noted. The ability to predict and adjust these stress offsets is crucial for the development of reliable and accurate devices. Simulations, building upon the foundational work of Hajikhani et al. [3], played a crucial role in understanding these materials' behavior under exposure and water ingress. This comprehensive analysis offers insights into the manipulation of crosslinking and water-induced swelling for optimizing the mechanical properties of gels on a substrate. The findings underscore the importance of material property characterization in enhancing the accuracy and reliability of substrate performance. REFERENCES: [1] Chung, Taehun, et al. "Systematic optimization of visible light-induced crosslinking conditions of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)." Scientific Reports. Nature.com. [2] Mayumi, Koichi, et al. "Softness, Elasticity, and Toughness of Polymer Networks with Slide-Ring Cross-Links." Gels 7.3 (2021): 91. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7030091. [3] Hajikhani, Aidin, et al. "Chemo-mechanical modelling of swelling and crosslinking reaction kinetics in alginate hydrogels: A novel theory and its numerical implementation." Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 153 (2021): 104476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2021.104476.