Foam Expo On Demand
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Welcome to the Foam Expo conference proceedings. We hope you enjoy the sessions.
Day 1 SessionsBack to top
Staying Ahead of the Curve: How to Achieve the Balance Between Cost Efficiency and Sustainability
Session description:
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Points to be discussed:
- How many end user requirements have changed during 2020 and what impact will this have on the next two years?
- To what extent have manufacturing priorities been changed by a year of disruption and what goals can be set going forward?
- What kind of sustainable business practices could benefit the supple chain moving forward?
Marty Muenzmaier, Sustainability and External Affairs Leader, Cargill Bioindustrial Group
James Bridges, Director of HPP Business Units, Zotefoams Plc
Hamdy Khalil, Senior Global Director for Advanced Technologies and Innovation, Woodbridge Foam Corporation
Investigating Trends in Adhesive Markets to Unlock Technology Advancements in Environmental Disposal, Health and Safety and Recyclability of Adhesives
Session description:
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In this discussion, the opening panel will investigate the trends that have impacted market dynamics for both structural and non-structural adhesives and tapes over the past year. Learn what direction the industry is taking and how they are continuing to maximize business opportunities despite the challenges posed by the global pandemic:
- What are the current market dynamics? How are the end-user markets performing? Where are the new opportunities?
- How to connect with customers and suppliers in a virtual environment?
- What is the best way to gain market share in a tough market?
Kent Furst, Manager, Polymers & Materials, The Freedonia Group
James Akeley, Global Technical Director, Avery Dennison Performance Polymers
Abe Rezai, VP, Chief Technology and Innovation Office, H.B. Fuller
David Hatrick, Vice President Innovation, Huntsman Advanced Materials
Gary McMaster, VP Research and Development, Mactac
Virtual Roundtable – How Can the Foam Supply Chain Implement Cost Effective Methods of Recycling and Repurposing Foams?
Session description:
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During this 60-minute virtual roundtable discussion attendees have the opportunity to consult foam manufacturers about the most effective methods of recycling and repurposing foams. Get advice on:
- What are the most profitable methods of implementing environmentally friendly practices?
- What impact will consumer and regulatory pressure have upon recycling implementation whilst getting business moving again?
- How can the supply chain best adapt to new end of life practices?
Erguen Oezcan, President/CEO, Schmitz Foam Products Inc.
Steve Sopher, Technical Director, JSP
Virtual Roundtable – How to Select Adhesive Tapes for Your Application?
Session description:
- During this 60-minute virtual roundtable discussion attendees have the opportunity to consult adhesive and bonding technology providers and get advice on application selection criteria, dispensing and processing. Get advice on:
- Which adhesive tape to use for which application with what materials?
- How are adhesives tapes applied most efficiently?
- How to account for environmental influences such as humidity, corrosion, crash resistance, and thermal cycles?
- What processing technology is required and how can it be efficiently integrated into existing assembly lines?
Joe Cull, Application Solution Engineer, tesa tape, Inc.
Scott Krusinski, Sr Design and Application Engineer, Avery Dennison
Day 2 SessionsBack to top
Unlocking the Latest Requirements for Luxury Aerospace Applications for Foam and Adhesives Post COVID-19
Session description:
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The luxury aerospace market is constantly growing and changing to meet the demands of the consumer. With higher standards from the consumer than the mass-produced counterparts, Luxury OEM’s must strive even further for excellence. Join the experts from Gulfstream Aerospace as they elaborate on the challenges they face both from a foam and adhesives perspective. This unique interactive session is your insight into the luxury aerospace market and how to fulfil their needs. Points to be discussed:
- What are the latest requirements of the luxury aerospace market for foam materials?
- What are the latest requirements of the luxury aerospace market for adhesives?
- How have the developments of 2020 impacted the luxury aerospace market?
Matt Meredith, Technology Manager, Polyurethane Additives, Huntsman Performance Products
Timothy O'Hara, Director of Innovation Design, Gulfstream Aerospace
Jeremiah Mallette, New Product Designer, Gulfstream Aerospace
Joe Guthrie, Group Head Industrial Design, Gulfstream Aerospace
Outlining End-User Application Requirements for Bonding Technologies in a Post-COVID World
Session description:
- What new challenges and opportunities does COVID19 pose on material performance and application requirements?
In this session, end-users will present an update of the challenges and performance requirements of bonding technologies for end-user applications. They will outline their key application specifications, validation and processing challenges to the supply chain. Questions to be addressed: -
- What applications/products do you manufacture?
- When do you start think about the bonding technology/adhesive in product design?
- What are the materials that you are trying to bond?
- What different bonding technologies do you use?
- What are the top 3 handling / processing challenges that you are experiencing and how does this affect the selection and validation processes?
- What new challenges and opportunities does COVID19 pose on material performance and application requirements?
Bruce Greve, Lead Performance Engineer - Materials, General Motors
Yanju Wang, Adhesive COE Leader, Advanced Manufacturing Engineer, GE Healthcare
Virtual Roundtable – What are the Benefits and Variations in Bio-Based and Bio-Degradable Materials?
Session description:
- During this 60-minute virtual roundtable discussion attendees have the opportunity to consult foam manufacturers and end users on the latest in biobased innovation. Get advice on:
- What variations of bio-based materials or biodegradable materials are available and what are their strengths?
- What are the benefits of adopting bio-based materials and how versatile are they?
- How are buyers of bio-based foams benefiting from their investment?
Jason Robinson, CEO, Evoco Ltd.
Alper Yarasik, Global Product Line Manager, Cargill Inc.
Alper Kiziltas, Research Scientist - Sustainability and Emerging Materials, Ford Motor Company
Virtual Roundtable - How to Select Adhesives for Your Application?
Session description:
- During this 60-minute virtual roundtable discussion attendees have the opportunity to consult adhesive and bonding technology providers and get advice on application selection criteria, dispensing and processing. Get advice on:
- Which adhesive to use for which application with what material?
- How are adhesives applied or dispensed most efficiently?
- How to account for environmental influences such as humidity, corrosion, crash resistance, and thermal cycles?
- What processing technology is required and how can it be efficiently integrated into existing assembly lines?
Hammie Dogan, Corporate Business Development, Sika Corporation
Jean-Francois Chartrel, Global R&D Leader for Engineering Adhesives, Bostik, Inc.
Stephen Webb, Senior Applications Engineer, LORD Corporation
Day 3 SessionsBack to top
Maximizing Throughput: How to Meet the Growing Demands of Foam Production and Overcoming the Disruptions of 2020
Session description:
- Despite the events of 2020 the resilient foam supply chain continues to require innovation when it comes to maximizing production. This session will examine how best to expand the production of foam materials for both large- and small-scale manufacturers. It will also give end-users who may be concerned about how to sustain their production requirements an idea of how the industry will be able to meet their demands. Points to be discussed:
- How can the foam supply chain best meet the demands of new and emerging markets?
- What is the most cost-efficient way to increase foam production?
- Should the increase of foam production be carried out within the USA or internationally?
Dan Shuler, Industry Technical Manager Polyurethanes & Wood Composites
Hilmar Heithorst, Foam Product Manager, KraussMaffei Technologies
Chul B Park, Distinguished Professor of Microcellular Engineered Plastics, University of Toronto
Jeremy Smith, Foam Specialist, Nordson Corporation
Automating Adhesive Assembly Lines and Implementing Robotics for Improved Health & Safety and Quality Control
Session description:
- Social distancing, health & safety and the need for robust manufacturing lines; the automation of and integration of robotic solutions has seen increased interest from manufacturers in the wake of COVID-19. However, automating adhesive application is challenging due to the wide variety of requirements for different assembly lines: volume, throughput, curing times, batch/continuous processing, quality control and range of materials used. Join this panel to learn:
- What impact has COVID19 had in the uptake of automation and in which markets?
- What are the current challenges in implementing robotics and automation in adhesive bonding?
- What factors to consider in different assembly line requirements?
- Understanding equipment and process parameters of existing assembly lines
Gary Selph, Global Business Manager, 3M
Steven Evers, Vice President, Reliabotics
Michael Andrade, Equipment Product Engineer, Henkel
Virtual Roundtable – What are the Key Benefits of Implementing Additive Manufacturing and How Can it Improve Production Processes?
Session description:
- During this 60-minute virtual roundtable discussion attendees have the opportunity to consult technology providers and manufacturers on the impact of additive manufacturing for the foam supply chain. Get advice on:
- What opportunities can be unlocked using additive manufacturing’s versatile methods?
- How close is additive manufacturing to majorly disrupting the foam supply chain?
- To what extent can additive manufacturing improve processing speeds?
Garrett Getter, Product Manager - Saddles, Grips and Tapes, Specialized Bicycle Components Inc.
Jason Rolland, Senior Vice President of Materials, Carbon
Keith Azzopardi, Director, Thought3D LTD
Tom Lopez, Innovation Development Manager, Henkel Corporation
Virtual Roundtable - Surface Preparation of Surfaces to Ensure Reliability and Durability in Bonded Structure
Session description:
- During this 60-minute virtual roundtable discussion attendees have the opportunity to consult adhesive and bonding technology providers and get advice on surface treatment technologies such as primers, plasma treatment and heat treatment are a solution to ensure reliability and durability in the bonded structure. Get advice on:
- How does surface energy of materials like metals, composites and plastics affect the adhesive bond?
- What surface preparation technologies are available and what are the challenges in their interaction with material properties and adhesive technology?
- Issues with analytical/failure analysis studies of surface contamination and reliability performance or bond strength
Giorgio Zaffaroni, Technical Director, Permabond Blue Center Innovation Technologies
Peter Carbutt, Business & Technology Leader, ITW Polymers Adhesives
Tim Smith, Chief Technology Officer, Plasmatreat
Day 4 SessionsBack to top
Fulfilling Foam Application Requirements Through Testing Standardization and Quality Analysis
Session description:
- There are currently standardized tests in place for rigid foams under ASTM International. This allows for rigid foams to undergo thorough testing to the same benchmark across the industry. The same cannot be said of dynamic or flexible foams however, as no standardized testing exists it is much harder to monitor the foams ability to perform under pressure. End-user markets such as sport & leisure, automotive and aerospace are asking for standardized testing that can be carried out on their foams, this session will express these requirements and work towards a solution. Points to be discussed:
- What are the challenges in standardizing testing for flexible foams?
- What benefits will test standardization bring to end user markets?
- What are the requirements that the standardized testing of flexible/dynamic foams must meet?
Mark Weierstall, Comfort Lab Manager, Woodbridge
Isabel Wright, Senior Technical Manager, Armacell LLC
John Reynolds, Materials Development Manager, Unique Fabricating Inc.
Terry O'Bannon, Chief Scientist, O'Bannon Technologies
Reducing the Cost of Validating Adhesive Performance Through Testing and Virtual Modelling
Session description:
- Increasingly, product engineers are looking to virtual modelling tools in their design processes to validate the materials they use to improve part design and reduce the need for destructive testing. Join this panel discussion to learn first-hand:
- How to minimize the cost of testing of product development through simulation?
- What adhesive manufacturers do to help their customers on the journey to virtual testing and simulation?
- How do materials behave in a test and how does it work when it is in a product?
- How to select which properties and performance metrics are most important and how does this translate into real-life usage of the product?
Marvin Pollum, Senior Research Chemist, PPG
Matthew Miner, Application Engineer II, Henkel Corporation
Sreekanth Akarapu, Research Specialist, 3M
Virtual Roundtable - How can Flexible Foam Testing Standardization Benefit the Foam Supply Chain?
Session description:
- During this 60-minute virtual roundtable discussion attendees have the opportunity to consult foam manufacturers on the benefits and challenges in testing standardization. Get advice on:
- The most effective ways of optimizing the standardization process for flexible foams
- How standardization can improve supply chain efficiency through faster communication and product turnaround
- How do your testing methods vary from your suppliers?
Isabel Wright, Senior Technical Manager, Armacell, LLC.
Mark Weierstall, Comfort Lab Manager, Woodbridge
John Reynolds, Materials Development Manager, Uniques Fabricating Inc.
Terry O'Bannon, Chief Scientist, OBannon Technologies
Virtual Roundtable - Bonding of Dissimilar Materials: Plastics, Glass & Ceramics, Composites, Metals and Foams
Session description:
- During this 60-minute virtual roundtable discussion attendees have the opportunity to consult adhesive and bonding technology providers and get advice on challenges with bonding of dissimilar materials. Get advice on:
- What factors to consider when bonding different substrates?
- How to validate what adhesive to use for bonding dissimilar substrates?
- How to bond thermoplastics; what are the difficult thermoplastics to bond to and why?
- What processing steps are involved in ensuring a successful bond?
Gregory Moriarty, Application Engineering Specialist, 3M
John Lean, Manager, Structural Adhesives Technology, LORD Corporation
Robert Jenson, Acting Lead - ARL NE Regional Extended Site, U.S. Army Research Laboratory