Urethane bumpers are ideal for applications that require outstanding shock absorption, rebound, and abrasion resistance. Urethane bumpers are used in a variety of applications, including automated manufacturing systems, far surpassing the performance of rubber and steel. Depending on the service, PSI manufactures custom urethane tubes, rods, and rings for a range of bumper applications as well as urethane sheeting for bumper pads. Urethane bumpers are a cost-effective solution and are known for outlasting the competition.
Top Reasons Why Urethane Bumpers Outperform the Competition
There are several reasons why urethane bumpers outperform other materials such as plastic, rubber, and metal – and below are the top 5. At PSI, our team of experts are able to fully customize your urethane formulation to achieve the properties below among others in order to meet the challenges of your unique application.
- Excellent Shock Absorption: oftentimes you need a part to absorb the energy it receives. Urethane bumpers effectively and safely disperse and absorb energy. When needed, energy dissipates outward, away from the source of the shock impact, so that the object or the object’s internal components are not damaged. Urethane bumpers are available in a range of hardnesses and can be formulated to deliver great shock absorption and noise reduction, delivering a quieter operating environment.
- Offers Low Permanent Set: materials with a low permanent set will return to their original shape and density after being compressed, which is often a key characteristic of bumpers. A high level of rebound is often essential for urethane bumpers and polyurethane can be formulated to handle heavy items without taking a set.
- Outstanding Abrasion Resistance: urethane has the ability to withstand mechanical action such as rubbing, scraping or erosion that progressively tends to remove material from its surface. In fact, one of the top reasons urethane is requested in industrial applications is due to its excellent abrasion resistant properties, especially impingement abrasion resistance which is common in bumper applications. Urethanes resist cuts and tears, leading to better performance and longer life spans. When severe wear is a concern, urethane bumpers often outperform the competition including rubber, plastics, and metals.
- Easily Bonds to Metal: urethane is a resilient, non-brittle elastomer that can be bonded to metal to improve the product’s performance and functionality. Many companies rely on urethane bonding to increase the strength and durability of a substrate like metal. Metal encased in urethane is non-marring and non-scratching, and delivers superior strength, durability, and abrasion resistance. The team at PSI have decades of expertise bonding polyurethane to metal and steel. Urethane bonding is one of PSI’s core competencies, enabling our customers to combine the benefits of multiple materials in order to meet the specific needs of a given application.
- Maintains Resilience at High Hardness: unlike rubbers, thermoset polyurethanes can be formulated for a wide range of resiliency across a spectrum of hardnesses. Urethanes do not have to be made soft to make them resilient, as hard urethanes can be as resilient as much softer materials. For shock absorbing applications, urethane bumpers can be formulated with rebound values as low as 5%. For quicker recovery, or where high-frequency vibrations are a factor, they can be formulated with rebound values up to 70%.
Would your project benefit from the unmatched shock absorption, resiliency, and abrasion resistance of urethane bumpers?
Contact PSI to learn more about our custom urethane products and our range of specially formulated polyurethane solutions.
Why Companies Choose Urethane Bumpers
The following are some of the main benefits of employing urethane bumpers.
- Lower Maintenance Costs: because urethanes have better abrasion and tear resistance than rubbers and superior impact resistance, you can expect urethane bumpers to outperform their counterparts. The longer a part lasts and the better it performs throughout its lifetime, the more efficient a process can run.
- Reduced Downtime: limiting downtime due to routine maintenance and unscheduled repair is essential for avoiding any loss of revenue. The qualities that set urethane apart from other materials, like its high-load carrying capability, dielectric strength, and oil/solvent resistance, help manufacturers reduce equipment downtime and cycle time limitations.
- Longer Wear: urethane is incredibly strong and durable. When severe abrasion is a factor, urethane has been known to outwear other materials by a factor of five-to-one. When exposed to ozone and oxygen, as most materials are in automated processes, urethane bumpers won’t crack or harden.
- Greater Noise Dampening: using urethane bumpers can help create a safer and more enjoyable work environment. Urethane is sound dampening and helps prevent the transfer of noise, vibration, and movement between machine parts. With urethane parts, equipment and processes can run smoother, longer, and quieter.
- Greater Chemical Resistance: PSI’s urethane bumpers are resistant to a wider range of chemicals and substances than many rubbers and plastics. They are often more suitable for applications that come in contact with specific solvents, oils, and chemicals. For equipment and systems used in oil refineries, manufacturing facilities, paper and pulp factories, and even the food and beverage industry, this quality is extremely important.
- Lower Tooling Costs: urethane products tend to have lower tooling costs than rubber and plastics, making urethane an economical solution for prototypes and low-volume production.
- Better Results: simply put, using urethane bumpers leads to better results. Urethane is non-marking, can be bonded to metal, wood, and most plastics, and can be manufactured to meet FDA specifications, if needed. It is hard to compete with the versatility and flexibility of urethane bumpers.
PSI’s Custom Urethane Solutions
Polyurethanes offer a diverse set of physical properties, both esters and ethers. Selecting the right material can sometimes be overwhelming for OEMs. For this reason, it is crucial to partner with proven urethane experts, like PSI. Our in-house engineering and technical assistance staff can help you create custom urethane molded parts that meet your application needs and solve your problems. We have a wide range of formulations that can be geared specifically to your requirements. Below are some highlights about our custom urethane solutions.
- Custom Materials
- Broad Range of Durometers
- Custom Molds
- Bonding and Recovery
- Prototypes to High Volumes
About PSI Urethanes
Since 1966, through our own independent research and activity in the Polyurethane Manufacturers Association, PSI Urethanes has stayed on the leading edge of urethane technology – including developing advances in new materials, comprehensive designs, and processing technologies. Today we are among the most respected and trusted suppliers of custom polyurethane products.
We operate from our 45,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas, which houses an extensive stock of polyurethane products. Our fully equipped manufacturing facility includes a versatile range of processing machinery, which allows us to work on unique, one-of-a-kind projects, as well as high volume components. Our in-house engineering, tooling, and custom mold shop, produces custom and stock production orders with exceptionally fast turn-around times. From conception to prototyping, to final production runs, our technical representatives and design engineers will work closely with your staff to meet your critical tolerances and specifications. You are guaranteed to receive experienced, professional, and personalized service from the first contact through your on-time delivery, with complete confidentiality and dedication to protecting your good name.
PSI Urethanes specializes in custom polyurethane products. Contact us today to see how we can help with your next project, or give us a call at 1-800-888-5156.