Method and device for producing a particle foam part

A device for producing a particle foam part, comprising:

• a material container holding loose polyurethane, polylactate, polyethylene block amide (PEBA) or polyethylene terephthalate foam particles,
• a molding tool defining a molding chamber, wherein at least two capacitor plates are arranged adjacent to the molding chamber and are connected to an RF radiation source, wherein the RF radiation source is designed for emitting RF radiation having a frequency of less than 300 MHz to heat the foam particles supplied from the material container, and
• the molding tool is provided at its inner delimiting surface with a passive heating layer made of a material which is not transparent to RF radiation and/or an electrical heating device.

Apparatus for producing a particle foam part, comprising:

• a material container holding loose polyurethane, polylactate, polyethylene block amide (PEBA) or polyethylene terephthalate foam particles,
• a molding tool defining a molding chamber for receiving the foam particles from the material container, wherein at least two capacitor plates are arranged adjacent to the molding chamber and are connected to an RF radiation source, wherein the RF radiation source is designed for emitting RF radiation, and
• wherein the capacitor plates have a three-dimensional contoured shape, a portion of the capacitor plates facing an area of the mold space in which in use the foam particles are more densified than in another area further away from the molding chamber than a portion of the capacitor plates that forms an area of the molding chamber in which the foam particles are less compressed.