A method for producing a skin-covered foamed molded article including blow-molding a parison in a mold cavity to form a skin consisting of a hollow molded body, in which the parison is in a softened state by extruding a molten thermoplastic resin, filling expanded beads in the hollow molded body, and heating and fusion bonding the beads by supplying steam via a steam supply pipe inserted into the hollow molded body. The parison is in contact with a protruding portion, formed by protrusion from an inner surface of the mold cavity to an inside of the cavity, forming a recessed portion having a shape corresponding to the protruding portion in the inward direction of the hollow molded body. A steam hole is formed in the recessed portion, a steam supply pipe is inserted into the body, and the expanded beads are heated and fusion bonded by supplying steam.

A method for producing a molded part from a foamed plastic in a mold cavity which is delimited by walls of an at least two-part, open- and closable molding tool including the steps: closing of the molding tool to prepare the mold cavity; pouring a particulate granulate of the plastic into the mold cavity; heating the granulate through the introduction of steam into the filled mold cavity at such a temperature and steam pressure that the granulate expands and is melted to form a molded part; cooling the molded part in the mold cavity; opening the molding tool and removal of the molded part, wherein the steam that is introduced into the mold cavity is conveyed through steam chambers which are positioned on the side of the walls of the molding tool opposite from the mold cavity and communicate with the mold cavity by openings that pass through the walls, and wherein before and/or during the closing of the molding tool, a temperature control medium inside the walls of the molding tool is guided in a cavity which does not communicate with the steam chambers and mold cavity, in order to preheat the walls, and the walls of the molding tool are preheated to a temperature that is suitable for the melting of the granulate to form the molded part.

A plastic article is recited having a plastic shell including walls defining a cavity. Within the cavity is an in-situ foam core including expanded polymer beads. A layer of the expanded polymer beads includes a layer of distorted beads adjacent to the walls. The in-situ foam core has a thermal bond to the walls.