What Structural Foam Molding Materials Do You need for Your Project?

This process is used in many industries due to the products having a lighter weight compared to straight injection molded products while still maintaining durability and functionality. Structural foam molded products are a good replacement for aluminum, steel, and sheet metal, also lowering costs. So, what structural foam molding materials do you need for this process? Let’s explore.

What is Structural Foam Molding?

Structural foam molding is a low-pressure injection molding process where a melted polymer is mixed with nitrogen gas or a chemical blowing agent. This mixture is then injected into a mold. Once in the mold, the gas or blowing agent is released and expands, undergoing a chemical reaction that causes foam to form. When the foaming plastic touches the walls of the mold, it solidifies, producing a solid outer layer and a honeycomb interior.

Structural Foam Molding Materials For Each Step of the Process

Design

During the design process, you will need to choose the polymer you are going to use in production. This polymer will give your product all of the qualities you desire, so it is crucial to choose properly.

In structural foam molding, there are two common polymers used: polypropylene and polyethylene. Each of these plastics has its advantages and drawbacks:

• Polyethylene: This plastic is known for its resistance to chemicals and water, its recyclability, high strength-to-weight ratio, low moisture absorption, high impact strength, and durability. However, it does exhibit poor weather resistance and is sensitive to stress cracking. Commonly, polyethylene is used to create chemical containers, pipe systems, gardening equipment, and more.
• Polypropylene: This rigid, lightweight, closed-cell polymer is commonly used in consumer goods, automotive, medical, and many more applications. It is known for its toughness, flexibility, fatigue resistance, chemical resistance, temperature resistance, and moisture resistance.

If you aren’t quite sure which polymer will best suit your application, your manufacturer will be able to help steer you in the right direction.

Tooling and Mold Production

The tooling and molds you will be using during production need to be created from durable materials so they can be used repeatedly, saving you money on these tooling costs in the future. It is standard that these molds and tooling are made from steel due to its many advantageous properties. It is known to be strong and durable with the ability to withstand heavy loads and resist deformation with continual use. This allows these products to be used repeatedly without breaking down, reducing costs on maintenance and replacements.

Structural Foam Molding Process

Once you have decided on your polymer and have your tooling created, production can begin. During this process, your structural foam molding project will need either nitrogen gas or a chemical blowing agent to yield the part you desire. These chemicals are crucial to the formation of the honeycomb interior. The nitrogen gas or chemical blowing agent will undergo a chemical reaction during the injection process to form the inner honeycomb layer.

Secondary Operations

After production, you will have the option to tack on secondary operations to make sure your product is exactly as you envision. These services include assembly, decorating, drilling holes, and kitting. At Port Erie, we also offer assembly with screws, nuts, aluminum extrusions, fasteners, velcro strips, spindles, latches, springs, and rods.

Port Erie Can Provide You With All the Structural Foam Molding Materials You Need

At Port Erie Plastics, our team has been completing structural foam molding projects since 1953. During this time, we have become extremely familiar with a wide range of structural foam molding materials, particularly polyethylene and polypropylene. No matter which material you choose for your project, our team is ready to take it on.

Contact us today to get started.