TDPF-04 Waste PU Sponge Recycling Triple Foaming Station Rebonded Cylinder Foam Production Line

Product Overview

The TDPF-04 is a triple-station production line that turns waste polyurethane sponge and other foam scrap into rebonded cylinder foam blocks. Waste foam is crushed, blended with binder, filled into cylindrical molds and bonded by steam or natural curing. The finished cylinder is then ready for peeling into continuous sheet, or for lamination with PE film or fabric.

This is a recycling line rather than a primary foaming line: it does not make new foam from raw chemicals. Its value comes from converting trim, offcuts and post-industrial foam scrap into a saleable block with a controlled density and a predictable shape. For plants that already generate foam waste every day, the line closes the material loop and turns a disposal cost into a feedstock.

Foam scrap is bulky and light, which makes it expensive to store and to ship out as waste. At the same time, the same scrap is a clean, well-characterized raw material if it is kept separated by type and color. Rebonding converts that material into blocks with a density that can be set within a wide window, so one line can serve several product tiers: light carpet underlay at the low-density end, and heavy gym or industrial matting at the high-density end.

Rebonded foam also has commercial advantages that primary foam does not. It can be produced in small batches to match orders, the density can be adjusted by formulation and compression, and the surface can be peeled and laminated like any other foam block. For many buyers the attraction is simply cost per cubic meter combined with a defensible sustainability story: the product contains recycled content, and the plant reduces the volume of foam going to landfill or incineration.

The practical constraint is consistency. Rebonded block quality depends on three things: the scrap mix, the binder distribution, and the filling and curing cycle. The TDPF-04 is built around those three variables, with a 15 m³ mixing tank for uniform binder distribution and three independent foaming stations that keep the filling and curing cycle moving instead of waiting on a single mold.

1. Waste foam collection
2. Crushing
3. Binder mixing
4. Mold filling
5. Steam or natural curing
6. Demolding

Waste PU sponge, rubber, PE, EVA and EPE are reduced to a consistent flake size. Flake size matters more than most operators expect: a mix of very fine dust and large chunks fills unevenly and bonds unevenly, so the crusher and the screening step should be set to deliver a narrow, repeatable flake size for the product being made.

The crushed flake is fed into the 15 m³ mixing tank and blended with binder. The tank volume is the reason the line can support a full production shift without remixing for every mold: a larger batch gives the binder more time to distribute evenly, which is what prevents soft spots and delamination in the finished block.

The binder-coated flake is filled into cylindrical molds sized Φ(1000-1300) × L(1200-2200) mm. Fill weight is set from the target density, so the same mold can produce blocks across the 50-300 kg/m³ range.

Steam curing gives a fast, uniform bond where steam is available. Natural drying is the alternative where steam is not installed; it is slower and needs more mold inventory and floor space, but it avoids the boiler and steam distribution cost. The line supports both routes, so the choice can follow the site's utilities rather than the other way round.

After curing, the block is demolded and moved to the peeling machine, where it is cut into continuous sheet of the required thickness. The peeled sheet can be laminated with PE film or fabric, slit, or cut to length for the final product.

A single-station rebonding setup spends part of every cycle waiting: fill a mold, cure it, demold it, then start again. Three stations let the line overlap those steps, which is how the TDPF-04 reaches a productive capacity of 9 molds per hour.

The productivity figure should be read as a line capability under a defined mold size, density and curing method. Steam curing and natural drying do not run at the same pace, and a very high density block needs a longer, more controlled cure than a light underlay block. Buyers should specify the target block size and density when asking for a capacity guarantee, so the number is tied to their actual product mix.

The line is designed for waste PU sponge, rubber, PE, EVA and EPE foam scrap and edge trim. In practice the material mix decides the character of the finished block, so it is worth separating scrap by polymer type and, where color matters, by color. Mixing PVC or other incompatible scrap into a PU batch can affect bonding and smell, and it is difficult to correct after the block is cured.

Finished density is adjustable from 50 to 300 kg/m³. The low end suits carpet underlay, packaging and cushioning where weight and cost matter; the middle range covers furniture padding and general matting; the high end is used for gym mats, garage and industrial floor covering, and shoe sole padding where the block must resist compression. Density is set by the fill weight in the mold and by the compression applied during curing, which is why an accurate mold volume and a consistent flake mix are essential to repeatability.

The table above is the standard TDPF-04 configuration. Mold size, density target and curing method are the three variables that determine the practical output; the motor power, machine weight and overall height define the building and foundation requirements.

The line is normally placed next to the cutting department, because that is where most of the waste is generated. Trim from contour cutting, peeling, horizontal slicing and CNC cutting can be segregated by type and fed back into the crusher instead of being baled for disposal. Keeping the recycling line close to the cutting area reduces handling and makes it easier to keep material streams separate.

Downstream, the rebonded cylinder goes to a cylinder peeling machine to be cut into continuous sheet, then to lamination with PE film or fabric, and finally to cutting and packing. Upstream, the line needs space for waste storage, a crusher, binder storage and the mixing tank. The 13,305 mm overall height means the building must be checked for clearance before the layout is fixed, especially where the mixing and filling section rises above the mold stations.

The machine weighs 60,000 kg and occupies 9770 × 6683 mm in plan, with a height of 13,305 mm. That combination needs a properly designed foundation, not just a level concrete slab: the load has to be spread, and the tall structure has to be checked for wind and seismic loads in the actual building. Access for installation also matters, because large sections must be lifted into place before the roof or adjacent equipment is closed in.

The total motor power is 75 kW, covering the crusher, mixer, filling and handling drives. The site should provide a dedicated supply with correct earthing, a local isolator and protection sized to the actual installed load. If steam curing is chosen, the steam supply and condensate handling become part of the utility design; if natural drying is chosen, the mold inventory and the drying area replace the steam system, and the building needs enough floor space and ventilation for the longer cure.

Ventilation and dust control deserve attention at the design stage. Crushing generates dust and fine foam particles, and binder mixing releases vapor. Local extraction at the crusher and around the mixing tank, plus general ventilation of the curing area, keeps the working environment acceptable and protects the electrical equipment from foam dust.

Rebonded foam quality is a formulation question as much as a machine question. Binder type and dosage, flake size distribution, moisture content and compression during curing together decide whether the block is uniform, whether it holds together at the edges, and whether it peels cleanly. The line provides the mixing and filling control to make a formulation repeatable; the formulation itself should be fixed for each product grade and recorded with the batch.

• Record every batch: scrap type and color, flake size, moisture condition, binder type and dosage, fill weight, mold size, curing method and cure time.
• Check the block before peeling: look for soft spots, unbonded patches, density variation and dimensional distortion after demolding.
• Verify density by weight and volume: weighing the demolded block against its mold volume is the fastest daily check on fill accuracy.
• Peel a test sheet: a clean, consistent peel with no tearing or holes is the practical confirmation that the block is properly bonded.

Because the line can run different densities in the same shift, batch traceability is what protects the customer relationship. If a complaint arrives about a mat or a shoe insole, the batch record narrows the cause to the scrap mix, the binder or the cure instead of guessing.

Installation starts with the foundation and the steel structure, followed by the mixing tank, the three foaming stations and the mold handling system. Alignment and leveling are checked before the first mold is filled, because a station that is out of level fills unevenly and produces blocks with a density gradient from one end to the other.

Commissioning then runs a sequence of trial molds at increasing density. The first molds are used to set fill weight, confirm binder distribution and establish the cure time for the site's steam or ambient conditions. Only after the trial blocks peel cleanly is the line handed over for production.

Operator training covers four practical areas: scrap segregation and moisture control, crusher and flake size setting, binder mixing and fill weight calculation, and the safe demolding and mold handling routine. Training also covers the stop procedure and the lockout steps for clearing a jammed crusher or a blocked fill line, which are the two situations most likely to damage equipment if handled informally.

The crusher is the hardest-working part of the line and should be inspected every shift for blade wear, buildup and foreign objects. Blunt blades produce a wider flake size spread, which shows up later as uneven block density, so blade condition is a quality issue as well as a maintenance issue.

• Each shift: clean the crusher, check the mixing tank and binder lines, confirm mold release and mold condition, inspect the fill area for buildup.
• Weekly: check drive belts, chains and fasteners, lubricate bearings and guideways, verify that mold clamps and handling equipment operate smoothly.
• Periodically: inspect the mixer for wear, check the steam system or drying area, calibrate the weighing and dosing equipment, and review the electrical cabinet for dust ingress.

Parts worth holding in stock are crusher blades, mold release components, binder pump and line spares, and the sensors used for fill and level control. Consumable binder and release agent should be sourced with a consistent specification, because changing supplier mid-batch is a common but avoidable cause of bonding variation.

Each line is assembled and checked before shipment. Inspection covers the structural welds and frame, the crusher and mixer drives, the three stations and mold handling, the electrical cabinet, guarding and the safety interlocks. The machine carries CE certification, and the documentation set includes the operation manual, electrical diagrams and the inspection record.

At the buyer's site, the practical acceptance test is a production run across the intended density range: mold several blocks, demold them, check weight against target, cut a section to inspect bonding, and peel a test sheet. A line that passes this run at the low, middle and high end of the range is ready for commercial production, and repeating the same test after any formulation change keeps quality from drifting.

Packaging is confirmed with each order because the line is large and heavy: 60,000 kg with a 13,305 mm overall height means the shipment is planned around the transport route, the port and the unloading equipment at destination. Sections are braced for transport, and exposed shafts, guides and electrical cabinets are protected.

Delivery time is 45 working days after downpayment. Payment terms are L/C or T/T, the minimum order quantity is one set, and price is quoted on inquiry because configuration, mold set and destination affect the final figure. Supply ability is 3 sets per season. Buyers should confirm the block size, density range and curing method at the quotation stage, so the mold set and utilities are specified once and the line does not need to be reworked after arrival.