Polyurethane is one of the most versatile materials used in industrial manufacturing. Polyurethane is a unique material that offers the elasticity of rubber combined with the toughness and durability of metal.
It can combine the flexibility and resilience of rubber with the toughness, durability and load-bearing performance often associated with harder engineering materials. Depending on the formulation, polyurethane can be manufactured across a broad hardness range, from rubber soft and flexible through to extremely firm like a bowling ball.
Due to the versatility of polyurethane, the range of components that can be manufactured are vast. Parts made from polyurethane are proven to outwear other materials. It is hugely superior to rubber, plastics and metal in many applications.
Polyurethane is Abrasion Resistant, Dry Heat Resistant, Oxygen & Ozone Resistant, Water Resistant, Oil Grease & Chemical Resistant, Radiation Resistant, Flame Resistant, Mould, Mildew, Fungus Resistant.
What Makes Polyurethane So Versatile?
Polyurethane can be formulated to suit different operating conditions and performance requirements. Depending on the selected system, polyurethane components may offer:
- Excellent abrasion resistance
- High cut and tear resistance
- Good impact absorption
- Strong load-bearing performance
- Resistance to oils, greases and selected chemicals
- Resistance to water, oxygen and ozone
- Corrosion resistance
- Reduced noise and vibration
- Electrical insulation properties
- A broad range of hardnesses and colours
- The ability to be cast into complex shapes and thick sections
Not every polyurethane formulation will provide the same level of resistance to heat, chemicals, flame or environmental exposure. The correct system should always be selected according to the application, operating temperature, loading and substances involved.
Common Polyurethane Applications:
Because polyurethane can be cast and moulded into many different shapes, it is used across a broad range of applications. Typical polyurethane components include:
- Rollers and wheels
- Bushes and couplings
- Mining screens
- Dust and scrubber seals
- Wear liners
- Cable supports
- Moulded pads and supports
- Concrete plugs
- Impact-resistant components
- Custom replacement parts
Polyurethane is particularly useful where a component must withstand repeated movement, abrasion, impact or heavy loading while retaining some degree of flexibility.
Polyurethane Compared with Rubber:
Polyurethane and rubber can perform similar functions, but polyurethane may provide advantages in applications requiring greater wear resistance, load capacity or dimensional stability. Potential advantages of polyurethane over rubber include:
- Higher abrasion resistance
- Greater cut and tear resistance
- Improved load-bearing capacity
- Better resistance to oils and greases in selected formulations
- A broader available hardness range
- The ability to cast thick or complex sections
- Good ozone resistance
- Greater colour flexibility
- Accurate reproduction of mould details
Rubber may still be preferable in some applications, particularly where extreme flexibility, temperature resistance or a specific chemical resistance is required.
Polyurethane Compared with Metal:
Polyurethane can sometimes replace metal components where reduced weight, noise or impact transmission is important. Potential advantages include:
- Lower component weight
- Improved impact absorption
- Reduced operating noise
- Greater flexibility
- Good abrasion resistance
- Resistance to corrosion
- Non-sparking properties
- Electrical non-conductivity in suitable formulations
- Easier moulding into specialised shapes
- Lower tooling costs for some production runs
Unlike metal, polyurethane can deform under load and return toward its original shape, helping absorb shock and vibration.
Metal may remain the more appropriate choice where very high structural strength, elevated-temperature performance or rigid dimensional stability is required.
Polyurethane Compared with Plastic:
Polyurethane can offer greater resilience and impact performance than many rigid plastics. Potential advantages include:
- High impact resistance
- Excellent abrasion resistance
- Elastic recovery or “memory”
- Improved resistance to cracking under repeated movement
- Better low-temperature flexibility in selected formulations
- Reduced noise and vibration
- Resistance to cold flow under suitable load conditions
- The ability to cast thick sections
- Lower-cost tooling for some custom components
- Strong drag and rebound resilience
The most suitable material will depend on the application, required hardness, operating temperature, production quantity and expected wear conditions.
Custom Moulded Polyurethane Components:
One of the major benefits of polyurethane is its castable nature. It can be poured into moulds to produce complex shapes, replacement components and short-to-medium production runs without always requiring the high tooling costs associated with some injection-moulded plastics or fabricated metal parts.
Pascoe Industries manufactures custom polyurethane components for mining, industrial and general engineering applications. Depending on the project, components may be produced from:
- Existing customer moulds
- Drawings or dimensions
- Original samples
- Newly developed patterns and moulds
Material hardness, colour and formulation can be selected according to the component’s intended operating conditions.
Choosing the Correct Polyurethane:
Polyurethane is not a single material. Its final properties depend on the chemistry, hardness, additives and processing method used. When selecting a polyurethane system, it is important to consider:
- Abrasion and impact exposure
- Required hardness and flexibility
- Operating temperature
- Chemical contact
- Component loading
- Indoor or outdoor exposure
- Part dimensions and thickness
- Required production quantity
- Expected service life
Selecting the correct formulation is essential to achieving the best balance between durability, flexibility and performance. Our team can assist with polyurethane system selection, custom moulding, mould filling, replacement components and small-to-medium production runs.
Contact us to discuss your application or to find out whether polyurethane may be suitable for your next component.