Foam/Tooling Boards and Material promote engineering flexibility.
Press Release Summary:
Accommodating design engineers, LAST-A-FOAM® FR-4600 Microcell Series uniform, ultra-smooth foam board cuts crisply and supports fine detail work. LAST-A-FOAM® FR-4700 Tooling Board Series of dimensionally stable, rigid, high-density, epoxy-urethane tooling boards withstands temperatures to 350°F continuous (400°F peak). With cellular structure and cross-linked resin, LAST-A-FOAM® FST-3800 Performance Series rigid foam core material satisfies aerospace FST and heat-release requirements.
Original Press Release:
General Plastics to Introduce FR-4600 Microcell Foam Series at Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas, October 14-16, 2014
Leading high-density polyurethane supplier to OEMs also spotlighting its high-temperature tooling boards and testing capabilities
TACOMA, Wash. – General Plastics Manufacturing Company will introduce its advanced FR-4600 Microcell Foam Series for detailed definition at the largest dedicated aircraft interiors event in the Americas. Taking place October 14-16 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas 2014 will highlight the latest in aircraft interior design, cabin engineering and management systems. The FR-4600 material’s tough-yet-refined cell structure machines beautifully to support virtually any design. The longtime partner of aerospace OEMs will also feature its hightemperature tooling boards, its next-generation fire, smoke and toxicity (FST)-compliant foams, and its testing capabilities at booth 731.
“General Plastics has a long history of developing innovative solutions and materials for aircraft interior applications, so we are delighted to debut our FR-4600 Microcell high-detail prototype foams to aerospace customers here in our own Washington backyard,” said President Bruce Lind. “The LAST-AFOAM ® FR-4600 series represents our next generation of foams, developed jointly with our customers to address the need for a board that supports ultra-smooth finishes and fine detail.”
LAST-A-FOAM® FR-4600 Microcell Series
This uniform, ultra-smooth foam board cuts crisply and supports fine detail work, satisfying the needs of the most demanding design engineer. In lower densities, it is superb for hand-carved models, prototypes and decorative fixtures. Higher densities are easily machined to create intricate tooling that is tough and durable. The tight microcell texture creates a superfine surface that is quickly finished and painted reducing production time and costs.
LAST-A-FOAM® FR-4700 High-Temperature Tooling Board Series
These high-density epoxy-urethane tooling boards withstand peak temperatures up to 400° F (200°C) and continuous-use temperatures up to 350° F (177°C). Affordable and dimensionally stable, this rigid foam board is ideal for prototype machining, high-temperature curing prepregs, vacuum forming, pattern making, master model making, small production runs and monolithic or large-mass tools where traditional metal dies are cost-prohibitive.
LAST-A-FOAM® FST-3800 Performance Series
This rigid foam core material satisfies fire, smoke and toxicity (FST), and heat-release requirements for aerospace applications. Used in conjunction with other materials, FST-3800 foam cores help improve aesthetics and reduce costs while meeting fire safety requirements. It offers a high strength-to-weight ratio due to its cellular structure and cross-linked resin. This series is an excellent core material alternative to PVC foam and honeycomb. During the expo, General Plastics will demonstrate the use of its FST-compliant foam cores with a variety of laminated materials at its booth.
Testing Services
A dedicated Testing Services Group offers a wide range of flammability, physical and developmental tests in General Plastics’ on-site testing laboratories. These include an FAA-approved burn-test facility and local access to FAA Designated Engineering Representatives. All tests are conducted using calibrated equipment that is traceable to NIST.
“Not only are we excited to demonstrate our new FST foam cores and high-temp tooling boards, we can customize our products and materials to address specific requirements,” Lind said. “We look forward to working with our current partners and other design engineers on FST formulation and discussing projects at the premier aircraft interiors event of the year.”
About General Plastics Manufacturing Company
Tacoma, Washington-based General Plastics has been a leading innovator in the plastics industry for more than 70 years. The company develops and manufactures rigid and flexible polyurethane foam products, including its signature LAST-A-FOAM® brand series and build-to-print composite parts. Through its network of distributors, General Plastics exports products to 25-plus countries for the aerospace and defense, automotive, composite core, construction, dimensional signage, marine, prototype and modeling, nuclear waste, renewable energy, and tooling industries. General Plastics is certified to ISO 9001:2008/AS9100C, ITAR-compliant, and meets such demanding quality systems as NQA-1, Mil-I-45208A and Boeing Company D6-82479. Visit www.generalplastics.com.
