What is the lead time for a custom polyurethane wheel coating made to drawing?

Lead time depends on part complexity, batch size and drawing approval. For standard sizes from the catalogue the process is faster, while custom parts require agreement on technical requirements and mould preparation first. The factory usually confirms timing individually at the time of order.

How do I choose the polyurethane hardness for a wheel in my assembly?

Hardness selection depends on load, travel speed, surface type and working environment. For drive rollers and assemblies exposed to heavy abrasive, the upper part of the Shore A range, 80-95 Shore A, is recommended: hard yet resilient polyurethane resists abrasive better. For light transport trolleys it is better to choose a softer polyurethane in the 50-70 Shore A range.

Can polyurethane wheels be used in aggressive chemical or abrasive environments?

TIMOL polyurethane withstands contact with abrasive material, wears 2-5 times less than rubber, and operates across a temperature range from -60 to +100 °C. However, for chemically aggressive environments it is important to specify the reagent composition when ordering, so the optimal polyurethane grade can be selected.

Can the polyurethane layer on a worn wheel be restored again?

Yes, the polyurethane layer can be restored by re-coating at the factory. The old layer is carefully removed, the core is reprocessed, an adhesive is applied and new polyurethane is cast. This is significantly cheaper than making a new wheel and lets you preserve the assembly geometry.

What is the minimum order for polyurethane wheel coating?

The TIMOL factory accepts orders for single wheels to drawing or sample, as well as for serial batches. The minimum volume and order terms are best clarified directly through the site form or via contacts, since they depend on the product type and technological series.

Polyurethane wheel coating: 2-5× longer wear life than rubber

A line stopped because of a worn wheel: a familiar situation for many maintenance engineers. Rubber or metal wheels often have to be replaced within a few months, and emergency downtime costs the enterprise money and lost time. Polyurethane coating makes it possible to dramatically increase the service life of an assembly: polyurethane withstands abrasion, impact and dynamic loads where other materials fail. In this article I explain why polyurethane wheel coating is becoming an industry standard, how to choose the right hardness, what to account for when ordering for your own assembly, and which parameters to watch when comparing it with rubber, steel or caprolon.

Why polyurethane for wheel coating beats rubber and steel

Polyurethane delivers wear resistance 2-5 times higher than rubber and, unlike steel, absorbs impacts and does not cause rapid bearing wear. Polyurethane wheel coating solves the problem of frequent abrasion and jamming of assemblies in abrasive and impact operating modes.

Standard rubber wheels (SBR, NBR) have wear of 80-200 mm³ per DIN 53516, while TIMOL polyurethane is only 38-39 mm³. This means the polyurethane layer works 2-5 times longer under identical conditions, enduring constant contact with slag, sand, gravel and other abrasives. In addition, polyurethane does not lose elasticity at low temperatures down to -60 °C and does not soften when heated to +100 °C, which widens its use in refrigeration units, hot zones and open-air sites.

Metal wheels (structural steel) have much higher hardness (120-250 HB) and mass, but cannot absorb impacts or compensate for micro-irregularities of the supporting surface. This leads to local crushing of bearings, premature wear of axles and a higher noise level. Polyurethane provides a balance between rigidity and flexibility, reducing the load on the assembly, which is especially relevant for complex drives, roller tables, tyres and transport trolleys operating in metallurgy, machine building or mining.

Comparing polyurethane with alternative wheel materials

Polyurethane significantly outperforms rubber, caprolon and steel in wear resistance, temperature stability and balance of mechanical properties. The most important parameters are shown in the table, which lets you quickly compare polyurethane with classic wheel materials:

Material	Wear (DIN 53516), mm³	Working temperature, °C	Hardness	Density, g/cm³	Additional properties
Polyurethane (TIMOL)	38-39	-60…100	85A-95A	1.05-1.25	Wear resistance 2-5 times higher than rubber
SBR rubber	100-200	-40…80	40A - 80A	0.94-1.1	Most common, inexpensive
NBR rubber	80-150	-30…100	40A - 90A	1-1.3	Oil resistance
Caprolon (PA6/66)	30-90	-40…100	75D - 85D	1.13-1.15	Rigid, brittle under impact
Structural steel	n/a (not tested per DIN 53516)	-40…500	120-250 HB	7.7-7.9	High strength, but rigid and noisy

Polyurethane wear is only 38-39 mm³, which is 3-5 times less than caprolon (30-90 mm³) and 2-5 times less than SBR rubber (100-200 mm³). This fundamentally reduces the frequency of wheel replacement, especially in assemblies exposed to abrasive action. Thanks to the working temperature range of -60…+100 °C, polyurethane wheels are suitable for use in refrigeration equipment, open warehouses and hot shops, where rubber or caprolon degrade quickly.

Typical SBR or NBR rubber, even in an oil-resistant version, is limited both in wear and in temperature. Caprolon is strong but brittle under dynamic impacts, does not cushion loads and is not suitable for all transport assemblies. Metal wheels, despite their high strength, lose significantly to polyurethane in weight, flexibility and noise level.

Technology of polyurethane wheel coating: features and stages

Polyurethane coating involves several strict technological steps: preparation of the core (steel, cast iron, caprolon), thorough cleaning, mechanical and sandblast treatment to increase adhesion, application of a special adhesive layer, and subsequent free casting of the polyurethane into a mould. This approach ensures a monolithic bond of the layer with the base and eliminates delamination even under cyclic loads.

Polyurethane allows hardness to be set across a wide range, from 50 Shore A to 70 Shore D. This makes it possible to produce wheels both for light transport trolleys (soft layer, high cushioning) and for drive rollers operating under high loads (hardness up to 70 Shore D). The polyurethane layer thickness is determined by the calculated load, rotation speed, core diameter and type of environment (dry, wet, abrasive, chemically aggressive).

For wheels operating in an aggressive abrasive environment or under frequent impacts, I recommend ordering polyurethane lining at least 10 mm thick and choosing hardness in the upper part of the Shore A range (for example, 80-95 Shore A). This radically increases resistance to chipping and local deformation.

During the coating process the factory performs quality control at every stage: geometry, layer integrity, absence of voids and adhesion are tested for each batch. If an old assembly needs to be restored, the worn polyurethane is removed mechanically, the base is prepared and a new layer is re-cast without losing the geometry of the original part.

Practical operation and mounting of polyurethane wheels

Wheels, rollers and tyres with a polyurethane layer are made at the TIMOL factory to the customer’s drawing or sample, using the free casting technology. This makes it possible to reproduce even complex profiles, seats, grooves or flanges for fixing. Mounting of polyurethane wheels depends on the assembly: for drive rollers it is usually a press fit or bolted flange mounting, and for trolleys, seating on the axle with a bushing and a locking ring.

Real-world experience shows that even in the harsh conditions of mining or metallurgical enterprises, polyurethane wheels require maintenance only in the form of periodic cleaning and checking the integrity of the layer. In the event of local damage or wear, the polyurethane layer can be quickly restored by re-coating, which is many times cheaper and faster than replacing the whole assembly. For many machine-building and transport applications this solves the problem of unplanned downtime and allows repairs to be scheduled.

The value of the resources an enterprise saves on reduced wheel replacement, lower downtime and increased reliability offsets the initial investment in polyurethane coating within the first year of operation. You can review additional technical details about polyurethane and its properties in the Reference information section of the TIMOL factory.

Where polyurethane wheels are used and how to order for your assembly

Polyurethane wheels, rollers and tyres find use in the Mining, Metallurgical, Machine-building, Oil, Railway and Food industries, as well as in Berths, Ports, Agriculture and the Pulp-and-paper and Printing sectors. They are installed in transport-line trolleys, drive assemblies of roller tables, gravity-flow equipment, elevator bucket tyres, and in assemblies where flexibility, low noise and high wear resistance must be combined.

For every order the TIMOL factory offers flexible manufacturing of both standard products from the catalogue and wheel coating to an individual drawing or sample. This includes calculating the optimal layer thickness, selecting hardness and agreeing all mounting fits. To make a calculation, it is enough to provide the drawing, the load requirements, the diameters, the speed and the operating conditions. You can request a consultation, ask questions and receive a commercial offer via the Contacts page on the site.

Conclusion: when polyurethane coating is the optimal choice

Polyurethane wheel coating is the solution for assemblies where you need to minimise downtime, cut repair costs, and increase reliability and service life. TIMOL polyurethane provides 2-5 times longer wear life, absorbs impacts, and withstands extreme temperatures and aggressive environments. Contact the factory for a consultation, a calculation for your task, and the manufacture of wheels or rollers to drawing or sample. All order contacts are on the Contacts page.