Are you looking for cast urethane products for your specific industry? Urethane, or polyurethane, is a versatile material that is useful in many industries. Urethane can be customized in almost any shape and size to fit your unique needs. You can use custom-molded urethane repeatedly in adverse environments without significant wear or damage.

Moreover, custom-molded urethane parts are a great way to get the look you want without using a more expensive or difficult-to-work-with material. You can choose from various colors, patterns, and textures, so you can find something that suits your preference exactly.

However, finding the best-cast polyurethane products can be challenging. There are countless options, and choosing the wrong product can impact your business. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you find the perfect urethane for your needs. We’ll show you how custom molding is done and how to ensure you get the most value out of your purchase.

How Can You Customize Urethane?

For most industries, customizing urethane parts is an excellent way to increase efficiency and bring products to the market quickly. In addition, it’s the ideal solution when durability, weight, and safety are highly regulated.

Usually, producing custom-molded urethane varies depending on your preferences and applications. To give you an overview, we discuss the process below.

Mold Creation or Tooling

Before we start the production process, we’ll create custom molds that match your exact shape and performance requirements. Here, a machinist will create a tool path based on your specific requirements. The tool path will produce a mold for the part that, when filled with urethane, will yield an extremely precise product. Urethane custom molds are often intricate as parts become more complex.

Mass Production

When the molds are ready, they enter the production room for custom molding and mass production. Here, the production team uses different prepolymers, curatives, and ratios to create formulations that are specific to the particular job. These specially formulated mixtures (or urethane resin) are generally hand-batched or processed in automated dispensers or centrifugal mixers, depending on the specifications of the parts.

In the production room, our team uses several forming and curing methods to meet the end-use needs of customers. Here are some techniques used in the industry.

Compression Molding

Using compression molding, liquid polyurethane or millable gum is placed into enclosed multiple plates. Then, two hardened steel plates sandwich the compound using a hydraulic press. The press exerts high pressure and heat, forcing the polyurethane to fill the shape of the closed mold for curing.

This method is usually more expensive than other molding processes, but it allows for a much higher-quality end product. With a more refined outcome, this process is ideal for casting polyurethane bushings, seals, and other critical parts. However, it can be more expensive than other methods.

Open-cast Molding

Open-mold products are formed by pouring liquid polyurethane into an open mold. After pouring, the process is followed by curing the mold in an oven or heated table. This process is a fairly affordable method that produces high-quality parts.

Centrifugal Molding

Also called spin casting, centrifugal molding is a process that creates lightweight yet strong custom urethane in a single shot. As the liquid polyurethane is spun inside the mold, a centrifugal force channels liquid to fill every part of the mold, creating one solid piece. The finished product is well-suited for smaller parts that need to be bubble-free.

Injecting

In this process, the liquid urethane is pushed into a mold at high pressure using a molding press. The resin conforms to the mold and hardens, shaping the material into almost any desired shape. Ideal for making bulk pieces, this method is cost-efficient and reliable while still allowing for customization.

Trimming/Secondary Machining

Trimming is a crucial step in the production of custom polyurethane products. In this step, our team removes excess urethane and creates clean, finished products. In some instances, some parts may undergo secondary machining, depending on their end-use. The parts are returned to the machine shop, where they may be milled or ground.

Inspection

Inspection is the final step before shipment to customers. In this step, end products are inspected for precision and quality. If a part fails our standards, we discard it and manufacture a new one.

What Custom Urethane Products Does Uniflex Inc. Sell?

Unlike plastic or rubber, cast polyurethane materials are known for their corrosion and abrasion resistance properties. With the correct material, it can boost product performance for a diverse range of applications. Plus, they’re relatively cost-efficient and allow for fast turnaround time. Durable and reusable cast urethane products can save you valuable time, money, and replacement costs.

If you’re looking for cast polyurethane parts, Uniflex Inc. provides a variety of custom-molded urethane parts that we cast to your specifications. The use of advanced techniques, combined with our state-of-the-art equipment, allows us to utilize customized castings that can suit your needs.

Some of our custom-molded polyurethane products include the following:

  • Rollers and wheels: Polyurethane-coated wheels and rollers reduce noise and extend component life without sacrificing load ratings.
  • Protective covers: These can be used in a multitude of applications.
  • Transport fixtures: Custom-molded polyurethane pallets and buckets are excellent for transporting your product safely.
  • Body blocks: Our experts can form them to fit any automotive component perfectly.
  • Bumpers: These parts prevent damage, reduce noise, and sustain maximum durability.
  • Tool storage and kitting trays: Effective tool storage trays and cutter cover protectors reduce losses due to damage.
  • Gas line protectors: When the shield separates from the service valve, polyurethane gas line protectors can protect exposed gas lines.
  • Seals and gaskets: An excellent alternative to rubber, urethane seals and gaskets offer improved durability and functionality.
  • Bushings: When it comes to performance, polyurethane bushings are superior to rubber bushings.
  • Tubes and pipes: They are manufactured to the highest quality and precision for your specific needs.
  • Bar, block, and sheet stock: Uniflex Inc. makes high-quality polyurethane bar, block, and sheet stock that conform to your specifications.
  • Transmission mounts: A polyurethane transmission mount reduces the amount of vibration your engine produces while also improving fuel efficiency.
  • Coated bearings: It provides ideal solutions for any application where noise, vibration, or wear are concerns.
  • Casters: New-generation polyurethane casters offer a smooth and effortless rolling experience.

We provide all types of cast urethane solutions suitable for oil, gas, automotive, robotics, mining, aerospace, marine, construction, manufacturing, and metal-forming industries. If you don’t see your needs above, don’t hesitate to contact us, and we’ll get your product to you in no time.

Uniflex Inc. uses only the highest-grade materials and strictly controlled equipment, and we select polymer grades for optimum performance.

How to Order Your Custom Molded Urethane Parts!

Ordering custom urethane parts at Uniflex Inc. is convenient and easy. Simply follow the following steps.

Find Your Desired Product

The first step to ordering your custom polyurethane parts is to find your desired item in our product list. Also, you should have a particular concept or design in mind. If you don’t have one, you can talk to us, and our in-house engineers will help you out.

Fill Out Our Request Form

This is the most crucial step wherein you must provide your information and the details of your order — the product type, dimensions, color, quantity, application, and size. If you have a design in mind, or you have a picture or drawing, you can also attach it in the file section.

If you’re unsure which material or color to use, feel free to contact us, and we’ll be happy to help! We’ll give careful consideration to your specifications and the intended usage or purpose of the products.

Click Send

When complete, all you have to do is click “send.” After reviewing your request, we’ll send you a CAD drawing of your product for approval, along with a complimentary quote for the minimum order quantity (MOQ).

Once you approve the CAD drawing and agree to the MOQ, we’ll send you an acknowledgment for the order and begin production. You’ll receive an email when we ship it out, so you can track its location at any given time.

Contact Uniflex Today

Cast polyurethane products are a high-value and cost-efficient solution for applications across multiple industries. These components are lightweight, durable, non-corrosive, and reflect superior quality.

If you want to learn more about customized urethane products or purchase them for your project, contact Uniflex Inc. today. We’re the nation’s leader in providing quality polyurethane and rubber solutions for use in any sector. One of our specialties is mold design, tool construction, and complete custom machining capabilities. Needless to say, we have all your needs covered. We utilize state-of-the-art design and manufacturing technologies to deliver a product second to none.