Newsdetail

Improved customer service and new products

Foam manufacturer Sekisui Alveo is investing in a new experimental system for low-pressure moulding (LPM).

Lucerne, 10 February 2009 – In vehicle interiors, foams ensure a pleasant tactile sensation, soft surfaces and more comfort. In order to reduce processing costs and the time required to manufacture dash panels or door linings, interior specialists have increasingly been using the direct lowpressure moulding (LPM) process in recent years: Liquid PP plastic is injected at low pressure into so-called foam preform. The previous intermediate steps for bonding the surface material and the substrate part are no longer required. However, the foams currently used in this lowpressure process are relatively rigid. Polyolefin foam manufacturer Sekisui Alveo has now invested in a new injection moulding system for development purposes. The company's objective is to develop soft foams which are suitable for the low-pressure moulding process. This investment offers Sekisui Alveo's customers a significant advantage: The polyolefin foam specialist is able to test the LPM suitability of new foam developments in advance, therefore enabling the company to advise its customers even more efficiently on the choice of material.