Product History
Rogers Corporation, which originated in 1832, first introduced the PORON® product line in 1958 after signing an agreement with United Shoe Machinery Corporation. The foam rapidly became the leader in foam cushioning for shoe soles, a position it still holds today. By the early 1980s, Marian Inc. (then known as Marian Rubber Products) recognized the advantages of Rogers’ high density polyurethane foam in industrial applications. We have been producing custom made component parts consisting of PORON foams ever since.
Rogers Corporation Preferred Converter
Marian is proud to be a Rogers Corporation Preferred Converter. Read more about it here.
Variety of PORON® Formulations
There is not just one kind of PORON®. Rogers provides a wide variety of formulations engineered for peak performance values. This page will briefly explore some of those. Before we begin, you should know that Rogers publishes two excellent Material Selection Guides, one for industrial grade and one for medical grade, which you can download here. If you would like us to send you a hard copy (with material samples) just click here.
Outstanding Performance Characteristics of PORON® Foam
- Excellent compression set resistance
- Micro-cellular open cell structure
- Good chemical resistance
- Flame retardant to UL 94 (The UL rating varies by grade and thickness. See the Guide for details.)
- Environmentally safe, low out gassing
- Durable and long term performance
- Achieves a strong bond to Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (Let us help you with this selection.)
- Thickness – All are “cast to thickness” (rather than skived like many other foams) and are readily available in a wide range of standard thicknesses. However, materials can also be made to order in a custom thickness (minimum quantities will apply).
- Very thin versions are supplied cast to a thin layer of polyester for dimensional stability.
- Color – Typically, the industrial grades are available in black color as standard. Some other colors are made to order with minimum requirements. Ask your Marian sales engineer or customer service rep for more details if you need a color other than black.
- Can be laminated, die-cut, laser cut, water jet cut and slit with precision. (That is where we come in!)
PORON® Industrial Polyurethane Products
4790-92
- Extra soft, slow rebound – extremely easy to compress
- Intended for applications where clamping or closure force is very light or surfaces are very delicate.
- Available in standard thicknesses from .021” to .500” (.53mm to 12.7mm)
4701-30
- Very soft, easily compressed
- Intended for flexible gaskets, seals, gap fillers, or spring applications
- Available in standard thicknesses from .031” to .500” (.79mm to 12.7mm)
4701-40
- Soft, compressible
- Intended for a wide variety of gasket, gap filling, vibration damping, and shock absorbing applications.
- We think of the “40 Formulation” as the general purpose foam. Many engineers start here and adjust their choice to other grades as their application demands.
- Available in standard thicknesses from .031” to .500” (.79mm to 12.7mm)
4701-50
- Firm, still compressible but requires more clamping force
- Intended for managing high energy impact. Also used for gaskets. This is the material of choice, for example, of many cabinet manufacturers for cabinet bumper that absorb shock, quietly.
- Available in standard thicknesses from .031” to .500” (.79mm to 12.7mm)
4701-60
- Very firm, still compressible but requires strong clamping force
- Intended for energy management solutions. Is used for gaskets, spacers, shock bumpers and “footpads” (cushions on the bottom of many devices)
- Available in standard thicknesses from .031” to .250” (.79mm to 6.35mm)
4701-41, AquaPro™ Enhanced Sealability
- Soft, compressible
- The AquaPro™ formulations exhibit a greater content of closed cells than other grades. They are intended for demanding vacuum sealing applications, water sealing and other applications where moisture barrier is required.
- Available in standard thicknesses from .031” to .500” (.79mm to 12.7mm)
4701-37, AquaPro™
- Very soft, easily compressible
- The AquaPro™ formulations exhibit a greater content of closed cells than other grades. They are intended for demanding vacuum sealing applications, water sealing and other applications where moisture barrier is required. Thin, supported versions are especially designed for water-proof electronic devices.
- Available in standard thicknesses with PET support from .020” to .059” (.50mm to 1.5mm), and Unsupported from .118” to .500” (3.00mm to 12.7mm)
4790-79, Display Back Pad Foam
- Soft, compressible
- Provides the shock absorbing backing pad behind displays of electronic devices and touch screens. Prevents cracking with excellent impact and energy absorbing ability.
- Available in standard thicknesses from .004” to .012” (.10mm to .32 mm)
4701-43RL, EVExtend™
- Soft, compressible
- This is “battery pad foam” especially designed for use in EV / HEV battery applications as the foam spacer between cells supplying constant, predictable and long term “push-back force”. Maintains original thickness and properties throughout the life of the battery.
- Available in thicknesses from .039” to .118” (1.0mm to 3.0mm)
4790-79, ShockSeal™
- Very soft, easily compressible
- Intended for cushioning and sealing for the handheld electronic devices and industrial applications for sensitive equipment. Absorbs impact or drop energy while providing a seal.
- Available in thin versions with PET support for handheld from .021” to .039” (.53mm to 1.0mm), and without support from .062” to .500” (1.57mm to 12.7mm)
4701-V0-M, V-0 Foam
- Soft, compressible
- Meets UL94 V-0 flammability rating, the most stringent flame requirement for foam materials (most other foams that meet V-0 are silicone foams.)
- Available thicknesses: .197” and .236” (5.0mm and 6.0mm)
Marian Customer Success Story with PORON® Foam
After dealing with a moisture leak within their intercom console product, this company turned to Marian for a multi-layer sealing gasket utilizing AquaPro Foam. Read the story…
PORON® Medical Polyurethane Products
PORON® medical grade foams share the same outstanding benefits that we discussed above regarding the industrial grades with the added feature that they have increased resistance to microbial growth, fungal resistance. This makes them well suited for cushioning, support, and comfort in orthopedic and prosthetic devices or any equipment involving skin contact. These materials are breathable, durable and long lasting. PORON® Medical Polyurethanes are divided into four groups.
Medical Slow Rise Foam
- Available in very soft, soft and firm. All three are compressible and very conformable.
- Intended for cushioning where a contoured fit to the body is desired. Continually adaptive, breathable, it provides long term comfort.
- Available in .125” and .250” (3.2mm and 6.3mm) but can be made in many thicknesses up to .500” (12.7mm)
Medical Soft Foam
- Offers soft cushioning and support and absorbs light or mild shock and energy.
- Available in a variety of thicknesses from .118” to .500” (3.0mm and 12.7mm)
Medical Firm Foam
- Offers firm support and absorbs shock and energy
- Available in 15 and 20 LB density
- Available in .118” and .236” (3.0mm and 6.0mm) but can be made in many thicknesses up to .500” (12.7mm)
DermaBak® Dermal Materials
- Intended for use as foam backings in wound dressings. Can also be used in trans-dermal patches, IV site dressings, and EKG pads.
- Conformable, breathable, and comfortable
- Maintains physical properties after sterilization by Gamma or EtO. Can remain in contact with skin for up to 29 days.
- Available in .016” (0.41mm) thickness.
Marian Medical Manufacturing
The Marian Medical Division manufacturing facility in Monticello, IN is FDA Registered, cGMP Approved and certified to ISO 13485:2016 for manufacturing medical devices. With multiple clean rooms (ISO 6, 7, and 8 clean rooms), Marian is well suited and anxious to help you launch your next healthcare product. Please watch our video and contact us for more information.
