When using a batch foam machine for polyurethane soft foam foaming, have you encountered the following situations?

1.Uneven and numerous foam pores,

2. Rough foam texture.

3. Chaotic pore sizes across the entire foam surface, with slight signs of large pores.

Issues like these are quite common. The main reason for the first issue is that the distance between the mixing impeller of the foam machine and the bottom of the mixing barrel is too great; the second issue is that the mixing blades are too short and narrow: the third issue is that the angle of the mixing blades is too large.

Many manufacturers who design and produce foam machines only understand the principles during the design process, without understanding the significant relationship between a different design in foam production and product quality. A reasonable and perfect mechanical design can only be gradually improved in actual work, and only experienced foamers can achieve this.

Here are some experiences we have had with machine modifications and upgrades, hoping they will be helpful:

First, the installation position of the mixing wheel should be as low as possible, closer to the bottom of the mixing barrel is better. In general, the distance between the lowest point of the mixing blade and the bottom of the mixing barrel should be around two centimeters

Second, the shape of the mixing blade should be fan-shaped, with a moderately wide edge. The advantage of being wide is that it increases the contact area with the liquid material, providing sufficient power and also balances the liquid material.

Third, the length of the mixing blade should also be as long as possible, leaving about three to four centimeters from the baffle inside the mixing barrel.

Fourth, the two edges of the mixing blade should be sloped, with the angle of inclination based on the width of one end and two centimeters difference on both sides. After the mixing blade is modified, proper operation is also crucial, especially the mixing speed. Most batch foam machines nowadays are equipped with high-speed timing frequency conversion devices. However, in actual production, this device is often unnecessary. The operating speed mainly depends on the amount of material in the mixing barrel. If there is a lot of material, the speed should be appropriately faster, and if there is less material, then the speed should be lower.

Beginners are concerned that if the settling plate is not adjusted properly, the liquid flowing out of the nozzle may cause front surging or back surging, affecting the foaming process. Within two minutes after starting the machine, the reaction speed gradually increases, sometimes requiring adjustments to the settling plate. Adjustments to the settling plate are more critical in low-density and high-moisture-content (MC) formulas.

TDI (Toluene Diisocyanate) flow rate can be calculated to correspond to the scale value, but it is recommended to actually measure the TDI flow rate during the first foaming. Flow rate is too important; if the flow rate is not accurate, everything else will be a mess. It's best to rely on the simplest and most intuitive method of measuring the flow rate.

When mixing powders, the mixed stone powder should be left overnight and production should start the next day. For ingredients containing melamine and stone powder, it is recommended to first mix melamine with polyether for a period of time before adding the stone powder.

Foam machine formulas with long mixing chamber in the machine head or more teeth on the stirring shaft usually have less amine and lower material temperature. Conversely, foam machine formulas with short mixing chamber in the machine head or fewer teeth on the stirring shaft usually have more amine and higher material temperature.

For the same formula, when switching between dual-spray swivel heads and single-spray swivel heads with similar nozzle cross-sectional areas, the requirements for mesh thickness and layers are similar.

For the calibration of minor material flow, one method is to measure the return flow of the minor material, and the other is to calibrate it by dividing the total amount used by the foaming time. When there is a significant difference between the two calibration methods, rely on the data from the second calibration method.

Formulas for high-quality soft foam are usually within an unstable range, such as a low TDI index, low water-to-MC ratio, low T-9 dosage, and low silicone oil dosage.

The production of block-shaped soft foam typically utilizes the batch foam machine foaming process, a gap-type production method. This method evolved from manual foaming in laboratories. The process involves immediately pouring the mixed reaction materials into an open mold resembling a wooden or metal box, hence the name "boxed foam." The molds (boxes) for boxed foam can be rectangular or cylindrical. To prevent the foam block from forming a domed top, a floating cover plate can be placed on the top of the foam during foaming. The cover plate stays closely attached to the top of the foam and gradually moves upward as the foam rises.

The main equipment for boxed foam production includes: 1) Electric-mechanical stirrer, mixing barrel; 2) Mold box; 3) Weighing tools such as scales, platform scales, measuring cups, glass syringes, and other measuring devices; 4) Stopwatch for controlling mixing time. A small amount of mold release agent is applied to the inner walls of the box to facilitate easy removal of the foam.

The advantages of producing soft foam using the boxed foam method include: low equipment investment, small footprint, simple equipment structure, easy and convenient operation and maintenance, and flexible production. Some small and underfunded domestic and township enterprises use this method to produce polyurethane soft foam. Boxed foam molding is a non-continuous production method for soft foam, so the production efficiency is lower than continuous methods, and the equipment is mostly manually operated, resulting in higher labor intensity. Production capacity is limited, and there is a greater loss in cutting foam plastics. The process parameters for boxed foam should be controlled within a certain range because even with the same formula, the foam properties may not be the same when different process parameters are used. The raw material temperature should be controlled at (25±3) degrees Celsius, mixing speed at 900 to 1000r/min, and mixing time at 5 to 12 seconds. The mixing time of the polyether and additives mixture before adding TDI can be flexibly adjusted depending on the situation, and after adding TDI, a mixing time of 3 to 5 seconds is sufficient, with the key being thorough mixing after TDI addition.

During boxed foam molding, attention should be paid to the following aspects:

1) Prepare before production, including material temperature and machine equipment inspection;

2) Measure as accurately as possible;

3) Control the mixing time appropriately;

4) Pour the mixed material liquid quickly and steadily, avoiding excessive force;

5) Ensure the box is placed steadily, with the bottom paper flat, to avoid uneven material flow during pouring;

6) When the foam rises, gently press the cover to ensure the foam rises smoothly;

7) Additives should be used as specified, and pre-mixed materials should not be left for too long.

Three types of foam equipment have emerged in boxed foam molding. Initially, various raw materials were weighed into a container according to the formula, mixed with a high-speed mixer, and poured into the box mold for foaming and shaping. This method often resulted in residue in the mixing container. An improved method used a metering pump to transport the raw materials to the mixing barrel for uniform mixing. A mechanical device automatically closed the bottom of the barrel, and compressed air was used to press the material into the foaming box for shaping. Both of these methods could create eddies due to the rapid influx of materials into the box, which might cause defects or depressions in the foam products. The most reasonable boxed foam device is to place a bottomless mixing barrel directly in the center of the foaming box. A metering pump delivers the various raw materials needed for foaming into the mixing barrel. After mixing for a few seconds, the lifting device raises the mixing barrel out of the foaming box, allowing the foaming material to flow smoothly over the entire box bottom. This prevents foam cracking due to material eddies, and ensures relatively uniform height throughout the foam.

A pressure device can be added to the expanding foam material to produce flat-topped foam, reducing waste during cutting. This device is suitable for the production of polyether-type polyurethane soft foam and high rebound soft block foam. For polyvinyl acetate polyurethane blocks, this method cannot be used due to the high viscosity of the material, and continuous methods are generally employed.

Calculation of foaming distance for continuous foaming machine

Given: Bubble release time for the formula is 108 seconds, conveyor belt speed during foaming is 4.6 meters per minute. Calculate the swinging and trough foaming distances.

Foaming distance when swinging: (108/60) x 4.6 = 8.28 meters

Foaming distance when troughing: [((108-18)/60)] x 4.6 = 6.9 meters

Explanation: For the same formula, continuous foaming machine has a shorter bubble release time than small bubbles. The calculated foaming distance is shorter than the actual foaming distance. This method only provides approximate confirmation of the foaming distance, supporting the adjustment of the settling plate. Troughing: 18" indicates the time in seconds that the raw material stays in the overflow trough.

Calculation of foaming height for continuous foaming machine

Given: Formula flow rate: 80 kilograms per minute for polyether, 20 for white polyether, 60 for TDI, 20 for stone powder, conveyor belt speed 4.5 meters per minute, mold width 1.65 meters, producing foam with a density of 25 kilograms per cubic meter. What is the foaming height in meters?

Total formula weight: 80 + 20 + 60 + 20 = 180 kilograms

Formula volume: 180/25 = 7.2 cubic meters

Base area of conveyor running per minute:

4.5 x 1.65 = 7.425 cubic meters

Foaming height: 7.2/7.425 = 0.97 meters

Explanation: Silicone oil, amine, and tin are not considered here as they offset the amount of carbon dioxide used during the foaming process. Moisture content (MC) is not considered because MC does not increase foam weight when vaporized.

Foaming Daily Operation

Beginners worry that improper adjustment of the settling plate will cause the liquid sprayed from the nozzle to surge forward or backward, affecting foaming. The reaction rate gradually increases within the first two minutes after starting the machine, sometimes requiring corresponding adjustments to the settling plate. Adjustments to the settling plate are more critical in formulas with low density and high MC.

TDI flow rate can be calculated by determining the corresponding scale value for the flow rate, but it is recommended to measure the TDI flow rate during the first foam production. Flow rate is too important; if the flow rate is incorrect, everything else will be a mess. It's best to rely on the simplest and most intuitive method of measuring flow rate.

When powder is being mixed, the mixed stone powder should be left overnight and production should start the next day. For formulations containing melamine and stone powder, it is recommended to first mix the melamine with the polyether for a period of time before adding the stone powder.

Formulas for foam machines with longer mixing chamber or more teeth on the mixing shaft typically have less amine and lower material temperature. Conversely, formulas for foam machines with shorter mixing chamber or fewer teeth on the mixing shaft typically have more amine and higher material temperature.

For the same formula, when switching between dual spray swing heads and single spray swing heads, if the cross-sectional area of the two nozzles is similar, the requirements for the fineness and number of layers of the mesh are similar.

Correction of small material flow rate can be done by measuring the return flow rate of the small material, or by dividing the total usage by the foaming time for correction. When the values obtained from the two correction methods differ significantly, the data from the second correction method should be used.

Formulas for soft foam with better properties are usually in an unstable range, such as lower TDI index, lower water to MC ratio, lower T-9 dosage, and lower silicone oil dosage. Just like in our jobs, there must be effort before reward.

What to do when the chain stitch quilting machine fails to pick up the thread?

First, check whether the upper and lower threads are correctly threaded and if the thread tension is appropriate. Then, push up the light axis and check if the needle and hook are in the correct position, approximately two millimeters apart.

If the pattern jumping stitch is not picking up the thread, you can adjust the parameters on the computerized control interface to increase the thread length parameter, but be careful not to increase it too much.

What to do when the quilting machine produces imperfect circles?

First, reduce the stitch length appropriately, ideally between 4.8 and 5.2. Then, set the backstitch to 4 and slow down the speed. This should result in a nicely formed small circle.

How to quilt a standard and even pattern?

First, identify the root cause of the problem. Uneven patterns can be related to the thickness of the sponge. If the base material is too thin, it can also cause pattern distortion, uneven sizes, and disproportion. Adjust parameters according to different patterns and material thicknesses.

For continuous patterns, if there is horizontal overlapping, reduce the x-axis parameter; if there is vertical overlapping, reduce the y-axis parameter. Conversely, if horizontal and vertical lines are separated, increase the x and y parameters accordingly.

For jumping patterns, adjust the GX and GY parameters. When quilting diamonds, if the diagonal separation is too wide, increase the diagonal pull parameter; if the diamond diagonals intersect, reduce the diagonal pull parameter.