Automotive Foam: How is Foam Used in Vehicles?

There are many uses of foam in the automotive industry. Although looking from the outside of a car, you may wonder how, inside, there are many reasons to apply polyurethane foams.

Let's explore how foam is used in vehicles.

Foam for vehicle seats - Probably the most prominent and most significant use of foam is on the seats of vehicles. Just below the upholstery fabric, you'll find that each seat has foam to add comfort and protection against the bumps in the road. Typically car and other vehicle manufacturers will use very high-density polyurethane foams to make the seat comfortable for the driver and passengers.

If you want to know exactly which foam has been used on your seats, you can research online. Just run a search on the make and model of your car, and what the manufacturer chose to use should be listed.

Foam for child safety seats - Another place you'll commonly find foam in vehicles is on a child’s safety seat. Again, you'll typically find polyurethane upholstery foams in use but generally of a medium density, so they are more comfortable for children.

Foam for armrests and door panels - The car interior uses foam in places other than the seats. For example, you'll find foam even on the door panels, including the armrests and handles. The purpose of foam on the door panels is to provide you with extra protection in the case of a traffic accident. Foam is an affordable solution and is used wherever it can be to make the journey of car passengers more comfortable.

Foam for Headliners - You may have already noticed that there is a thin layer of foam beneath the headliner of any car. Foam is installed into the new car, but it can also be purchased as a decorative item for your headliner. In some cases, you won't even find a headliner with a fabric cover, but the foam is exposed instead.

Motorcycle foam seats – Foam is used on almost all motorcycle seats, typically a super high density reconstituted chipped foam or closed cell polyethylene foam are used to retain their shape for longer.

Cars, motorbikes and trucks use many different types of foam. It depends on the purpose of it, as to which one manufacturers will elect to use. However, if safety is involved, they will ensure that they do their research to give you the best possible outcome.

In some situations, it's more about the performance of foam, such as on seats, and they will check that any foam used is durable and long-lasting so that you get your money's worth of the vehicle.

When it comes to foam for vehicles, you should also know that Plastazote is a polyethylene foam and automotive manufacturers favour it. It's got exceptional shock absorption but also offers outstanding insulation.

If you're in the process of looking for foams for use in your car or truck refit, or you're an automotive manufacturer, get in touch, and we'll help you to make the best choice as all our foams can be cut to size ensuring a perfect fit.

Feel free to contact us to discuss any of your requirements.