Whether you’re designing boats, off-road vehicles, or personal watercraft, today’s consumers expect more than just performance—they expect comfort,quiet, and durability. To meet these expectations, manufacturers need materials that work harder and smarter behind the scenes.
That’s where high-performance molded polyurethane foam from Polymer Molded Products (PMP), a division of Polymer Technologies, comes into play.
A Smarter Alternative to Flat Foam
While traditional flat foam serves a purpose, it’s often limiting for complex product designs. PMP offers 3D molded foam solutions that help manufacturers tackle problems like noise, shock, vibration and temperature control while also improving assembly processes and product quality.
Our molded foam products aren’t just materials; they are design tools. With three advanced options—POLYFORM® High-Density Molded Foam with Integral Skin (PHDM-IS), High-Density Non-Skinned (PHDM-NS), and Low-Density High Resilient (PLDM-HR)—manufacturers can tailor their components to match performance needs while streamlining production.
Our molded solutions help to
- Reduce the number of parts and eliminate fasteners
- Block or absorb sound
- Isolate shock and vibration
- Simplify assembly
- Improve product performance and reliability
These benefits are especially crucial for recreational and marine equipment, where space is tight, environments are demanding, and comfort is critical.
Real-World Solutions in Action
To show how molded foam transforms product performance, let’s explore real-world applications demonstrating how our solutions solve complex energy management problems.
Quieter Outboard Motors for Marine Vehicles
A major recreational equipment manufacturer approached us with a noisy problem: their two-cycle outboard motor generated 11 to 12 decibels more noise than a competitor’s quieter four-cycle version. This impacted user comfort and posed a problem for people living and vacationing along waterfronts.
Their original solution used 15 die-cut foam pieces, but it wasn’t enough. We stepped in with a more innovative, molded approach.
Our PMP team designed a solution using two types of POLYFORM® molded foam: PHDM-IS for the lower, water-exposed section and PHDM-NS for the upper motor bonnet. This reduced noise levels by a full 12 decibels—bringing it in line with the quieter four-cycle competitor—and dramatically simplified the assembly process.
What it shows: Molded foam reduces noise and cuts complexity, creating fewer parts, less labor, and a more refined experience for the end user. Discover more in our case study.
Managing Shock with Minimal Space for Motorcycles
Motorcycle manufacturers face a different but equally challenging problem: managing shock in a small space. One OEM needed to protect an actuator within a muffler system, but the available isolators required too much design space.
We created a custom molded foam part using POLYFORM® that cut the shock energy from over 40 Gs to just 11 Gs—all within only 2.5 inches of space. As a bonus, this new solution helped eliminate warranty claims for premature actuator failure.
What it shows: Molded foam offers a compact, high-performance alternative to traditional isolators—ideal for tightly packed recreational equipment. Discover more in our case study.
Imagine What’s Possible for Your Equipment
These case studies underscore a broader point: whether you’re developing marine engines, off-road vehicle components, or electronic housing in a recreational environment, molded foam solutions provide measurable benefits beyond material performance. They enhance user comfort, simplify your manufacturing process, and give your products a competitive edge.
Hand grips, floor spacers, wall panels, shock absorbers, and acoustic barriers can all be improved with custom-molded foam. By thinking ahead and integrating PMP molded foam into your next design, you gain access to materials that meet today’s challenges and anticipate tomorrow’s demands.
Let’s work together to build smarter, quieter, and more resilient recreational products. Contact Polymer Technologies to start designing your custom molded solution.