Protein Processing — Meat, Poultry & Seafood
Sticky protein, caustic washdown and constant cycling defeat standard parts. Custom-engineered polyurethane components don’t.
— The Recurring Problems
Grip without damage
Sticky, marinated protein must be held without crushing, contaminating or tearing
Fixed geometry
Modular-plastic belting cannot provide custom cleats, grippers or fingers
Fragile portions
High-durometer wheels are too aggressive and bruise or tear the product
Sanitation chemistry
Hot caustic washdown, fats and blood degrade standard materials
Cycle-rate wear
Rubber and plastic cleats lose grip and tear at high cycle rates
Compliance requirements
Food-contact compliant materials are required for food contact
Cold and wet
The line runs at refrigerated temperatures in constant moisture
— The Differentiator
Where standard belting and wheels fall short
Engineers reach for standard plastic belting, rubber cleats, or standard TPU and rubber wheels — and each falls short on a protein line:
- Standard belting can't provide the custom cleats, grippers and fingers deboning and evisceration need
- Rubber cleats lose grip and tear at high cycle rates
- High-durometer wheels crush or tear fragile protein portions
- Standard materials degrade under hot caustic washdown, fats and blood
- Rubber and plastics abrade faster, so parts lose their grip as they wear
- None can be customized to the combination of durometer, grip and wear life a protein line needs, and stock suppliers offer no engineering support
The Result – Grip loss and damaged product, yield you can measure, frequent belt and cleat replacement, sanitation-driven degradation, and foreign-object and compliance exposure. On a protein line, grip and sanitation are throughput and safety.
— Solution Spotlights
The custom parts that solve it
Custom Cleated Belts, Grippers & Fingers
Deboning, evisceration and portioning need cleats, grippers and fingers shaped to the product and the machine that standard belts cannot offer. MPC manufactures mission-critical belts using engineered polyurethane that grips sticky, marinated protein without contaminating or tearing, and can hold its working surface longer than rubber under sanitation chemistry and abrasion. Our custom components are designed to meet the exact requirements of your application.
No-Crush Wheels for Fragile Portions
A high-durometer wheel is too aggressive for delicate protein. MPC manufactures custom no-crush wheels soft enough to apply consistent pressure without bruising or tearing — including delicate skinning applications. Our engineered polyurethanes can be customized to achieve a durometer as soft as Shore 20A, and pigmented and detectable options support regulatory requirements.
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 protein processing
Property
Range for this application
Hardness (ASTM D2240)
• Shore 20A–70D — solid polyurethane
• Shore 25A–50A — foam polyurethane
• Customized per part
Tensile strength (ASTM D412)
• 250–7,800 PSI — solid polyurethane
• 800–1,400 PSI — foam polyurethane
Elongation (ASTM D412)
• 160–850% — solid polyurethane
• 330–700% — foam polyurethane
Tear strength, Die C (ASTM D624)
• 30–800 PLI — solid polyurethane
• 100–160 PLI — foam polyurethane
Compression set (ASTM D395B)
• 5–40% — solid polyurethane
• 17–20% — polycarbonate polyurethane at Shore 70A–90A
Heat, humidity and hydrolysis resistance — polycarbonate polyurethane (Durethane® XL)
• Shore 70A–90A
• Tensile strength 3,000–5,000 PSI
• Tear strength, Die C 225–375 PLI
• 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
Food contact
• FDA-compliant formulations available in solid and foam polyurethane materials
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
• Color and detectable additives can be added
Relevant technical downloads
Document
What it gives the engineer
Full solid-grade table: hardness 20A–70D with tensile, elongation, tear and compression set per grade.
Foam grade table, plus the self-cleaning pore structure and integral-skin options.
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
White papers
White Papers
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.
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.
Custom Polyurethane Formulations in Robotics
When off-the-shelf materials can’t hit every requirement at once, robotics engineers turn to custom formulation. This white paper explains how MPC customizes durometer and other material properties to resolve the competing demands of wear, stiffness, and environmental resistance in robotic systems.
— Design Guide
How to specify urethane for a protein line
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 belt or cleat grips sticky, marinated meat, poultry or fish without crushing, marking or tearing?
A cast polyurethane cleat molded to your product and machine. MPC custom manufactures belts and cleat grips designed to the needs ofyour system, so it grips consistently without contaminating— and holds that grip longer than rubber or plastic, which tear at high cycle rates.
What grippers or fingers work for poultry and fish deboning and processing?
Custom-molded polyurethane grippers and fingers. Standard modular components don’t offer the geometry deboning and evisceration need, so MPC manufactures the shape to the machine and the product at a durometer that grips without damaging it.
What handles fragile protein portions without bruising like high-durometer wheels do?
A no-crush wheel customized to your application. MPC’s engineered polyurethanes can be formulated as soft as Shore 20A, so the wheel can be made soft enough to apply consistent pressure without bruising or tearing the portion.
What survives hot caustic washdown, fats and blood better than rubber or plastic?
Cast polyurethane formulated for the needs of your application. Rubber and plastics have weaker chemical bonds and lower abrasion resistance, so they break down sooner. MPC’s engineered polyurethanes are resistant to complex chemical exposure and environmental conditions. .
Are food-grade, FDA-compliant and detectable or blue formulations available for protein contact?
Yes — FDA-compliant formulations are available, and parts can be pigmented or made with detectable additives. Food-contact compliance is determined for your system rather than granted to a material, so MPC supplies the formulation and documentation your qualification needs.
— Keep Exploring