By David Reed, UT EditorCuyahoga Falls, Ohio-Linden Industries, Inc., the North American polyurethane machinery maker, is bringing the spray-skin technology developed by Swiss firm Isotherm AG to the US, Canadian and Mexican markets. This process allows the manufacture of moulded flexible foam products with a thin outer skin of tough polyurethane elastomer, for use in items such as tractor seats or in marine and heavy equipment seating. Applications in the medical sector are also possible, according to Linden.Isotherm's process uses innovative equipment technology that can spray skins as thin as 0.3-0.4 mm thick in areas without undercuts, according to a 13 Dec statement from Linden. Its low-throughput equipment yields a perfectly uniform thickness of skin across the part, the statement added. Also, because the skin is sprayed into a mould immediately prior to injecting the foam mixture, the two bond very strongly, while the skin faithfully reproduces the texture of the mould's surface, Linden claims.Isotherm's equipment, made at its Uetendorf, Switzerland, headquarters, offers both automated and manual processing and complements the range of equipment presently offered by Linden, who will provide sales, equipment integration, installation and service support in North America."
