ROHACELL® FOAMS

Rohacell®, a product of Evonik Foams, Inc., is a closed cell polymethacrylimide (PMI) rigid foam that is most commonly used as a core material for sandwich constructions.  Rohacell® is known for its outstanding thermal and mechanical properties, in addition to offering the highest strength-to-weight ratio when compared to other cellular plastic foams.

Rohacell® is produced by thermal expansion of a co-polymer sheet of methacrylic acid and methacrylonitrile.  During the foaming process the co-polymer sheet is converted to polymethacrylimide (PMI).  Alcohol is used as a blowing agent during the foaming process; therefore, Rohacell® does not contain fluorinated carbon hydrates and is halogen free.  Rohacell® has a very homogeneous cell structure and has isotropic properties.

Although Rohacell® machines quite easily, workholding and tool design are extremely important in order to achieve close tolerance components.  Since Rohacell® is most commonly machined without the use of coolants, adequate dust collection is particularly critical, as the machining process does not form chips but forms very fine powder which becomes airborne easily.

Mica-Tron Products Corp. is particularly well equipped to machine Rohacell® parts, including parts which range from simple geometric shapes to complex close tolerance geometries.

Mica-Tron Products Corp. has the experience, equipment, and facilities to successfully machine any of the 10 available grades of Rohacell® foam.  Our experience machining non-metallics, particularly our experience gained from machining materials with very low densities, gives us a distinct advantage over any shop whose experience is limited to machining metals or commodity plastics.  Our central dust collection system allows us to mill, drill and turn Rohacell® without the material contamination which is normally caused by exposure to coolants or cutting fluids.

The applications for Rohacell® rigid foams range from sporting and recreational equipment to aerospace/aircraft, defense, shipbuilding, wind energy and communication.

Rohacell® is a registered tradename of Evonik Foams Inc.