PURe future – without use of release agents

With the PURe Liner, FRIMO offers new opportunities and potentials for the release agent-free production of PUR components. Because reactive polymers exhibit extremely strong adhesion to metallic materials, appropriate measures are required in order to remove components from the mold without damaging them. Up until now, these measures have included release agents, permanent separation layers, separation films and additives (internal release agents). All of these methods bring a number of disadvantages with them.

The PURe Liner is a semi-permanent mold liner made of a self-releasing plastic compound. Patented by Kunststofftechnik Wiesmayer GmbH of Neustadt, Germany, this process has been further developed by FRIMO with regard to the front-foaming (partial back-foaming of inserted carriers) of polyurethanes. Due to its special material composition, the innovative PURe Liner permits low demolding forces and remains in the cavity.
 
The PURe Liner is dimensioned in such a way that it is fitted over the complete surface of the mold. It is held in place there and can be replaced within 15 seconds. The use of this innovative concept can not only save the installation of a release agent station but it can also reduce cycle times considerably, cut labor costs and save additional investment costs. Depending on the project, this can eliminate the need for one or more molds. This minimizes the entire process needed to match a carrier and the release agent to the PUR system as well as to downstream processes.

An outstanding advantage of the PURe Liner is the fact that surface structures can be applied directly in the injection molding process, and are then transfered to the polyurethane component. This can be a so-called lamination grain, for example, or also a technical or leather-like grain pattern. The PURe Liner replaces not only release agents and permanent release layers, however: it also acts as a mold sealant. The plastic material of the PURe Liner is softer and more flexible than the mold material. This results in fewer leaks and reduction of excess foaming and subsequently post-production operations.

FRIMO offers its customers individual PURe Liner concepts and works out the cost savings on a project basis depending on the required parameters. Previous reference projects show that savings of up to 20% versus the established processes using release agents are possible.


contact person:

Jürgen Mauß
+49 (0) 5404 886 - 174
mauss.j@frimo.com