Shaping of foam-like materials through the use of a sonotrode

Shaping of Polystyrene and Polyurethane with traditional machining operations may create dust and debris, which are undesired consequences of the manufacturing techniques adopted. The proposed technology makes use of an ultrasound probe that compresses and heats the foam-like material and forms the desired shape. The paper presents the preliminary tests as a first step toward a full feasibility analysis of the new proposed technology.