T/R Compound

Soft Polyurethane Compound Wheels & Casters

The long life, low cost answer. Promotes safety, rollability, floor protection, noise reduction.

• Eliminates damage from foreign debris
• Minimizes green tire buildup

T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane is a proprietary formulation of MDI polyesters. The soft 85 shore A durometer material is highly resilient and exhibits a fast rebound when it hits obstructions or damaged floor surfaces. T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane allows the easy, quiet movement of equipment, which is often associated with natural rubber tires, however the elastomer provides wear characteristics three times that of rubber.

The T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane easily rolls over obstructions and avoids picking up metal debris, chips and screws often found in the manufacturing environment.

Chips and Foreign Object Damage (F.O.D.)

Competitive Poly Wheel in Manufacturing Application

T/R Compund Soft Polyurethane Wheel in the same application, in the same facility, and for the same five years.

FOD is a major concern in many industries, including aerospace. Resilient elastomers used in the manufacture of T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheels resist foreign objects like screws, rivets and other items, which will ultimately cause damage to high value production parts and equipment.

Green Tire Build Up

Competitive polyurethane wheel with green tire build up.

T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheel after nine months of operation.

Green tire, or raw rubber, present in the manufacture of automotive, industrial and agricultural tires has historically been a problem in the manufacturing process. T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheels have been proven to resist the build up of green tire, providing a clean concentric rolling surface on tire production racks and tooling.

Ergonomic Carts

T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheels have become the wheels of choice in many industrial applications where ergonomic issues of noise reduction and ease of movement are paramount. T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheels offer high ease of movement on manual loads up to 2,500 pounds. The wheels are widely used on mechanic's toolboxes, sequencing systems, and line delivery carts. Test data available upon request.

T/R compound soft polyurethane wheels

The answer to real world challenges!

"The service from Caster Concepts is impeccable. They've bent over backwards for us. At Caster concepts, if it's not on the shelf, they'll customize it for us, including stamping and dies. When it comes to service, Caster Concepts goes beyond standard."

- Project Engineer, Tier One Automotive Supplier

Origin: Major Automotive Stamping Facility

Challenge: Excessive repair costs and unacceptable noise levels associated with on-line delivery trailers at a major automotive stamping facility. Polyurethane tires were chunking out due to floor obstructions and debris in the form of sheet metal screws, nuts and bolts. This caused high levels of ambient noise from the trailers and created a safety hazard due to the loss of traction in the tire.

Solution:  Caster Concepts' T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheels in a spring-loaded caster assembly. The customer had invested over $300,000 in replacement casters and wheels over 18 months. Caster Concepts submitted 83 Series spring-load soft poly casters for testing. The resilient wheel did not pick up debris and provided significantly longer tread life. The spring suspension of the 83 Series rig decreased the transfer of shock through the caster to the trailer, reduced impact loading on the swivel caster bearing, and dramatically increased performance of the swivel caster.

After a year's trial, the customer purchased a new fleet of 300 trailers specifying the T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheel and the 83 Series spring load swivel section. Caster Concepts' personnel received a standing ovation was given for the noise reduction on the work floor. In addition, maintenance costs on caster and wheel replacement have been reduced 80%.

Origin: Major Aerospace Manufacturing Facility

Challenge: A facilities engineer at an aerospace plant had been continually plagued by poor quality casters.

Solution: Caster Concepts' T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheels. Five years ago, Caster Concepts was consulted to assist with the design of new trailers that would be used to transport insulating blankets from rail receiving into the plant for final assembly. The trailers were to travel at high speed, back and forth, several miles a day, over a variety of terrain. The customer wanted casters that would not pick up foreign object debris (FOD) such as aircraft rivets and fasteners on the factory floor and he eventually specified several hundred Caster Concepts' 8" x 3" T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheel casters.

After five years, the T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheels are still in service and look great - the wheel treads show little sign of wear and, unlike other polyurethane wheels, there is no FOD embedded in the wheel treads. Highly satisfied, the engineer only specifies Caster Concepts' products into his designs. Although not the least expensive choice, Caster Concepts' T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheels prove their worth by providing the most durable long-term solutions for engineers who need to concentrate on other production-related issues.

Origin: Automotive Final Assembly Plant

Challenge: Material surrounding the drive drum on an automotive conveyor system kept wearing out. The customer was unable to move automobiles through the process and was experiencing considerable downtown, leading to lost revenues and higher costs.

Solution:  Caster Concepts developed a custom, soft polyurethane covering for the drum. The automotive engineer had witnessed the enduring performance of the T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane on another piece of equipment and approached Caster Concepts to custom design the same soft poly for the conveyor's drum. After receiving the drum, Caster Concepts specially machined and surfaced the material for the drum. Today, the material looks as good as the day it was installed and the conveyor system runs flawlessly. The durable material is now standard on each belt drive drum on the automotive facility's conveyors and the engineer now relies on Caster Concepts for its customization expertise and "beyond standard" service.

T/R compound soft polyurethane wheels

The Caster Concepts' T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheel is an 82-85 shore A durometer urethane, which is chemically bonded to a solid web, thick sectioned, premium grade G3000 gray iron core. Tensile strength is 6300 psi minimum. Elongation is 500% at break and rebound is 40%. This allows the wheels to flex and roll over debris on the floor without picking up objects. The T/R Compound Soft Polyurethane wheels are quiet and easy rolling, they reduce noise problems and do not pick up green tire material or metal chips.

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