Chris B,
If you have any decent sized fragments left, it should not be difficult with an accurate weighing device, to determine the density. Softness is usually a measure (or result) of the density. You need an accurate mass and volume to determine the density accurately.
If the results are on the low side and can be demonstrated (keep the evidence), I am sure Sw**nty would respond favourably. There are different densities offered by different manufacturers/suppliers, so it is important to know where your particular supplier is in the 'pecking' order. There is certainly an upper echelon and one where density is dubious.
The higher densities will presumably be stronger at a declining insulation 'U' value. There will be an optimum value there the sum of the useful attributes is a maximum.
But, as always, a compromise or trade off dependent on the qualities you think are most important.
High insulation - lower the density, the better the insulation, at least down to densities at which other factors become more important!
Chewing by bees - there will be a minimum value, below which, the hive component will not last very long, once the bees start to remove the inside of their house. This would represent very poor value to the unsuspecting beekeeper.
Strength - higher density, up to a point where they may become 'brittle'
Can't think of any more at the moment, but here may be other qualities to be considered.
Any product must be kept down to the lowest safe target (less of the expensive constituent), but with injection moulding there are lots of ways to speed up the machinery 'cycle time' (seconds per unit produced), one of which is operational density setting. There is no substitute for quality and some lower quality ones can slip through the checks and only be experienced by the end user. The production can almost be certainly be traced back to a particular machine/operative/date and Sw**nty may already have had some returned already.
Their response to low quality might be either 'not us Gov, nobody else has complained' or perhaps 'Thankyou, we have realised that some of that particular production may have fallen below our high standards/expectations. We will certainly replace them. We are sorry for you inconvenience' or something similar.
The first response should ring alarm bells - and one finds another supplier. The second would make a customer feel important, and give the deserved impression of a favoured supplier to be trusted in the future.
Regards, RAB
