Beaded foam is important for storing or shipping delicate items as it effectively protects items from impact and other environmental conditions during shipment. When used in conjunction with a protective packaging foam that is non abrasive items can be completely protected from surface scratches as well. Expanded polystyrene can often be used as well but beaded foams are an excellent solution in many cases.
What are beaded foams?
Expanded polystyrene (EP) , expanded polyethylene (EPE), expanded polypropylene (EPP), and beaded polyethylene (BPE) are special beaded foams types that are constructed of small beads that are interconnected. To create beaded foams, foam beads are heated causing them to expand to many times their size. After expansion, the beads can be molded into varying shapes that can be further resized and fabricated into nearly any custom shape.
Beaded foams are cost-effective because they take less energy to manufacture and fabricate than many other solutions while maintaining a high strength to weight ratio. This ratio means you can protect more with less foam.
Why use beaded foams
Beaded foams are known for having a few beneficial properties. They are:
- Lightweight
- Cost-effective
- Have high structural integrity and compression strength (high strength-to-weight ratio)
- Do not easily absorb moisture
- Have a high chemical resistance
- Are not abrasive (ideal for Class A surfaces)
- No off-gassing
- Can be recyclable
In addition to the above, many beaded foams are aesthetically pleasing making them ideal for case inserts for fragile devices, particularly if they are being used for sales and demo purposes.
Beaded foams offer reliable low cost solution to protect a variety of items that are sensitive to abrasive materials, vibration, and other environmental conditions.
