Did You Know? With Specialty Foams

What comes to mind when you hear the word “foam”?  I think for most people, including myself, the word ‘foam’ conjures up images that characterize its most traditional forms and most conventional uses:  Styrofoam cups, shipping peanuts, foam rollers, and memory foam, just to list a few.  But for the employees here at UFP Technologies, there are many more applications for foam as well as many different types of foam than what most people imagine, and it is our job to share the countless possibilities and often interesting opportunities that foam has to offer.

Did you know that there is a type of foam that loves water?  In fact that foam is, not surprisingly, known as hydrophilic foam as it can absorb as well as retain moisture.  We use hydrophilic foam for a number of unique situations such as in components that absorb ink in printers or for wound care products that exudate absorption post-surgery.

Have you ever heard of conductive foam?  This is a grade of foam that offers the highest level of electrical resistance.  ‘Conductive’ refers to the material’s ability to drain away charges instantly.  We use conductive foam often for packaging electronics, as it can control static, as well as for our custom designed foam case inserts for carrying kits.  We also use anti-static foam, which is a specialty grade of foam that prevents or inhibits the build up of static electricity.  It offers a lower range of electrical resistance compared to conductive and static dissipative foam.

Did you know foams can be breathable?  Breathable foams are of an open-celled structure which allows air to pass through at controlled and measurable rates.   We often use these foams to provide comfort to a patient after surgery via our customized medical components.

We also use a number of branded specialty materials in order to provide our customers with the most diverse range of possibilities.  Neoprene, a synthetic rubber product from DuPont, is of a high molecular weight and is resistant to chemicals and oxidation.  Along with its unique ability to stretch, Neoprene is ideal for hoses, adhesives, and many other applications.  We frequently combine Neoprene with a wide array of fabrics in order to make customized solutions.

Solimide®, a registered trademark of Evonik Foams, Inc., is another specialty material we use for its unique properties.   A lightweight polyimide foam, Solimide® is inherently fire resistant and emits virtually no smoke or toxic by-products when exposed to open flame.  Solimide foams remain flexible over a wide temperature range and have outstanding thermal and acoustical properties.  It is widely used in the aerospace, automotive, and mass transit industries along with wide ranging industrial applications.

As you can see, there are many unique foam materials that are manufactured to solve a very specific problem.  Our access to these unique materials allows us to provide you with the perfect material to meet your specific requirements or application.  See how we can customize to your unique challenge by contacting us today.