FOAM | TECHNOLOGY
Technology suppliers are presenting injection moulders with new foaming systems which add to the processes already in the market. David Eldridge reports on the latest developments
Expanding options in foam moulding
Foam injection moulding is a technology that automotive, packaging and technical moulders can use to provide significant value in their customer offering. Foamed mouldings have lower density than unfoamed parts and are therefore attractive in the lightweighting trend seen in automotive and packaging markets. Foaming can be used for thin wall parts and also for thick wall parts, meaning that applications as diverse as margarine tubs and car parcel shelves are suitable for the technology. As well as the lightweighting of finished parts, there are other benefits, such as lower material costs, and processing advantages, including reduced cycle time and the possibility of downsizing the ma- chine’s clamp force. Trexel’s MuCell process is perhaps the best known foam injection moulding technology, but in addition some injection moulding machine compa- nies have produced their own foaming options,
www.injectionworld.com
plus independent groups have developed exper- tise and new foam technologies too. Each of these technologies has differences which their backers claim makes them stand out, but the essential difference is between technologies using chemical foaming and ones using physical foaming. In chemical foaming, the agent used for foam expan- sion is added into the polymer granules and is activated once processing starts inside the machine barrel. In physical foaming, the gas is introduced into the barrel from an external unit and then mixed with the polymer melt to create the foam expansion. A new foam injection moulding technology combines the best of physical and chemical foaming, according to industrial gas producer Linde. The Plastinum foam moulding process was launched by Linde and its development partners Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid (KIMW) and ProTec Polymer Processing at the Fakuma
Main image: Foam moulding is an attractive technology to meet the need for lightweight- ing automotive parts
March 2019 | INJECTION WORLD 31
PHOTO: ARBURG
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
