Q: What kind of foam will the machine cut ?
A:  The machine will cut all foam types that can be cut using hot wire.
    The machine can also cut Coroplast™.
     *** Caution – Foam fumes are hazardous to your health – always work
      in a well ventilated area – Stay  away from all moving parts and the hot
     wire.

Q: Can the machine cut more then one shape at a time ?
A: Yes, but the user must provide a cut file which includes the needed
     shapes Detailed Documentation here.

Q: Which software should I use ?
A: For simple cuts you can use FoamWorks and GMFC.
     For more complicated cuts especially when you need to cut multiple
     shapes on a single block of foam, you should use DeskCNC.

Q: What is Polystyrene?
A: Polystyrene is a polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid
    hydrocarbon that is commercially manufactured from petroleum. At
    room temperature, polystyrene is normally a solid thermoplastic, but
    can be melted at higher temperature for molding or extrusion, then
    resolidified. Styrene is an aromatic monomer, and polystyrene is an
    aromatic polymer.
    Pure solid polystyrene is a colorless, hard plastic with limited flexibility.
    It can be cast into molds with fine detail. Polystyrene can be transparent
    or can be made to take on various colors. It is economical and is used
    for producing plastic model assembly kits, plastic cutlery, CD "jewel"
    cases, and many other objects where a fairly rigid, economical plastic
    of any of various colors is desired.

Q: How to cut Polystyrene or EPS foam
A  Expanded polystyrene is very easily cut with a hot-wire foam cutter,
     which is easily made by a heated and taut length wire, usually
     nichrome due to nichrome's resistance to oxidation at high
     temperatures and its suitable electrical conductivity. The hot wire foam
     cutter works by heating the wire to the point where it can vaporize foam
     immediately adjacent to it. The foam gets vaporized before actually
     touching the heated wire, which yields exceptionally smooth cuts.

     Polystyrene, shaped and cut with hot wire foam cutters, is used in
     architecture models, actual signage, amusement park and movie sets,
     airplane construction, and much more. Such cutters may cost just a
     few dollars (for a completely manual cutter) to tens of thousands of
     dollars for large CNC machines that can be used in high-volume
     industrial production.

    Polysterene can also be cut with a traditional cutter, in order to do this
    without ruining the sides one must first dip the blade in water and cut
    with the blade at an angle of about 30º, the procedure has to be
    repeated multiple times for best results.

 

Q: What are the kind if finishing that can be used on EPS foam
A  In the United States, environmental protection regulations prohibit the
     use of solvents on polystyrene (which would dissolve the polystyrene
     and de-foam most of foams anyway).

    Some acceptable finishing materials are

• Water-based paint (artists have created paintings on polystyrene with gouache) Click here for our stone paint
• Mortar or acrylic/cement render, often used in the building industry as a weather-hard overcoat that hides the foam completely after finishing the objects.
• Cotton wool or other fabrics used in conjunction with a stapling implement.