For all types of cushioning and padding applications, PORON® polyurethane and BISCO® silicone materials ensure reliability, enhance comfort and provide protection from stress and shock. Effective cushioning must withstand the effects of compression, manage damaging impact energy and provide consumer comfort as needed. Rogers offers a portfolio of high performance cushioning solutions that are highly compressible and conformable while resisting compression and stress relaxation. These solutions cover a wide variety of applications, including medical cushioning, shoe insoles and apparel padding, carpet padding and cushions for aircraft and rail interiors. PORON and BISCO materials exhibit high resiliency, good vibration damping and impact absorption while offering a wide range of firmness and thickness options that are easily compressed for use where flexibility is a key requirement.
With the ability to maintain a constant spring force over long-term use, both PORON and BISCO materials work great for cushioning applications. Typical cushions and pads have low-performing compressibility rates, so they wear out quickly and lose their spring-back force. Over time, other materials effectively shrink and flatten out. High performance foam solutions from Rogers have excellent compression set resistance and deliver long-term cushioning that keeps components secure, maintains consumer comfort and reduces noise and vibration.
The right cushioning materials contribute to an optimal customer experience – a comfortable shoe or a pleasant mass-transit ride. Rogers engineers materials that provide resistance to shock by using strong, lightweight materials. While most cushioning wears down over time, PORON polyurethane and BISCO silicone materials possess a unique open cell structure that is breathable and will not break down with continual use. Both absorb and distribute impact energy reliably.
A significant factor in cushioning durability, is the ability of the material to resist compression over time. To effectively cushion and protect for the long haul, a material must not take a set or lose their spring force over extended periods of time. PORON polyurethane and BISCO silicone foams provide first-rate resistance to compression set, exhibiting excellent physical properties and cushioning characteristics when compressed. Compression set (C-Set) resistance is the ability of an elastomer to return to its original thickness after a compression load, under a specified time and temperature, is released. If a gasket takes a significant C-Set, sealing may be compromised due to the decreased thickness. This loss of thickness normally takes place over time and is not always evident during initial testing. Choosing materials with excellent C-Set retention keeps a consistent cushioning performance and protection.
By choosing cushioning materials that absorb internal impact energy, designers can enhance product quality and reduce friction and impact that result in stress and damage. PORON and BISCO materials are highly resilient and continually deflect vibrations over long periods of time while experiencing only minimal changes in stiffness due to stress relaxation. The materials provide excellent resistance to compression set (collapse), good vibration damping, and impact absorption. Rogers’ materials continue to seal and absorb vibration and shock over long-term use, extending the life of the product.
Designing to meet industry standards for outgassing, chemical and solvent resistance, temperature load, flammability and sealing can be a challenge for industrial and transportation applications. Both PORON polyurethanes and BISCO silicone foams are low-outgassing, non-fogging and contain no plasticizers or residual chemicals to contaminate devices. The materials will not become brittle and crumble and are non-corrosive to metal. Both material families provide consistent performance over time in constrained spaces and are certified by Underwriters Laboratory (UL) for gasketing and flame resistance and are effective and dependable long-term cushioning solutions. For extreme environments, BISCO silicone foam materials perform even in high temperature (up to 200°C), high pressure applications.
Foam cushions for aircraft are subject to some of the most stringent specifications in the transportation industry. All cushioning must meet Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) flammability. BISCO silicones reliably meet various FAR specifications and are specified to many OEM material specifications including Boeing and Airbus. Most aerospace manufacturers require AS9100 compliance as a condition of doing business. Rogers is AS9100 certified and has been awarded multiple Boeing supplier Performance Excellence Awards.
Rogers’ specialty materials meet or exceed automotive specifications for flame resistance (FMVSS302), fogging (SAE-J 1756), Ford WSS-M2D496, Ford WSL-M99G163, General Motors GMW14196, General Motors GMW16392, Chrysler MS-AY549 and Chrysler MS-AY-556.
Rail car foam cushions are subject to very stringent specifications that are enforced by national governing bodies of rail. Cushioning used within the railcar must meet specific Flame, Smoke and Toxicity requirements depending on its usage and location. BISCO silicones meet various national rail standards including NFPA 130 (US), BS 6853 (UK), DIN 5510 (Germany), EN 45545 (Europe) and NFF 16-101 (France).
