Back
Polyurethane Wheels for Industrial Applications
Engineered for Performance, Durability, and Long Service Life
Discover how customized polyurethane wheel solutions improve traction, reduce wear, and support reliable operation across demanding industrial applications.
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies develops and manufactures customized polyurethane wheels for general industry, including robotics, warehouse systems, conveyor technology, and material-handling equipment. Every wheel is engineered around the specific requirements of the application, considering load profiles, surface conditions, temperature, humidity, and media exposure. Supported by decades of polyurethane expertise, simulation-driven development, and extensive testing, our solutions deliver high performance and long service life in demanding environments.
Typical applications include robotics, warehouse automation, conveyor systems, and material-handling equipment.
The Challenge: Not All Wheel Applications Have the Same Requirements
Industrial wheels must perform reliably under a wide range of operating conditions. Depending on the application, engineers may need to balance traction, wear resistance, rolling resistance, damping characteristics, environmental resistance, and long-term durability.
Standard wheel materials often force engineers to compromise between durability, traction, energy efficiency, and service life.
Selecting the right polyurethane formulation can help improve reliability, reduce maintenance requirements, and extend component life while maintaining the performance required for a specific application.
Common design considerations include:
- Wear resistance
- Rolling resistance
- Energy efficiency
- Grip and traction
- Damping behavior
- Hydrolysis resistance
- Temperature resistance
- ESD requirements
- Long service life
Why Polyurethane?
Material Performance That Can Be Tailored to Your Application
Polyurethane combines the elasticity of rubber with the mechanical strength and durability required for demanding industrial environments.
Freudenberg's advanced polyurethane materials can be engineered to provide specific performance characteristics depending on the application requirements. Different formulations allow optimization for traction, damping, wear resistance, hydrolysis resistance, temperature performance, or electrostatic discharge protection.
Key advantages include:
- Excellent traction on industrial surfaces
- Low rolling resistance for energy-efficient operation
- High wear resistance and durability
- Strong tear and mechanical resistance
- Temperature resistance from -50°C to 120°C
- Hydrolysis-resistant options for humid environments
- ESD-compatible materials available
- Tunable damping and rebound properties
- Long service life in industrial applications
Back to Top