Formliner manufacturing process

Abstract

A process of manufacturing a formliner is disclosed. The process includes applying a formliner material to a mold, the mold having pocket molds for producing formliner pockets and a lattice of ridge molds for producing formliner ridges, then forming the formliner, and then demolding the formliner from the mold to produce the formliner having the formliner pockets and the formliner ridges. The lattice of the ridge molds have texture for producing texture in the formliner ridges and/or the mold includes a rigid high-density urethane closed cell foam or a rigid polyisocyanurate foam.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process of manufacturing a formliner, the process comprising:
 applying a formliner material to a mold, the mold having pocket molds for producing formliner pockets and a lattice of ridge molds for producing formliner ridges; then   forming the formliner; and then   demolding the formliner from the mold to produce the formliner having the formliner pockets and the formliner ridges;   wherein the lattice of the ridge molds have texture for producing texture in the formliner ridges.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the mold includes a rigid high-density urethane closed cell foam. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the mold includes a rigid polyisocyanurate foam. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the mold is used with other molds to produce a larger formliner. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the formliner material includes an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the formliner material includes a recycled material. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the applying of the formliner material includes injecting the formliner material into the mold. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the applying of the formliner material includes pouring the formliner material into the mold. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the formliner is by injection molding. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the formliner is by thermoforming 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the formliner is by rubber casting. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the texture in the formliner ridges is sandy and grout-like in feel and appearance. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the texture in the formliner ridges are coved. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the texture in the formliner ridges are raked. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the mold has pores and the formliner materials does not seep into pores of the mold and bond to the mold. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the mold resists destruction during the demolding. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the mold is used to repeatedly produce additional formliners. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the formliner is cured during the forming 
     
     
         19 . A process of manufacturing a formliner, the process comprising:
 injecting or pouring an elastomeric material into a rigid high-density urethane closed cell foam or a rigid polyisocyanurate foam mold having a pocket mold for producing formliner pockets and a lattice of ridge molds for producing formliner ridges; then   forming the formliner by injection molding or thermoforming; and then   demolding the formliner to produce the formliner having the formliner pockets and the formliner ridges;   wherein the lattice of the ridge molds include texture producing a sandy and grout-like in feel and appearance in the formliner ridges.   
     
     
         20 . A process of manufacturing a formliner, the process comprising:
 applying a formliner material to a mold, the mold having a pocket mold for producing formliner pockets and a lattice of ridge molds for producing formliner ridges; then   forming the formliner; and then   demolding the formliner from the mold to produce the formliner having the formliner pockets and the formliner ridges;   wherein the mold includes a rigid high-density urethane closed cell foam or a rigid polyisocyanurate foam.