Processing of Integral-Skin Cellular Polymeric Composites in Rapid Rotational Foam Molding |
| R. Pop-Iliev
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, UOIT-University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada L1H 7K4 |
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| In order to survive the competition, the processing cycle time and the energy consumption of the rotational foam molding process must be reduced to a fraction of its current levels without compromising product quality. This paper introduces a novel extrusion-assisted rotational foam molding process for the manufacture of rotational moldings having adjacent, but clearly distinct, layers of an integrated solid (non-cellular) skin boundary layer encapsulating a cellular core structure, consisting of identical or compatible polyolefin grades, that achieves significant savings in processing cycle time duration and energy consumption. It introduces non-chilled extruded foam as a foamed core-forming material, in real time, directly into a uni-axially rotating hot mold through a dedicated mold "injection" port onto the already formed un-foamed soft skin layer. |
| DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.120.292 PACS numbers: 47.32.Ef, 81.20.Hy, 82.70.Rr, 47.57.Bc, 83.80.Iz, 83.80.Sg, 61.25.hk, 47.85.md, 81.05.Qk, 83.80.-k |