Flexible Polyurethane Foam is a versatile compound, designed for various applications. It is utilized in applications that require a soft, medium-tear flexible foam. It is especially useful in products where hardness can easily be varied. Common products include toy balls, wrist rests, and padding applications such as seat cushions.
The foam toy football seen below is comprised of flex foam treated with fabric. In this instance, the client wanted a toy ball that was durable and able to be gripped, yet lightweight and safe for children. The Poly Labs team delivered a product that met the exact aesthetic and safety criteria specific to this customer’s needs.
Poly Labs is able to treat flexible foam, as it can be in-mold coated or co-molded with fabric.
Flexible PU Foam U-212 Specifications
Poly Labs special Flexible Polyurethane Foam U-212 formulation has the below typical properties:
| Density | 0.15 to 0.25 g/cm³ |
| Hardness Shore OO | 30 – 45 (+/- 5) |
| Tensile Strength | 60 – 65 psi |
| Elongation | 110 – 130 % |
| Die C Tear | 5 – 7 pli |
| Compression Set | < 10 % |
Polyurethane for Office Ergonomics: Wrist Rests
Another common application for flexible polyurethane foam is wrist rests and keyboard pads for office ergonomics. The wrist rests seen below were developed for an office furniture ergonomics client. The goal was to provide keyboard pads and other ergonomic accessories in retail packaging, as well as master packs, ready for their distribution center.
The Poly Labs team manufactured a supportive and comfortable product. The design of the flexible polyurethane foam offered enough firmness to ensure office workers were not subject to repetitive strain injuries (RSI’s). Repetitive strain injuries can range from carpal tunnel syndrome to tendonitis. Like many of our other medical, therapy and ergonomics products, foam keyboard pads provide stability, comfort and overall workplace safety.
To provide consumer-level quality and a range of colors as demanded by retailers, our foam wrist wrest designs incorporate HVLP (high-volume, low pressure) in-mold coating.
In this process, our manufacturing team utilized a manual pour machine, enabling several different products to be run at one time. In doing so, our customer was able to hit price targets while operating at a relatively low production volume. Although it is a seemingly small manufacturing capability, it gave the client absolute confidence in the Poly Labs process.
To learn more about our made in the USA poured polyurethane solutions, and our flexible foam products, please contact our sales team for more information.