Polyethylene (PE) foam and polyamide foam are two of the most protective foam types available, and are used as foam packaging for a number of products requiring extreme protection from a various different risks, including:
Vibration – During transport, whether by road, sea or air, prolonged vibration can be hugely detrimental to a variety of products, particularly electrical components, pharmaceutical products or ceramics.
Polyethylene foam materials such as Evazote, Plastazote and ARPLANK, or polyamide foam ZOTEK® N, have superb cushioning and anti-vibration properties, as well as having the ability to be formed into intricate shapes, suited to most products.
Moisture – many different products, particularly food, pharmaceutical, automotive products or fireworks etc., rely of a moisture free environment at all times, especially during transportation.
Due to its closed-cell structure, polyethylene foam provides a high level of moisture and water-resistance, whilst also acting as an excellent thermal insulator, a prerequisite in the transportation of many food and medicinal products.
Impact – During transportation, it’s sadly inevitable that packaged products will be at risk from impact, whether it’s due to pallets tipping over, boxes colliding or down to incorrect loading or unloading methods.
Many polyethylene foam materials have been specifically created to absorb impacts. Plastazote for example, is a closed-cell foam material, consisting of individual, nitrogen-filled cells able to absorb repeated impact and still retain their original form.
Heat and cold resistance – Resistance to extremes of temperature is vital when it comes to transporting a number of products, whether for the pharmaceutical industry, the food industry or the electronics industry.
Although polyethylene foam has exceptionally good insulative properties, for products requiring protection from heat and cold, one of the best foam materials is ZOTEK® N, a polyamide foam able to withstand temperatures of up to 200°C+.
