Arcel

Abstract: There is a broad variety of foam packaging types for electronics or consumer goods. They include: bead-foam moldings with complex shapes and the usual polymers are Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), Expanded Polypropylene (EPP), and Polyethylene (PE) copolymers (Arcel); sections that may be assembled with adhesives into more complex shapes; loose-fill foam shapes made from EPS or biodegradable foamed starch; and layers of close-packed cells in Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) films. This chapter concentrates on first two types as the main types of heavy duty packaging. Closed-cell foams, by enclosing air, use the air as a part of the cushioning. Consequently, their compressive Young's modulus should exceed 100 kPa. Open-cell foams, which provide the same modulus, are usually denser. Cardboard is a type of two-dimensional foam, with cushioning properties similar to that of honeycombs, when the compressive stress is perpendicular to the axes of the cells. The thickness is usually between 3mm and 8 mm. Much early packaging design comes from United States military sources and is related to airdrops of supplies. This chapter presents simple rectangular blocks, truncated pyramidal shapes, and complex shapes of foam packaging.