Polyurethane foam mock engine blocks. Final report/project accomplishments summary

P-Ayr Products identified a market need for lightweight mock engines which could be used in automotive displays and fit checks where an actual engine would result in greater cost or safety risk from the weight. However, it was experiencing inconsistency in their ability to produce acceptable product. The objective of this CRADA was to develop a foam system and foam processing which would consistently produce acceptable product. To this end, P-Ayr Products supplied the Department of Energy`s Kansas City Plant (KCP) with samples of the foam system they were currently using. KCP performed chemical and physical testing of the foam system to baseline the material. Testing performed included water content, resin hydroxyl number, catalyst level, and stoichiometric relationship. Foam systems with low hydroxyl numbers yield tougher products at low densities. Next, KCP and P-Ayr Products worked together to determine the shell volume of the mold, the density range of acceptable products, and packing factor for the foam material. Characterization of volume, density, and packing factors were important as polyurethane foam properties change with changes in part density. KCP and P-Ayr Products determined the requirements that the new foam system must meet. KCP determined low hydroxyl candidate materials. KCP determined strength properties of the candidate materials. P-Ayr and KCP chose three material blends, and KCP molded prototypes from each blend in molds supplied by P-Ayr Products. The KCP and P-Ayr Products analyzed the resulting products, and P-Ayr Products chose the formulation they thought was superior. The KCP wrote a material specification and delivered it to P-Ayr Products