Metal Processing
Aggressive chemistry, high-speed strip and premium surfaces break standard components. Custom-engineered polyurethanes prevail.
— The Recurring Problems
Wringer / squeegee grooves
Lathe-cut grooves round out under wear, so fluid displacement degrades
Aggressive line chemistry
Acids, galvanizing splash, coatings and mill oils degrade standard materials
Debris on premium strip
Shed particles create surface-defect inclusions, and a defected coil can be rejected as expensive scrap
Electrical-steel charge
Static buildup attracts debris, which can cause product defects and scrap
Tube-mill forming
Pinch and idler rollers need custom V-groove, U-groove and contoured profiles
Stamping-press feed
Feed rollers can debond from their core causing the line to go down
Recurring positions
Groove life, surface cleanliness and chemical resistance drive line cost
— The Differentiator
Where standard rollers fall short on metal-processing equipment
Engineers default to lathe-cut grooved rubber rollers, standard catalog urethane, and multi-piece assembled feed rollers, and each falls short:
- Lathe-cut grooves round out under wear, so fluid displacement degrades and the roller needs frequent regrooving or replacement
- Rubber degrades under pickling acids, galvanizing splash, coatings and mill oils
- Standard polyurethane rollers shed debris that creates surface-defect inclusions on premium strip, and a marked or inclusion-defected coil can be rejected as expensive scrap
- Standard polyurethane and rubber offer no conductivity to manage electrostatic buildup that attracts debris
- Catalog rollers are limited in groove and profile complexity
- Multi-piece assembled feed rollers debond and slip from their core
- None can be customized to the combination of groove profile, formulation and construction the system needs, and stock suppliers offer no engineering support
The Result – Rejected product, frequent maintenance and replacement, line downtime, coating and finish-quality problems, and scrap.
— Solution Spotlights
The custom parts that solve it
Custom Cast Polyurethane Rollers for Metal-Processing Lines
MPC manufactures each roller to the exact dimensional and material specifications for your system, rather than pulled from a catalog:
• Wringer / squeegee: the groove profile is molded in, when possible, so it holds its shape longer than a lathe-cut groove that rounds out
• Low-particulation formulations are engineered not to shed the debris that creates surface-defect inclusions on metal processes
• Static control: MPC’s patented metal-salt conductive polyurethane holds its volume resistivity through wear and doesn’t shed conductive particles, a capability that can be applied to metal manufacturing lines
• Tube-mill: custom V-groove, U-groove and contoured profiles for pinch and idler forming positions
• Stamping feed: dual-durometer rollers cast as one part, with a soft impact surface over a hard core minimizing the risk of hub debonding
• Chemistry-matched and serviceable: formulated to the line’s acids, coatings and oils
Talk it through with a polyurethane expert who’ll tell you what’s achievable and what is not.
— Technical Specifications
The specs that matter for semiconductor duty
Property
Range for this application
Hardness (ASTM D2240)
• Shore 20A–70D — solid polyurethane
• Customized per part
Tensile strength (ASTM D412)
• 250–7,800 PSI — solid polyurethane
Elongation (ASTM D412)
• 160–850% — solid polyurethane
Tear strength, Die C (ASTM D624)
• 30–800 PLI — solid polyurethane
Compression set (ASTM D395B)
• 5–40% — solid polyurethane
Volume resistivity (Durethane® C)
• Conductive range ≈ 10⁵–10¹¹ Ω-cm
• Typical at ambient, by durometer: 5×10⁵ (10A–55A) · 5×10⁶ (65A–75A) · 5×10⁷ (85A) · 5×10⁸ (90A–60D) · 5×10⁹ (70D)
• Customizable between these values
Mechanical properties (Durethane® C)
• Hardness Shore 20A–70D
• Tensile strength 250–7,000 PSI
• Tear strength, Die C 50–400 PLI
• Elongation 160–850%
• Compression set 5–40%
Heat, aging, hydrolysis and chemical resistance (Durethane® XL)
• Shore 70A–90A
• Tensile strength 3,000–5,000 PSI
• Tear strength, Die C 225–375 PLI
• Elongation 425–575%
• Compression set 17–20%
Chemical exposure
• Thermoset polyurethane resists a wide range of chemicals and oils
• Resistance depends on the specific polyurethane chemistry, operating temperature, aeration and length of exposure
• MPC customizes the material to the acids, coatings and oils on the line
Abrasion and surface finish
• High abrasion resistance with tolerance to tight surface finishes
Customizable properties
• Hardness, elongation, tensile, tear and compression set are formulated to the part
• Any shape component, or machined to precise specifications
• Cast onto bonded metal cores and hubs; dual-durometer construction available
Relevant technical downloads
Document
What it gives the engineer
Conductive grade table and the full volume resistivity span for ESD-controlled rollers, pins and handling parts.
Why metal-salt conductivity is uniform and stays stable as the part wears, with resistivity by durometer, temperature and humidity.
Full solid-grade table: hardness 20A–70D with tensile, elongation, tear and compression set per grade.
The heat-, aging- and hydrolysis-resistant grades, and the lowest compression set in the family.
General chemical resistance guideline by substance, with the conditions the guideline assumes.
— HOW TO WORK WITH US
From concept to scaled production
Connect With Us
Share your application, performance needs, or a part you want to improve.
Collaborate on Design
Our engineers will help optimize materials and geometry for manufacturability.
Prototype & Refine
We produce samples using our proprietary polyurethane formulations for testing.
Move to Production
Once approved, we move to scalable molding with full quality assurance.
That’s exactly the conversation we like to have – get a polyurethane expert on a quick call to pressure-test your idea before you commit.
— PROOF
Case studies & white papers
Case Studies
Robotics OEM Extends Roller Life Under Heavy Loads
A robotics OEM was losing rollers prematurely under heavy, continuous loads. This case study shows how MPC’s heavy-load cast roller stood up to the punishment and extended service life, cutting the premature failures that were driving downtime.
Robotics OEM Overcomes Material Performance Limitations
A robotics OEM needed a molded part that balanced controlled stiffness, predictable wear, and environmental resistance, something no off-the-shelf material could hit. This case study shows how MPC customized the material formulation to deliver required performance and cut down on the costly redesign cycles along the way.
White Papers
Engineering Urethane Wheels and Rollers for Robotics and Automation
Wheels and rollers are among the hardest-working parts in any automated system. This white paper walks engineers through designing them for load, wear, traction, and reliability in heavy-duty robotics, so they last instead of becoming the weak link.
Engineering Polyurethane Components for Heavy-Duty Applications
Modern automation pushes mechanical parts past what standard materials can handle. This white paper covers the material, process, and design choices behind heavy-duty polyurethane components for robotics and precision systems, so they hold up under continuous operation.
— Design Guide
How to specify custom polyurethane rollers for coil-finishing, tube-mill and press lines
What to consider, what’s possible, and where custom urethane outperforms other material options – drawn from the same expertise MPC brings to your application.
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What wringer / squeegee roller holds a deep, complex groove profile longer than lathe-cut grooved rubber on a coil line?
A cast polyurethane roller with the groove molded in. MPC can manufacture the profile molded-in rather than machining it, so it holds its shape longer under wear than a cut groove that rounds out.
What roller resists pickling acids, galvanizing splash and mill oils better than rubber?
Custom-formulated cast polyurethane matched to the line chemistry. MPC customizes the formulation to the acids, coatings and oils the roller meets, with a chemical-resistance guide as the starting point, for longer life than rubber.
What transport roller won't shed debris and cause surface-defect inclusions on cold-rolled or electrical steel?
A low-particulation cast polyurethane roller engineered not to shed. MPC formulates the surface so it doesn’t release the debris that creates defects, protecting yield where standard polyurethane sheds particles.
Do you make static-dissipative rollers?
MPC’s patented metal-salt conductive polyurethane can be applied to these rollers. It holds its volume resistivity through wear and doesn’t shed conductive particles, so it can safely manage the static buildup that attracts debris on electrical-steel lines.
Can you manufacture custom V-groove / U-groove profiles for tube-mill pinch and idler positions?
Yes. MPC manufactures contoured V-groove, U-groove and other profiles for tube forming, customized to your system, rather than being limited to catalog groove shapes.
What feed / pinch roller gives a soft impact surface over a hard core without the downsides of rollers that debond?
A dual-durometer polyurethane roller. MPC manufactures dual layer components, such as a soft impact-absorbing surface over a hard load-bearing core in a single piece, so there is no bonded interface to debond or slip like a multi-piece assembled rollers.
— Keep Exploring