FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF AUTOMOTIVE UPHOLSTERY FOAM

There are numerous properties possessed by the automotive upholstery foam. These properties are the ones that make it ideal for various cushioning applications. The use of flexible polyurethane in the automotive industry has really affected the design and development of the vehicles. You should know the different properties of the foam that is used and their importance to be able to make the right decision. The properties of the automotive upholstery foam are usually measured under conditions of constant temperature and humidity. It is the work of the foam manufacture to ensure that the conditions are maintained when testing different samples of foams. The density of the foam is usually expressed in pounds per cubic feet depending on the application. This is a very crucial property of the foam. In fact, it is the most important foam property when choosing foam for various applications. This property is a function of the chemical process that as used to manufacture the foam products and additives that were included. The density has a great impact on the support and durability of the product. In general, foam with higher density is better because it will retain its properties. It will also provide comfort and support throughout its entire lifespan as it was originally designed to do.

The other foam property is the indentation force deflection (IFD). This is the same as compression. It is a measure of the foam firmness. The firmness is not depended on the density of the automotive upholstery foam even though denser foam is thought to be firmer. It is possible to find soft foams that are of a high density and firm foams that are of a low density. This will depend on the IFD specification being used. It relates to the comfort of the material, which is a big deal in the automotive industry. It is a measurement of the surface feel of the material. The IFD is usually measured through indentation (compression) of a foam sample to 25% its original height. The amount of force that is needed to do that is referred to as the 25 percent IFD measurement. The other property of the automotive upholstery foam is the resilience. This indicates the ‘springiness’ or surface elasticity of the foam. This property can also relate to the comfort offered by the foam. It is measured by dropping a steel ball on the foam cushion and measuring the height to which the ball rebounds.