Indeed, not all foam products are used in similar ways. There are specialty foams manufactured in order to cater to different evolving industries. There are multiple types of foam existing in the foam industry which have diverse applications and are also dependent on the versatility of the material that it will benefit from.
What are the important functions of foam? This will depend on the type of application that you will use the product. It can help the performance of several products in practically a lot of ways. There are foams which are suited for insulation purposes whereas others are used to serve as absorbent sponges. Understanding the various types of foam will help you decide which one to choose for a specific purpose.
Types of foams
- Polyether foam. This type of foam is open-cell foam and is deemed to be an all purpose type of foam. It is light and absorbent at the same time. The applications of this type of foam include general cushioning, sponges, paint rollers and as protective packaging. The polyether foam is also useful in toys and other cosmetic products.
- Polyester foam. This foam is a great choice for display packaging. It also comes in various fire retardant grades. Like the polyether foam, it is also open-cell, available in different densities and is relatively light. The polyester foam can also be used for gaskets, cushioning and for acoustic purposes like in blocking sounds.
- Ethafoam. This type of foam is closed-cell polyethylene foam. It is considerably much denser compared to the polyether and polyester foams. It also has excellent absorption properties. The ethafoam is usually used in packaging electronic gadgets and equipments, in flotation applications as well as in handling different materials. The ethafoam is usually laminated or extruded.
- Volara. This is another extruded material which can be readily shaped by thermoforming. The smooth surface of the volara can be combined or laminated along with adhesive tapes. This is typically used in tapes, gaskets, insulation, medical products as well as protective padding. The volara also comes in rolls and the density for this type of material may come in the range of 2 to 12 pounds.