Practical knowledge about polyurethane foam: grade selection, tolerances, standards and processing - written for engineers and purchasing.
TechnicalOctober 28, 2026
Quality and control: where foam is really decidedA block looks the same whether the formulation was respected or not - the difference shows up at the customer. So we measure three times, and the most important measurement is not the last one.
TechnicalOctober 28, 2026
A history of polyurethane foam: from the 1937 laboratory to the block in the warehouseHow an attempt to get around the nylon patent produced a material we touch a dozen times a day - and what actually happens in the mould when two liquids become a block.
TechnicalAugust 10, 2026
How to choose foam density and hardnessDensity tells you how long a foam will last, hardness how it will feel - and inquiries regularly mix them up. A guide to both axes, with a table by application.
TechnicalJuly 28, 2026
CLD or ILD - what they measure and why the numbers don't matchTwo hardness test methods, two units, and numbers that cannot be compared directly. How to read hardness in technical data sheets.
TechnicalJuly 14, 2026
HR foam vs. conventional foam - what actually differsHR is not ”a better conventional foam” but a different cell structure with a different compression curve. Where the difference pays off, and where it is unnecessary.
TechnicalJune 30, 2026
How to read foam grade designationsHR-3530, VE-5015, N-2540 - a grade designation carries the family, density and hardness. How to decode it, and why designations from different producers are not comparable.
TechnicalJune 16, 2026
Cutting and dimensional tolerances - what is realistic to ask forFoam is an elastic material and does not cut like sheet metal. Which tolerances are technically realistic, how they affect price, and how to specify them wisely.
TechnicalJune 2, 2026
Compression set and fatigue - why a cushion ”sinks”Compression set and dynamic fatigue are the two tests that predict product lifetime. What the TDS numbers mean in real use.
TechnicalMay 19, 2026
Flame-retardant (FR) foams and flammability standardsBS 5852, EN 1021, EN 45545 - which standard applies to which market, what the tests actually check, and what an FR label does not mean.
TechnicalMay 5, 2026
Viscoelastic (memory) foam - when it makes sense and when it doesn'tSlow recovery and pressure distribution make memory foam excellent for lying on - and wrong for many other things. The physics behind the feel.
TechnicalApril 21, 2026
Foam lamination and bonding - how multi-layer materials are madeFlame lamination, dispersion adhesives and hotmelt - three ways of joining foam to textile, film or other foam, and when each is used.
TechnicalApril 7, 2026
How to prepare a technical foam inquiry - a checklistA good inquiry shortens the path to a quote from several rounds of questions to one. What we need to immediately propose a grade, price and lead time.
TechnicalMarch 24, 2026
Storing and transporting foam - compression, light and moistureFoam forgives a lot, but not everything: prolonged compression, direct sun and a damp warehouse. The rules that preserve material properties until installation.
TechnicalMarch 10, 2026
Recycling PU waste and rebond - the second career of cutting offcutsContour cutting leaves a significant share of offcuts - and they don't go to landfill. How rebond is made and where bonded granulate beats ”real” foam.
