Machining Lightweight Foams

From: Robert Tullberg (Queensland Manufacturing Institute), Tony Riek (Queensland Manufacturing Institute)
To: RP-ML
Date: Tuesday, June 6, 1995
Subject: Machining Lightweight Foams
     I am seeking information on rapid machining (routing) of lightweight foams
such as expanded polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam.  In particular, I
am interested in finding information on appropriate tooling, be it abrasive
tools or cutting tools, for high material removal rate machining of these
foams.  I suspect these materials could be machined at over 10 meters per
minute with large diameter cutters (50-80mm), at large depths of cut
(50-100mm).   Comments from anybody with practical experience in bulk foam
machining would be most useful.
     The above request relates to a project being conducted at the QMI into rapid
prototyping for large objects.
Robert Tullberg

[posted by:]
Tony Riek
CSIRO - Division of Manufacturing Technology
Queensland Manufacturing Institute
P.O.Box 4012, Eight Mile Plains, Brisbane Q 4113
Ph: + 61 7 847 0777  Fax: + 61 7 847 0711