Memory Foam

Types of Memory Foam Available

Memory Foam

Memory foam, also known as viscoelastic foam, visco foam, temper foam, slow-recovery foam and LRPu or low-resilience polyurethane, is a flexible, open-cell type of polyurethane foam that has a near-infinite amount of applications due to the following characteristics:

Compressibility Cushioning Energy absorption Fabricatibility Flexibility Light-weight

Low thermal conductivity Low water vapor transmission Mildew-resistance Resiliency Sound absorption Vibration dampening

Memory foam is best known for its ability to recover after being compressed. Once an object of significant weight is removed from the surface of the memory foam, it quickly becomes obvious as to why this material is characterized as slow-recovery as the memory foam slowly reassumes its original shape and cushioning properties. 

Thanks to memory foam naturally conforming to its surroundings, it makes an excellent material for redistributing weight and surface pressures, dampening vibrations and absorbing shocks. Memory foam is regarded as the "miracle foam" within the medical and bedding industries thanks to its ability to contour to the human body, enveloping its users with unparalleled levels of comfort, support and/or durability.

In addition to fabricating memory foam products to custom designed specifications, New England Foam stocks memory foam in bun form, in densities ranging from 3 to 6 pounds per cubic foot (PCF) and those colors most requested: blue, green, orange, pink, yellow and white. Additional densities and colors are also available upon request, as well as California Technical Bulletin 117 (Cal 117) compliant memory foam.

Memory Foam Packaging vs. Conventional Polyurethane Foam Packaging

In contrast to the manufacture of other, more conventional polyurethane foam (polyester & polyether), the costs associated with manufacturing and fabricating memory foam renders the material prohibitively expensive for the majority of packaging applications.

Manufacturing Memory Foam

Memory foam is manufactured in the same manner as conventional polyurethane foam, via a chemical reaction resulting in a slabstock bun of memory foam ready for fabrication. This process is similar to the rising of bread.

Fabricating Memory Foam

Memory foam is more challenging to fabricate than conventional polyurethane foam. Memory foam's slow-recovery properties require fabrication equipment to be slowed down by as much as 97% of the normal operating speeds to combat the softness of the memory foam. Memory foam can be die-cut, convoluted and profiled, however, the material does have fabrication limitations due to its slow-recovery properties.