Foams in the industry
- Various foam variations
- Detailed cutting edge
Laser as alternative tool
The industrial usage of foams has developed a lot in the last few years. Today’s foam market consists of a multitude of different materials for a wide range of applications.
Typical applications:
For the purpose of cutting foam, the industry has discovered the laser beam as tool more and more frequently. There are applications where the laser can provide an impressive alternative to conventional machining methods.
This is where laser technology excels:
- Filigree contours
- Can be used for many different materials
- Engravings or markings in one operation
- No distortion of the material
- No material warping
- Flexible application
- Various material thicknesses
Foam made of polyurethane
For upholstery, sound insulation and automobile interiors, very soft foam is required. Foam made of polyurethane (PU or PUR) meets these requirements. It is used for example for lining A and B pillars in the automotive industry. Machining then occurs in textile form, whereby the core of the material is foamed. Tip for machining textile foam: By using a conveyor system the material can automatically be conveyed onto the processing table from the roll and cut.
In the field of upholstery foam, there is PU foam with different densities. Depending on the required strength and seating ergonomics, different degrees of hardness are merged. The graphics industry uses a harder form of PU foams for producing presentation materials.
- Laser engraving and markings
Foam made of polyethylene
For packaging, rather harder foam is required. Polyethylene foams (PE) are suited to packaging inserts as well as insulation furnishings, seals and impact sound insulation.
In pyramid form the foam is suited to acoustic insulation. Sound insulation furnishings can be found in sound studios, rehearsal rooms, production halls and offices. Targeted insulation in loudspeakers also ensures better sound quality. Any lining can also be directly processed by eurolaser’s laser systems.
- Radius free inner contours
Foam made of polypropylene
Packaging foam must fix transport goods on the one hand and also protect it from environmental impact. If very high quality packaging inlays are desired, foamed polypropylene (EPP or PP) is a very suitable material. The automotive industry likes to use this material for producing the interior. Due to its stability and the low weight, foam made of polypropylene is also frequently used in advertising.
Foam made of polystyrene
Polystyrene foam (PS), which is also known under the trade name Styrofoam, is used due to its harmlessness in the foodstuff industry. Electronics packaging is also made of Styrofoam. Due to its very low density, model builders often use polystyrene for airplane models.
eurolaser laser systems in process:
eurolaser tests your material
Laser cutting systems are generally superbly suited to the processing of various foams. The emissions generated by cutting with CO2 lasers are filtered completely by filter systems.
In order to continuously expand our sample archive, we can also test your material in our application laboratory and create a detailed report for you. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.
