Compiling a complete list of every cast urethane benefit is difficult enough, but choosing a top five is a daunting task.
Polyurethane, which is also commonly referred to as urethane, is one of the most resilient and malleable materials available to manufacturers (much more so than metals and plastics). Urethane starts in a liquid form and is then poured into a cast to harden. This creates a product that’s as soft as a sponge on the outside and hard as steel on the inside.
Polyurethane really is a versatile material and choosing the top five benefits isn’t easy, but there are some attributes that rise above its many virtues.
Flexibility
Yes, urethane is literally flexible. It can be formulated to be as pliable as a rubber band or as hard as a bone. But it also offers manufacturers a great deal of flexibility in the way they design products. Urethane has an extremely high flex-life that also lasts longer than other elastomeric materials, in which flexing is required. It also boasts impressive elastomeric memory, so that it can be stretched and elongated, and then returned to its original form.
Machinability
Polyurethane can be formulated to allow for drilling, tapping and several other types of machining, just like metals. Softer formulations can also be ground.
Sound Resistance
Polyurethane is much more sound resistant than metal, plastic and rubber. And because it can be formulated to be both relatively soft and hard, urethane can be used instead of steel or rubber to reduce sound and dampen vibrations.
Overall Toughness
Polyurethane is tough. Even in its hardest state, it can withstand shock and impact loading without fracturing. It also boasts better tear strength than rubber.
Tooling Cost
The bottom line is always a consideration, and using polyurethane for liquid casts is much less expensive than using steel.
The list could go on and on to include tensile strength, temperature resistance and hydrolytic stability, but the best way to understand the benefits of cast urethane is to connect with a world class manufacturing company like Product Development Solutions.