In today’s manufacturing world polyurethane rods is one of the most commonly requested cast urethane items. But why?
Among a few of it’s noted features, polyurethane has excellent abrasion resistance, outstanding temperature performance, and high elasticity.
Rods have an extensive list of uses across multiple industries and are often purchased to be modified into smaller components on milling equipment. With the large variance in properties that can be attained with urethane, these rods can be constructed to serve a wide array of purposes such as gaskets, seals, wheels, brushings and many more.
Let’s look at the many purposes of polyurethane rods to get a better understanding of this versatile material and how it can help you.
Urethane Rods Became the New Industry Standard
While rods made from rubber were the first to find widespread use across multiple industries, the wear and durability properties of urethane meant it would soon become the preferred material.
Extremely hard urethane rods were purchased and milled into smaller, tough wire-straightening wheels, which are commonly used in medical and electronic manufactured goods.
The hard nature of polyurethane minimized the cutting action of the wire into the wheel, while the surface properties of the material allowed for the wire to still have grip as it travels across the wheel face.
Urethane Rods Across All Industries
Urethane rods have also found extensive use in sealing applications for large doors in pressurized systems. Cleanrooms use urethane rods to seal large doorways and their accessible replacement makes them a popular choice.
Large bay doors in loading terminals commonly use rod stock to seal the building from moisture and wind. When using urethane rods, you can be confident that you are selecting a material resilient enough to outlast comparable rubber products, while also having control of the physical properties so it suits your exact needs.
Urethane rods with a high rebound have found use in pre-energized systems as springs. The stable UV nature of this material, coupled with its unmatched cross-linking properties, means it can be left in a tensioned state for an extended period and can still return to a straightened position.
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Urethane rods can be cast into tubes, allowing for even more variety of products. These tubes can be sliced and made into gaskets of any size due to the highly flexible nature of urethane.
Large energized seals and stuffing boxes are often made with polyurethane rods. Soft urethane rods can easily be cut to the required size and loaded into the seal while in the field, making change-outs a breeze.
Why You Should Consider Urethane
If you require custom sized urethane rods, most manufacturers allow for custom orders in any size and durometer needed. We told you it was a flexible material. Using this extremely durable material can help minimize your downtime in the field, and keep operations functioning longer without the required maintenance compared to other materials.
The multiple uses for polyurethane rods are as extensive as the variations in the material itself. Make sure you set your operation up for success by selecting polyurethane rods.