Your Plastic Foam and Film Densifier Company
EPP Foam Melter for Dense, Mold-Formed Output
Melt EPP foam trim, molded parts, and cutouts into solid forms with dimensions suited to handling, palletizing, and downstream processing. JTW International’s AD Series carries the material through size reduction, auger feeding, controlled melting, and mold-based forming in one system.
This EPP foam melter machine can produce blocks, bricks, ingots, or another form supported by the selected mold and discharge arrangement.
Materials: EPP foam scrap; EPE in select applications
Process: Reduce, feed, melt, and form
Output: Mold-formed solid material
Next Stage: Storage, shipment, or further reprocessing
Start With the Form, Not Just the Throughput
Mold Profile
The selected mold establishes the dimensions and profile of the finished material. Bricks and blocks are common formats, but the output is not limited to one shape.
Handling Weight
Mold volume and finished density influence the weight of each piece. The target weight should suit the plant’s manual or mechanical handling method.
Cooling and Downstream Fit
Larger or thicker forms may need more time to cool before they can be released and moved. The finished form must also suit the opening and handling limits of the grinder, shredder, or other equipment receiving it next.
Stable Melting Starts Before the Heating Chamber
Consistent molded output depends on the condition of the material entering the machine.
Identify and Separate the Polymer
Keep EPP, EPE, EPS, and other polymer streams separated unless the recycler accepts mixed material. Separate colors and grades where output consistency matters.
Control Contamination
Remove tape, labels, foil, adhesives, and other plastics that could become embedded during melting. Evaluate cross-linked or laminated foam separately.
Maintain a Consistent Feed
Keep the foam dry and reduce oversized or irregular pieces. Consistent sizing supports steadier movement through the hopper and auger.
How EPP Foam Melter Equipment Processes the Material
1. Size Reduction
Foam enters the hopper and is reduced into pieces the feeding system can manage consistently.
2. Auger Feeding
The auger meters the reduced material through the equipment while maintaining controlled movement and pressure.
3. Full-Melt Processing
Heat collapses the cellular foam structure and converts it into molten polymer. Temperature and residence time must match the material being processed.
4. Die Discharge
The molten material leaves the heating chamber through the discharge die and moves into the selected mold.
5. Forming and Cooling
The material takes the shape of the mold and cools into a dense solid form. It can then be removed, weighed, and transferred to a pallet or the next processing stage.
How EPP Foam Melter Equipment Processes the Material
An EPP foam melter machine should be selected using the plant’s actual material flow, not a nameplate rating alone.
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Generated Weight: Pounds produced per hour, shift, or day
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Loose Volume: Physical space occupied before melting
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Largest Piece: Maximum molded-part or cutout dimensions
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Generation Pattern: Continuous scrap or accumulated production batches
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Loading Method: Manual, conveyor-fed, or directly connected
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Available Run Time: Hours the system can operate during each shift
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Mold Cycle: Filling, cooling, release, and return time
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Output Handling: Weighing, palletizing, and removal from the discharge area
Plan the Complete Recovery Cell Around the Melter
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Material Delivery: Move foam from bags, carts, conveyors, or the production line without mixing incompatible materials.
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Loading Access: Leave sufficient room for irregular pieces, operator movement, and maintenance.
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Mold Handling: Plan where empty molds will be positioned, how filled molds will be moved, and where the material will cool.
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Ventilation: Assess local capture and external ducting according to the polymer, additives, operating temperature, and facility requirements.
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Finished Material Movement: Establish a route for removing, weighing, identifying, and palletizing each batch.
What Mold-Formed Output Changes for the Operation
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Repeatable Dimensions: Produce forms suited to the chosen handling and pallet arrangement.
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Recorded Weights: Track recovered material by piece, batch, or completed pallet.
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Material Traceability: Keep polymer grades, colors, and production sources identifiable.
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Planned Loads: Build outbound shipments using measured material instead of loose-volume estimates.
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Reduced Loose Handling: Limit repeated transfers between bags, cages, and containers.
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Downstream Compatibility: Match the molded output with the next grinding, shredding, or recycling stage.
JTW’s AD Series Performs the Full-Melt Process
JTW’s AD Series combines a hopper with blade shredder, auger feeding, a heated processing chamber, die discharge, and mold-based forming.
Published configurations are available with capacities up to 200 or 400 lb/hr, depending on the model. JTW lists output bulk density of up to approximately 30 lb/ft³. The equipment can operate inline, receive remotely collected scrap, or be mounted on casters. Available options include an infeed conveyor, elevating stand, and exhaust package.
Individual models, dimensions, electrical requirements, and current mold specifications are available on the AD Series page.
When Can the AD Series Be Considered for EPE?
The AD Series can process EPE in certain applications, but it should not be presented as the standard recommendation for every EPE waste stream.
For example, JTW may evaluate the AD Series when a customer generates a relatively small volume of EPE and does not want to operate two separate machines. Material volume, feed characteristics, and the overall recovery process should be reviewed before determining whether this configuration is appropriate.
Define the Output Before Selecting the Machine
Provide the polymer type, incoming scrap dimensions, pounds and loose volume generated per shift, preferred molded form, available electrical service, and downstream processing requirements.
JTW will compare these operating requirements with the available AD Series models and help determine the appropriate EPP foam melter equipment for the application.
For regular PE foam, the AC Series auger compactor is the more appropriate JTW machine and should be evaluated instead of positioning the AD Series as the standard solution.