Wilmington Machinery Working With Industry Experts to Improve the Surface Finish of Structural Foamed Parts
Wilmington, NORTH CAROLINA ---Wilmington Machinery, a recognized leader in specialty process and non-conventional injection molding systems, is currently working with other industry experts to improve the surface finish of structural foamed parts.
Structural foam serves many industries with a variety of parts including: recreational products, yard sheds, electrical junction boxes, utility boxes, lawn carts, material handling bins, to name only a few. However, such parts have often been produced without the benefit of a pristine surface finish. Consequently, Wilmington is investing significant time in its 60,000 square foot "Foam Lab" in Wilmington, North Carolina, testing and evaluating the application of laminate molding as a viable method for improving structural foam parts.
By placing a laminate on a utility junction box, interior auto panel or recreational part, for example, the improved surface may finally provide designers with the "look" they need and at a competitive cost. Until now these pristine surfaces have only been achieved with higher cost processes including high-pressure injection molding. Included in the variety of potentially applicable laminates is a variety of foils which could provide a mirror or chrome look, films that give a painted finish appearance, fabrics, and substrates like vinyls and leathers that could provide the upscale aesthetics for automotive trim.
The overall team of experts, in addition to Wilmington, includes: Incoe with its external gas molding process that helps coin laminates to desired substrates; Printpack supplying films and foils; Tapecon, Inc. for its PC sheet, and Chevron Phillips for its substrate resins.
Rich Morgan, Business Manager, Wilmington Injection Molding states: "We have one trial complete with others planned. If anyone has a part that they feel might benefit from participating in the trials please contact us. We welcome the opportunity to test additional parts and processes."
For more than three decades, Wilmington Machinery has been designing and building high quality specialty and standardized Rotary Blow Molding Machines, and Structural Foam Machines. For additional details about Wilmington's Structural Foam Machines contact: Rich Morgan, (910) 452-5090.
E-mail: rmorgan@wilmingtonmachinery.com.
Website: www.wilmingtonmachinery.com
