The wheels of warehouse and handling equipment take on the main load, and they are the first to wear out. Rubber tyres abrade against concrete and delaminate, metal rollers rumble and scratch the floor, pneumatic tyres pick up punctures from swarf. Every replacement means a forklift or trolley stopping in the middle of a shift. TIMOL polyurethane wheels provide wear resistance 2-5 times higher than standard rubber, quiet running without damaging the covering, and complete indifference to punctures. Let us look at where they work, how they outperform rubber, metal and plastic, and how to order manufacturing for your equipment.
Where polyurethane wheels work
Polyurethane wheels are fitted to equipment that moves constantly under load over hard surfaces. These are warehouse and handling trolleys, lifting and transport equipment, conveyor rollers, retail and restaurant equipment, containers and municipal machinery. The common requirement for all these assemblies is a combination of service life, quiet running and preservation of the floor.
In warehouse conditions, a wheel rolls dozens of kilometres per shift over concrete and tile. Here wear is decisive: the abrasion of polyurethane per DIN 53516 is 38-39 mm³ versus 100-200 mm³ for SBR rubber, so a polyurethane wheel withstands several times the mileage. The solid-cast, tubeless design removes the risk of punctures from metal swarf, glass or gravel, which occur constantly in production.
Polyurethane is not afraid of oils, weak acids or moisture, does not corrode and leaves no marks on the covering. Maintenance comes down to cleaning off dirt. The full range of wheels and rollers is presented in the catalogue of polyurethane products.
How polyurethane outperforms rubber, metal and plastic
Polyurethane surpasses the classic materials in the combination of properties, not in a single characteristic. Rubber is cheap but wears out and ages quickly. Metal is strong but heavy, noisy and corrodes. Hard plastic is wear-resistant but brittle under impact. Polyurethane closes the weak points of each of them.
Against SBR rubber, polyurethane wins on abrasion (38-39 mm³ versus 100-200 mm³) and tensile strength (39-87 MPa versus 8-20 MPa), so the rim does not crumble. Against metal it is 6-7 times lighter (density 1.05-1.25 g/cm³ versus 7.7-7.9 g/cm³ for steel), quieter and does not rust. Against caprolon, polyurethane wins in resilience: caprolon has a rebound of 5-15% and cracks on impact, whereas polyurethane with a rebound of 34-61% absorbs the impact and recovers its shape. UHMW-PE has the lowest abrasion (15-30 mm³), but it flows under load and is not elastic, so as a wheel tread it is inferior to polyurethane.
Comparison table of wheel materials
| Material | Abrasion DIN 53516, mm³ | Working t, °C | Density, g/cm³ | Tensile strength, MPa | Rebound elasticity, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polyurethane TIMOL | 38-39 | -60…+100 | 1.05-1.25 | 39-87 | 34-61 |
| NBR rubber | 80-150 | -30…+100 | 1.00-1.30 | 10-25 | 20-45 |
| SBR rubber | 100-200 | -40…+80 | 0.94-1.10 | 8-20 | 30-55 |
| Caprolon PA6/PA66 | 30-90 | -40…+100 | 1.13-1.15 | 60-85 | 5-15 |
| UHMW-PE | 15-30 | -200…+80 | 0.93-0.95 | 17-45 | 5-10 |
The table explains the engineers’ choice: polyurethane has the lowest abrasion among elastomers (38-39 mm³) while retaining high resilience (34-61%), which neither caprolon nor UHMW-PE has. That is precisely why, in loaded moving assemblies, a polyurethane wheel both lasts a long time and rolls softly, without transmitting impacts to the structure.
Engineer’s tip: match the wheel hardness to the covering, not blindly. For smooth warehouse concrete, hard polyurethane at 65-70 Shore D gives the lowest rolling resistance and the slowest wear. For equipment that crosses slab joints, thresholds and unevenness, a softer grade of 85-95 Shore A cushions better and takes the impact. And always leave a margin in the thickness of the polyurethane layer for heavy loads, so that it is not pressed through to the hub.
How to select a wheel for your equipment
Selection starts with the operating conditions: the type of covering, the nature and magnitude of the load, the movement regime, the environment. These factors determine the hardness of the polyurethane, its formulation and the required layer thickness. Lighter equipment on a smooth floor and a heavy forklift on an uneven surface require different wheels.
Next, the geometry is specified: wheel diameter, tread width, hub type and fit for the axle or bearing. A larger diameter improves passage over unevenness and reduces the pushing effort, a wider tread reduces the pressure on the covering. The polyurethane layer is cast directly onto the hub, so the wheel comes out as a single piece, with no risk of the tyre delaminating under load.
Correct mounting is no less important than the choice of material. Play in the bearing fit wears the axle faster than the polyurethane itself abrades, so the geometry of the seat is maintained precisely. Technical recommendations on selection and mounting are collected in the reference information section.
Custom-made wheels
Wheels of non-standard sizes are produced by open casting to a drawing or a sample. You specify the diameter, width, hardness, hub type and fit, after which the technologists select the formulation and pour the polyurethane into the mould. This is how even rare or discontinued sizes are reproduced, ones for which it is hard to find a ready-made replacement.
The factory also restores worn wheels: the metal hub is retained, the old polyurethane layer is removed and a new one is cast. This is cheaper than a new wheel and restores the part’s full service life. The order volume is flexible, from a single part for a repair to serial batches for an equipment fleet.
To order wheels for your equipment or arrange a restoration, get in touch through the TIMOL factory contacts. The engineers will help you select the hardness, formulation and geometry for the load and organise manufacturing.