Eumeps - All about EPS

General information on EPS

Manufacturing process

The manufacture of EPS conforms to the most stringent health and safety requirements in Europe.

There are 5 manufacturing stages:

1) Pre-expansion:
Polystyrene granules are expanded by free exposure to steam to form larger beads, each consisting of a series of non-interconnecting cells.

2) Conditioning:
After expansion, the beads still contain small quantities of both condensed steam and pentane gas. As they cool, air gradually diffuses into the pores, replacing, in part, the other components.

3) Moulding:
The beads are moulded to form boards, blocks or customised products. The mould serves to shape and retain the pre-foam, and steam is again used to promote expansion. During moulding, the steam causes fusion of each bead to its neighbours, thus forming a homogeneous product.

4) Shaping:
Following a short cooling period, the moulded block is removed from the machine, and after further conditioning, may be cut or shaped as required using hot wire elements or other appropriate techniques.

5) Post-production processing:
The finished product can be laminated with foils, plastics, roofing felt, fibreboard or other facings such as roof or wall cladding material.