Armacell’s PET foam innovation on display at JEC -As loose PET-based beads for manufacturing ready-to-use 3D-shaped foam cores for composite sandwich structures, ArmaShape combines the high mechanical properties of structural foam cores with the advantages of particle foams, offering lightweight and strong 3D-shaped foam parts that are producible in nearly any shape – Armacell PET foam innovation JEC - Arhive
Armacell PET foam innovation JEC Armacell PET foam innovation JEC Armacell PET foam innovation JArmacell PET foam innovation JEC Armacell PET foam innovation JEC Armacell PET foam innovation JEC EC Armacell PET foam innovation JEC Armacell PET foam innovation JEC Armacell PET foam innovation JEC
Armacell’s PET foam innovation on display at JEC
Armacell, a leader in flexible foam for the equipment insulation market and a leading provider of engineered foams, will be presenting its latest innovation, ArmaShape, at the upcoming JEC World exhibition, which takes place in Paris next month. According to the company, the PET foam innovation brings significant benefits to many industries where lightweight, yet strong plastic parts are prerequisites for a successful product design.
As loose PET-based beads for manufacturing ready-to-use 3D-shaped foam cores for composite sandwich structures, ArmaShape combines the high mechanical properties of structural foam cores with the advantages of particle foams, offering lightweight and strong 3D-shaped foam parts that are producible in nearly any shape.
“Since Armacell’s breakthrough of PET foams in the composite industry, we have underlined our technical leadership with a series of pioneering inventions – above all, our unique and patented r-PET technology to produce PET foams cores made of 100% recycled PET,” said Thomas Kessel, Managing Director, Armacell PET Foams. “The launch of ArmaShape again confirms our strategy of constantly innovating environmentally friendly PET foam solutions to solve market challenges and create value to our customers.”
Demanding applications
Starting from recycled PET flakes, the polymer is granulated and further processed by Armacell’s patented technology to produce ArmaShape. These PET-based beads are then filled into a mould and fused by a newly developed technology into the finished part. Thanks to a moulding technology that requires no additional production steps like milling or manual forming, ArmaShape will offer considerable overall cost savings for end applications, the company explains.
The high service temperature of up to +180°C opens a door to more demanding applications that are currently blocked by the limited technical performance of traditional particle foams. The fine and smooth surface structure of ArmaShape-moulded foam parts is said to provide an excellent bond to any commercial resin and limit resin uptake without additional treatment.
Eco-friendly
Like all Armacell’s PET foam products, ArmaShape is manufactured and processed in an eco-friendly manner without using CFCs or HCFCs. Furthermore, grades employing the latest generation of halogen-free flame retardants have been developed with tailored fire retardancy characteristics. Made from 100% recycled PET and recyclable again after their use phase, ArmaShape represents a sustainable alternative to comparable materials, according to the manufacturer.
As the inventor of flexible foam for equipment insulation and a leading provider of engineered foams, Armacell develops innovative and safe thermal, acoustic and mechanical solutions. Armacell’s products aim to contribute to global energy efficiency. With 3,000 employees and 25 production plants in 16 countries, the company operates two main businesses, Advanced Insulation and Engineered Foams. Armacell focuses on insulation materials for technical equipment, high-performance foams for high-tech and lightweight applications and next generation aerogel blanket technology.