Custom Polyurethane Wheels

Choosing the right durometer (Shore A hardness)

Hardness is the first decision in a polyurethane wheel. We cast across the full Shore A range, and each band of the scale trades traction for load capacity:

• Softer (Shore A 70–80): more grip and quieter, gentler rolling, better on uneven or delicate floors, where traction and noise matter more than maximum load.
• Medium (Shore A 83–90): a balance of load capacity, wear life, and roll resistance for general material handling.
• Harder (Shore A 90–95): the highest load capacity and abrasion resistance with the lowest rolling resistance, best for heavy carts and continuous duty.

Load capacity

Polyurethane carries far more load than rubber of the same size. Depending on geometry, a single industrial PU wheel can support anywhere from a few hundred pounds to several thousand pounds. The exact rating depends on diameter, hardness, speed, and operating temperature, so a larger, harder wheel run at moderate speed carries much more than a small, soft one run fast. Our engineers calculate the right size and formulation for your actual load and duty cycle rather than quoting a generic number.

Dual-durometer: PU tread bonded to a metal core

For higher loads and larger diameters, we bond a polyurethane tread onto a steel or aluminum core instead of casting a solid wheel. This dual-durometer construction puts the structural strength where it is needed, in the core, and the wear surface where it does the work, on the tread. At larger sizes it is usually more cost-effective than an all-polyurethane wheel, because it uses less material and lets the metal core be reused when the tread is eventually recovered.

Non-marking formulations

We offer non-marking polyurethane that leaves no streaks on concrete, epoxy, or painted floors, a common requirement in warehouses, food plants, and clean-manufacturing environments. Non-marking compounds are available across the hardness range, so you do not have to trade floor protection for load capacity.

Sizes, prototyping, and replacement

We cast and machine wheels to your drawing up to 80″ in diameter, from a single prototype to a production run. If you are replacing a worn part, we can reproduce a wheel from a worn sample, a drawing, or an OEM specification, and we keep the mold on file for repeat orders.

Wheels or rollers?

If your load rides on top of a rotating cylinder rather than on individual wheels, you may want a custom polyurethane roller instead. Both run throughout material handling equipment, and we can advise which fits your application.