The Official Blog of Polymer Technologies, Inc.

Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive Guide for Composite Materials

A hand peeling back a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive off of a piece of foam.

Pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), or self-adhesive, is used with many of our composite materials to simplify their application to the surface being treated. PSA is a thin, flexible adhesive coating that adheres to various surfaces. Even though the technical performance of a material is not directly related to the adhesive, proper PSA application is critical. Many … Read more Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive Guide for Composite Materials

Effectiveness of Barriers and When Performance is Limited

A square piece of barrier foam

Almost every industrial equipment business has used acoustic barriers in some way. The primary purpose of these barriers is to block airborne noise from traveling through a surface to the environment on the other side of the surface. A prime example of a barrier is the floor mats found in the cabs of large trucks. … Read more Effectiveness of Barriers and When Performance is Limited

How to Design and Develop a 3D Molded Foam Solution

Develop a 3D Molded Foam

Developing a new product on the cutting edge requires innovative thinking. Original equipment manufacturers are continually trying to break the mold with their new product designs, but sometimes the end product doesn’t work as intended. Usually, manufacturers use flat foam barriers, foam absorbers, and damping pads to control temperature, noise, and heat emitted from machinery … Read more How to Design and Develop a 3D Molded Foam Solution

How the Permeability of Polyurethane Foam Affects Sound Absorption

Squish

Cellular polymer materials are permeable to some degree, while other manufacturing materials like metals, glass, ceramics and dense loaded vinyls are not. To some, this porous quality may seem like a disadvantage. But that’s not true! Whether or not a material is right for your project comes down to your application. If you’re looking to … Read more How the Permeability of Polyurethane Foam Affects Sound Absorption

Top 4 Ways to Protect Your Product Designs Against Copycats

Law Files

When developing a new product, there are a lot of hurdles to consider before bringing it to market. Before production starts, you should familiarize yourself with intellectual property (IP) protections in the U.S. and abroad. Many businesses in the United States turn to locations overseas, like China, to produce goods, as it is usually more … Read more Top 4 Ways to Protect Your Product Designs Against Copycats

The Future of Composites in the Aerospace Industry

Airplane Front View

When it comes to determining how well an aircraft will perform, the thrust-to-weight ratio is one of the most important metrics. Aerospace manufacturers have always aimed to keep this ratio as low as possible by creating lighter aircraft, but the metals traditionally used in aircraft bodies are heavy. Composite materials, on the other hand, are … Read more The Future of Composites in the Aerospace Industry

Open vs. Closed Cell Foam: Understanding Permeability

Open and Closed Cell Foam

Porous plastic foam is on the cutting edge of insulation for heat, vapor, noise, and other elements. The two major variants of porous plastic foams are open and closed cell foams. Both types of foam are used in everyday products, but because of their structural differences, one type of foam may perform better than the … Read more Open vs. Closed Cell Foam: Understanding Permeability

Melamine Foam Insulation for Thermal Management, Noise Reduction, and Cost Savings

PHM Melamine Foam

Melamine foam is an effective absorber suitable for applications involving noise control and thermal management. Polymer Technologies provides a range of melamine foam insulation for a variety of industries, mainly power generation, construction, rail transportation, heavy truck, aerospace, medical, and marine manufacturing. The foam is widely used because it is a versatile, flame resistant material … Read more Melamine Foam Insulation for Thermal Management, Noise Reduction, and Cost Savings

Keeping Up with the Demanding Trend of Machine Versatility

Go Green

Engineers are always looking for more ways to implement new technologies in their machinery. Over the past decade, the drive to create more versatile machinery has only continued to increase. With the amount of power and technology being put into these machines, the need for greater insulation and noise reduction solutions has become apparent. When … Read more Keeping Up with the Demanding Trend of Machine Versatility

7 Questions a Polymer Supplier Can Answer During Product Development

Light Bulb

When engineers are developing products that require a polymer solution—albeit rubber, insulation, or other material—deciding exactly which materials to use and finding a supplier is an integral part of the product development process. Performance of those materials is not the only concern, either: chances are you’re working within budget and time constraints and need to … Read more 7 Questions a Polymer Supplier Can Answer During Product Development