When choosing a foam for a product design, one feature that should be considered is the compression set resistance of the foam. C-Set is one of the most important characteristics to consider, and this blog post answers three basic questions to explain why.
1. What is Compression Set Resistance?
Compression Set (C-Set) Resistance is the ability of a foam to return to its original thickness after a compression load, under a specific time and temperature, is released. Simply put, the compression set of a material is the permanent deformation remaining when a force (that was applied to it) is removed.
2. How is C-Set Measured?
The following describes the most common method: A foam specimen 0.50″ thick is compressed 50% for 22 hours at 158°F, the load is released, and the foam is allowed to sit for 24 hours at room temperature. Then thickness is measured. Based on the thickness of the foam after the 24 hours, compression set is calculated as a % value. The lower the % value, the better the Compression Set Resistance of the foam.
3. Why Should I Care About Compression Set?
Compression Set Resistance is one of the most important characteristics of foam materials, especially if the engineer or designer is looking for a medium or long-term product life cycle.
A high C-Set indicates the foam material is degrading and losing performance values that are critical to the material's performance. If the product single-use and then will be discarded, C-Set is not a critical material characteristic of concern. However, the longer a product is expected to perform, the more important C-Set is to the application and the more you may want to consider a higher performance material.
To see a demonstration showing the compression set resistance of 4 different foams, check out the video below.
Key Takeaways About Compression Set Resistance
- Compression set (C-Set) resistance shows a foam material's ability to bounce back after experiencing a compression load for a specified amount of time and temperature.
- C-Set is measured by observing the thickness of a material after experiencing a load in a controlled setting (consistent temperature for an amount of time)
- Compression set is a very important characteristic to consider if your application is expected to perform consistently long-term.
Choose Marian for Your Custom Foam Seals and Gaskets
Marian converts many different materials with varying compression set values including Rogers Corporation PORON foam materials and BISCO silicones that are excellent high-performance materials.
Regardless of where you are in the world, Marian's global locations offer a variety of custom converting capabilities including rotary die cutting, laser and water-jet cutting, laminating, slitting, and more.
Contact us and we'll put you in touch with a Sales Engineer in your area to help you with your next project.
