In our increasingly noisy and energy-conscious world, the materials surrounding us play a crucial role in maintaining comfort, efficiency, and peace. Molded polyurethane foam stands out as a remarkable engineering achievement. This versatile material silently works in countless applications across many industries.
What makes polyurethane foam so effective at taming the trinity of environmental challenges—sound, vibration, and heat? The answer lies in its unique molecular structure and customizable physical properties. This seemingly simple material represents decades of chemical engineering refinement, resulting in a substance that can be precisely tailored to absorb unwanted energy in nearly any environment.
At Polymer Technologies, we have dedicated our business to ensuring only the strongest molded polyurethane foams make it to industrial applications. Our customers’ needs come first, and that shines through in how we create the products they need to be successful.
So, how do we do it?
Science of Molded Foam
Let’s break down what goes into creating a molded polyurethane foam. There is a science to how our engineers get the perfect shape and density required for each unique project. Our customers need their insulation to have controlled density, reduced thermal conductivity and tuned acoustical control properties.
The density and thermal conductivity of molded polyurethane foam, combined with its interesting mechanical properties, make it an excellent thermal and sound insulator, perfect for controlling sound, heat, and vibration in industrial-sized equipment.
Polyurethane is a set of polymers that are formed by the reaction between the OH (hydroxyl) groups of a polyol with the NCO (isocyanate functional group) groups of an isocyanate, and the name is associated with the resulting urethane linkage. This reaction is exothermic and leads to the production of urethane groups. Our engineers use this process to create versatile foams that can be precisely molded to meet unique customer needs.
Our customers prefer molded polyurethane foams because of the honeycomb texture, which prevents issues with sound and heat from getting out of control. Molded foam streamlines assembly by eliminating the need to cut and fit flat foam while also removing the need for fasteners, screws, and additional parts, making installation faster and more efficient.
Polymer Molded Polyurethane Foam Options
POLYFORM® High-Density Molded Foam – Integral Skin (PHDM-IS)
- 10 – 20 lb/ft3 flexible self-skinning open-cell polyurethane foam
- High-density skin provides excellent abrasion resistance, high tear strength, good elongation, and low water absorption properties
- Suitable noise barrier material
- Ideal for overmolded applications, exposure to more severe environments, and tailored aesthetics for visible areas
POLYFORM® High-Density Molded Foam – Non-Skinned (PHDM-NS)
- 10 – 20 lb/ft3 flexible non-skinning open cell foam.
- Foam provides high resilience, good tear strength, and good elongation properties
- Formulated for low emissions and non-staining end-use requirements
- Suitable material for broadband frequency absorption
POLYFORM® Low-Density Molded Foam – High Resilient (PLDM-HR)
- 3 – 6 lb/ft3 flexible non-skinning open cell foam
- Foam provides high resilience, low fatigue loss, and good cushioning quality
- Used for applications requiring sound attenuation, thermal control, and cushioning
- Suitable for absorbing mid to high-frequency sound waves
Multi-Industry Solutions
Over the last 35+ years, Polymer Technologies has grown, evolved, and perfected our molded polyurethane foams to ensure that all the industries we serve can benefit from our products.
These industries have benefited from our molded foams:
- Medical
- Military
- Mass Transportation
- Heavy Trucking
- Power Generation
- Recreational Equipment
- Marine
- Agriculture & Construction
- Appliances
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) trust our product because we’ve proven to successfully control noise, vibration, and heat for their equipment. They’ve seen how much more manageable the energy output of their equipment is compared to when a 2D flat die cut is used.
Firefighting Equipment Made Better for Extreme Heat
One of our customers needed a solution to improve heat management in their Thermal Imaging Device. Most consumers of these devices are firefighters under extreme heat conditions, and this customer needed to find a way to extend the life of these electronic devices while eliminating some of the functionality issues they’d been experiencing.
Reducing Noise for Oxygen Concentrators
A customer in the medical equipment industry was looking for a solution to put the comfort of the user first. Oxygen Concentrators are essential for people who need assistance with oxygenating themselves. Unfortunately, for years, these devices have come with a loud mechanical sound from the process inside the device. This customer came to us in search of a noise control solution. We created a custom molded foam option for them that has been a significant game changer for their products and consumers.
Motorcycle Exhaust Improved for Better Performance and Comfort
Finally, a motorcycle OEM approached us to help them find a solution for their customized exhaust system. They found that while this system was highly innovative, it was still producing too much noise to be comfortable for the motorcycle operator. Our Polymer Molded Products Division (PMP) determined that a POLYFORM® molded urethane foam would offer the necessary resilience to isolate the actuator and maintain the durability needed to live within the intended environment.
Quality Proves Itself Time and Time Again
Our well-honed process centers on collaboration, creation, and thinking outside the box. Every request begins with a collaborative discussion between our customer and our PMP Division to address the issue at hand. From there, our engineers work on a custom solution perfect for that specific customer’s challenge. After that, we test out the product and ensure it is of the highest quality before applying it to the customer’s project.
At Polymer Technologies, we have always prided ourselves on our ability to see opportunities where other custom-molded foam manufacturers would see roadblocks and challenges. We don’t give up until we find the solution that works best for you. If you have a challenge you would like to discuss with us, please don’t hesitate to contact us.