An Automotive Image Analysis Method for the Characterisation of Flexible Foam Cellular Structure

The 3D structure of real polymer foams

“…Previous studies using 2D image processing to automate foam measurement collected data in a fraction of the time required for physical inspection. In most earlier studies using automated image analysis to extract structural information; however, only one or a few structural measurements were compared to physical properties [15][16][17]. Furthermore, the use of different standards for even simple measurements such as cell diameter [18] makes it difficult to compare the results of similar studies to develop a body of structure-property knowledge.…”

Extruded Foams: Production and Further Processing

“…Then the image is evaluated, determining the number of cells in unit area and the cell size distribution. In this and other methods (32,33,34) , achievement of meaningful results requires expensive sample preparation. Various software moulds for assessing the cellular structure of polyurethanes are compared in (33) .…”

New Algorithms for 3-D Imaging and Analysis of Open-Celled Foams

“…Because of the tedious microscope work involved in the characterization of foam cells, studies have focused on the relationship of a single structural parameter with a few physical properties of the material. For instance, Chaffanjon and Verhelst [2] showed positive correlations of cell area with air flow and tear properties in a polyurethane foam. However, many parameters are involved in the complete structural characterization of a foam, including the distributions of cell sizes, window areas, cell orientations, and strut lengths, and the variation of these properties through the material.…”