Advanced impact protection polyurethane foam parts and systems are critical to combat, athlete and every-day life safety applications. Poly Labs designs a wide range of impact protection PU foam products, for sport, fire and public safety helmet pads, defense applications, knee and elbow pads, and for padded linings for motorcycle jackets.
We work with leading sporting good equipment manufacturers to design, manufacture and deliver advanced molded pads that perform to their specifications. Poly Labs ongoing material analysis, lot control and product development allows us to contribute to the consistent performance required for safety-related products. Additionally, all Poly Labs products are produced at our fully integrated production facility in Lewiston, Maine, USA.
The Poly Labs team has even worked with several customers that had special requirements for custom electronics housings (accelerometers) to measure the force of impact in impact environments. Advanced and customized impact protection products, developed in partnership with our valued customers, are critical to the future of working to reduce and minimize the potential for injuries.
What is Impact Protection?
In recent years, advances in polyurethane foam impact protection products have helped improve the safety of helmets used in many industries (sports, fire and safety, and military). Safety concerns across contact sports has increased, particularly in football with head injuries. Professional sports organizations partnered with medical research centers, helmet and padding manufactures, and material experts like Poly Labs to accelerate efforts to design products that can help decrease athletic injuries and increase safety protocols.
When one leading football helmet manufacturer contacted Poly Labs to help develop the polyurethane foam pad inserts for a new helmet design, the research and development team sprung to action and delivered a solution.
The PU foam properties that are critical to impact products include: rebound, hardness, weight and strength.
Outside of athletics, polyurethane foam pads and protective inserts serve as beneficial in production environments, on construction sites, and practically anywhere in which headgear or protective gear is required. We’ve seen clients utilize our foam impact protection products in environments where industrial production robots are used. By utilizing our padded inserts in work-site helmets, production workers across the world are ensured safety.
PU Products – Made for Impact
- Pads for athletics: helmet, knee, hip
- Softer pads for inside uniform
- Motorcycle jacket inserts
- Military uniform interior pad inserts
- Protective gear on construction sites and production floors
Importance of Impact Protection
The development of impact protection foam products has increased awareness and pro-active measures for preventing head injuries in athletics. These safety measures transpire across the youth, collegiate and professional levels.
The products developed at Poly Labs ensure that athletes, workers, motorcycle enthusiasts and more can perform their respective tasks at hand, and feel safe, comfortable and protected while doing them.
PU Foam Specifications & Properties
Poly Labs developed several polyurethane foams specific to impact protection, athletic protection, performance, comfort and safety. Our PU foam U-19 (105) is utilized across various athletic mediums. We also offer our U36-5 material which offers unique compression properties.
Hydrophobic Impact Protection Foam U-19 (105) Specifications:
| Density | 0.13 to 0.25 g/cm³ |
| Hardness, Shore OO (3 sec) | 70 – 80 |
| Tensile Strength | 190 – 235 psi |
| Elongation | 70 – 95 % |
| Die C Tear | 4.5 – 6.0 pli |
Poly Labs Impact Protection Foam U36-5 Specifications:
The polyurethane foam we typically employ in helmet padding applications is of a medium density. This style also serves as beneficial in other padding applications not requiring a high tear resistance. U36-5 can be co-molded as well and in-mold coated.
The typical properties of Poly Labs U36-5 PU padding foam are as follows:
| Density | 0.3 g/cm³ |
| Hardness, Shore OO (10 sec) | 14 – 16 |
| Tensile Strength | 69 psi |
| Elongation | 183 % |
| Die C Tear | 4.1 pli |
| Trouser Tear (p/l) | 4.0 |
| Compression Set, 50% at 77°F | |
| Of original thickness | 2.0 % |
| Of original deflection | 1.0 % |
| Compression Set, 50% at 158°F | |
| Of original thickness | 14.0 % |
| Of original deflection | 7.0 % |
To learn more about impact protection and polyurethane foam products, please contact our sales team for more information.