MICRO-POROUS ALUMINUM FOR THERMOFORMING MOLDS AND VACUUM CLAMPING

PORTEC - North America, a division of NEST Technologies, Inc., announced the availability of three new grades of METAPOR air-permeable micro-porous aluminum material. The material has gained popularity as porous tooling for thermoforming, and vacuum clamping systems for material handling.

All METAPOR block products are based on the proprietary formulation of aluminum powder and epoxy binder. The patented manufacturing process is capable of producing large micro-porous blocks with sizes of 20" x 20" x 16". These large blocks are then cut into plates with a range of standard thickness. Numerous plates can be joined together with an adhesive to construct large assemblies. The block materials are easily machined without affecting the air-permeability of the product. For optimum surface finish, polishing with fine sanding papers and grinding is recommended.

The original METAPOR BF 100 AL material offers specific benefits for applications in plastic thermoforming including; elimination of the need to drill tiny vacuum holes, the ability to produce parts with extreme level of detail and complexity, better part definition, accuracy, and flatness, improved surface quality, and faster air evaluation. For vacuum clamping systems, it offers even pressure for partially covered surfaces enabling accurate clamping.

The three new products are: METAPOR HD 100 AL - High Density Material developed for applications requiring high surface finish. It can be polished, making it suitable as tooling for thermoforming transparent components and highly cosmetic parts. METAPOR BF 210 AL - High Temperature Material can be continuously operated at temperatures of up to 410° F. It is suitable as tooling for thermoforming high temperature plastic materials such as polycarbonate, polyethylene, and other exotic plastics. Lastly, METAPOR MACRO - Highly Porous Material has been developed for applications requiring high level of airflow. As compared to METAPOR BF 100 AL, MACRO is over 10 times more air-permeable. The material is used in vacuum clamping applications where the clamping area is fully covered.

For more information, and a copy of their brochure, contact Michael Tsenter, Portec-North America, 3849 Ridgemoor Drive, Studio City, CA 91604, 818-761-6500, Fax: 818-761-6116, Web: www.nesttechnoloqies.com.