Many industries and applications require quality wheel products. Since wheels generally have to endure the entire weight of the product, they need to be resilient. Expanding on this, they need to be able to withstand extreme temperatures, wear and tear, and chemical corrosion while providing smooth performance.
Newer technology has begun to replace rubber in wheels and tires with composite and polyurethane materials. This shift has taken place to provide people with a more fuel-efficient, resilient and cost-effective option.
Composite Wheels
Composite wheels are generally manufactured using various materials including HDPE, PP, FPVC and nylon resins. These materials provide beneficial attributes to the wheels such as strength, light weight, fuel efficiency, and durability. Carbon fiber has been deemed as the ‘perfect’ material for wheels because of its strength and light build. This has led custom wheel manufacturers to create carbon-composite wheels. These wheels have similar properties as those made completely of carbon fiber barring the astronomical cost. Carbon-composite wheels are a cutting-edge product, which are superior in performance and efficiency.
Polyurethane Tires
Tire manufacturers have been looking for a lighter solution for tires. Lighter tires increase the fuel economy of a vehicle. Polyurethane tires are the answer. Polyurethane tires are superior in performance and quality as compared to regular rubber tires. Solid polyurethane tires can endure harsh environmental conditions; therefore they can be used for applications such as forklifts, tractors, etc. These tires have better load bearing properties, and are more resistant to physical abrasions and chemical corrosion as compared to rubber tires. Polyurethane tires are used in several industries like automotive, agricultural, and construction industries.
Custom wheel manufacturers and tire manufacturers have been able to provide solutions for a lot of industries by creating a more sustainable option compared to regular rubber tires.