Flexible Polyurethane Foam:A Primer

Flexible Polyurethane Foam:A Primer
Flexible polyurethane foam(FPF)isone of the most versatile materialsever created.We are literally surround-ed by it in our lives.

It's in our cars and under our carpet.It's used as packaging material to protect delicate instruments.And it's the cush-ioning material of choice in almost allfurniture and bedding.In all,over 1.3billion pounds of foam are producedand used every year in the U.S.

FPF has become such a widely usedmaterial because it provides a uniquecombination of form and function.It's light,quiet,resists mildew,and won't aggravate common aller-gies.Foam can easily be cut or molded toalmost any shape.At the same time,foam canbe made to provide very supple or very firmcushioning for any given application.
This remarkable versatility allows foam toprovide the support needed for long-termmedical confinement or the comfort of pil-lowy furniture cushioning.Even though twofoams may look exactly alike,they may feeland perform entirely differently.

The properties of foam can be identified andspecified very precisely.The flexible polyurethane foam industry utilizes a number of measurements and tests toaccomplish this.And by using these measurements,it'spossible to pinpoint the right foam for the right application.

Comfort,Support and Durability:Key Ingredients to all Foam Applications

Although a number of different measurements and tests maybe used to choose an FPF grade to use in a given product,the selection criteria often depend upon three performanceattributes.
■Comfort:Foam cushioning has to feel good to the user and provide not just cushioning but also comfort.
■ Support:The foam has to be able to support the proper amount of weight to properly cushion an object orperson.
■ Durability:The foam has to hold up through use with-out changes in performance.
These are the basic benefits that foam cushioning provides,and if the needs in each of these three areas are evaluatedfirst,selecting the proper foam for a given use becomes fair-ly simple.
A sofa seat cushion has to have good support,comfort anddurability,while the arm and back cushions for the samesofa need to last and be comfortable,but won't necessarilybe required to support much weight.
The foam used to line the case for photo equipment needsto support the weight of the camera,absorb shock,and holdup through use,but the camera cares nothing about com-fort.
In the next article we will take a closer look at the foam production process, let’s look forward to it!