Foam molding, or more commonly called “foaming,” is a technique used to make durable, lightweight and resilient plastics by injecting a liquid polyurethane foam mixture into a mould. In this article, I will be going over how foam moulding works and the benefits of this method.
Foam moulding is a process that permits manufacturers to supply enormous structural parts. This method is analogous to injection moulding but overcomes some of the shortcomings. Unlike injection moulding, foam moulding doesn’t require high pressure to operate.
How does foam moulding work
This process requires an inert gas like Nitrogen to be mixed into melted polymer, usually a thermoset or thermoplastic inside a barrel. Sometimes rather than a noble gas, a chemical blowing agent is also preferred. This creates a homogeneous mixture of polymer and gas. The addition of inert gas ensures that the density of the product is reduced which adds up to the burden of being reduced further. Some samples of thermoplastics employed in the method are polyurethane, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide (Noryl), and polybutylene terephthalate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (Valox).
Injecting the foam into the mould
This mixture is then injected into a mould. The gas expands on injection and therefore the mould cavity is filled. Upon this, there’s also a chemical action within the blend which results in the foaming action. When the foaming plastic touches the cold mould wall it solidifies producing a skinny layer of skin. The end product is strong and lightweight. The part weight is reduced by almost 10%-30% which makes it easier for the product to be transferred between places. Another benefit of foam moulding is the lower energy costs as compared to other injection moulding processes. Customers get complex components without sink marks. The products made through this process experience minimal thermal expansion and the best part is that it is cost-efficient hence a win-win situation in all. The only disadvantage with foam moulding is that its production speed is lower than its counterpart.
Who should you trust?
There are many companies involved in manufacturing foam moulding. an example being: HSV-TMP. The core values of most companies make them reliable and trustworthy and this is to be seen in the large number of customers that are involved in making deals with the organisation. When selecting a company to cooperate with, it is important to know the details of your desired product. Every detail is vital for the production process and the end result. Furthermore, it is important to have an indication of the budget. Although foam moulding is one of the cheaper options for injection moulding, it is important to have an idea of what your budget is and how far you could go.
The market for foam-based manufacturing
In today’s world, the demand for plastic is only increasing where manufacturers are looking at alternatives over metallic parts. It is only reasonable as plastic is lighter and more resistant to corrosion. Look closely at the quality, many companies meet the demands of high-quality plastic components in various sectors. Foam moulding in its way is making the products we see around us safer, more efficient and better in terms of quality playing a key role in cost-cutting in various sectors and happier customers.
