Creation of an Innovative Prototype Slimline Watermould System to deliver our Super Heated Water Structural Foam Moulding Technology - Watermould

Structural thermoplastic foam-moulded parts are much lighter, with higher strength-to-weight ratio than solid plastic. The automotive sector is the main driver to structural foam growth as lifetime energy & CO2 savings drive the need for lightweight components. There is growing demand for foam mouldings, but there is a need for good surface finish.

In the State of the Art, foamed parts are produced by a form of injection moulding using a chemical blowing agent or gas (HFCs, Butane, N2 or CO2). These foaming processes fail to achieve good surface finish due to low process pressure, heat absorption by blowing agent and bubbles forming at part surface, often with a characteristic swirl pattern preventing use of this technology for good quality surface finish parts.

FoamTech Systems Ltd has been working on the technology to replace hazardous foaming agents with water and have tried several methods for introducing the water into the molten polymer in various ways and forms. The Watermould process has shown the most promise, and we are now in a position to develop the process further with the view to commercialising it and exploiting a growing market opportunity.