TECHNOLOGY | FOAM


Right: Neue Materialien Bayreuth in Germany offers a number of foam-related services to injection moulders


project, called FIM Compare, which has tested different polymers with three foaming technolo- gies: MuCell (Trexel), CellMould (Wittmann Battenfeld) and ProFoam (Arburg). Altstädt said the project is “an independent study of typical foam injection moulding materials like standard PP, PP with long fibres and PC, and in this study we used only nitrogen. The idea is to compare semi-crystalline materials, amor- phous materials, fibre-reinforced materials in all these three processes to identify possible weight reductions, the morphology of the mould components, and also the profitability of the process.” Another organisation studying foam injection moulding is IKV – the Institute of Plastics Process- ing at RWTH Aachen University in Germany. At the Polymer Foam conference, Yuxiao Zhang, Research Associate at IKV, discussed work she is doing to investigate the influence of processing parameters (including mould temperature, the delay time before mould opening and the opening speed) on the mechanical properties of physically foamed TPE materials. The studies have covered various elastomeric material types, including TPVs and TPUs.


US-based Trexel made a name for


Right: Trexel has launched its new TecoCell chemical foaming system


itself in the world of injection moulding with its MuCell technol- ogy, a physical foaming process. So it was surprising when last year it unveiled its new TecoCell chemical foaming system. Executives at Trexel told Injection World the reason for adding a chemical foaming technology to its portfolio was because customers had request- ed that Trexel gave them options for both physical and chemical foaming. The TecoCell system uses CaCO3 nanoparticles measuring less than 0.08 microns to create a highly uniform and evenly distributed cell structure. The result is said to be injection moulded components with impressive weight savings, good mechanical characteristics and high quality surfaces. Trexel has further broadened the MuCell physical foaming suite of products with the new MuCell P-Series. MuCell is well established in automotive and technical moulding markets, and the P-Series is Trexel’s adaptation of the gas dosing process for fast cycling, thin-wall packaging applications. The company says the P-Series is able to precisely dose N2 as a super critical fluid at fast


34 INJECTION WORLD | March 2019


cycle times not previously possi-


ble with its T Series. Trexel said: “MuCell


P-Series enables greater light-weighting, increased L/T and the ability to fill from thin-to-thick (stiffer rim for sealing). It has been demonstrated


that the use of MuCell P-Series on existing packag- ing products provides 30% reduced clamp tonnage, 12% lower injection pressure, 6% weight reduction and 7% cycle reduction.” At the NPE2018 exhibition in Orlando, US, in May last year, Trexel demonstrated the MuCell P-Series moulding a 6 oz (200 ml) yogurt cup with in-mould label. The P-Series made its European debut at Fakuma 2018 in October. At Fakuma, Trexel also showed the T Series satellite model, which it said offers “an easy and cost-competitive entry route into MuCell microcellular foaming”, which can be easily expanded for further ma- chines. The satellite develop- ment enables several injection moulding machines to be equipped for MuCell, especially for interconnected


production cells. Trexel also offers booster stations in two sizes with


different performance ranges to supply the different satellites with the physical blowing


agent. MuCell is a technology offered as an option by many injection moulding machine manufacturers. This could be seen at NPE2018: Engel demonstrat- ed its DecoJect in-mould graining technology on an automotive part moulded using MuCell; and Milacron used MuCell in conjunction with its “Core Back/Reverse Coining” technology package on a Maxima Performance machine moulding an automotive door panel with map pocket. Arburg, at its Technology Days 2018 event in


Lossburg, Germany, presented its Profoam physical foaming process as an option for moulders


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