The performance and lifespan of your custom molded polyurethane parts depend on several factors, including tolerances, formulation, quality, and design. If any of these factors are not optimal, your component’s performance and quality will suffer as well. To make sure you get the highest quality custom molded polyurethane parts, you need to work with a reliable manufacturer who knows what they are doing:
What To Look For When Selecting A Custom Molded Polyurethane Manufacturer
Custom Formulations with Premium-Grade Raw Materials
Polyurethane can be customized in a variety of ways. You want to work with a manufacturer that can create custom formulations to meet your unique needs. That should especially be the case if you are using premium raw materials. You can use lower grade materials to keep the upfront costs low, but remember, they will cost you more in the end. Since they have lower physical properties, lower grade materials have a shorter life and are less resistant to abrasion.
Providing Assistance With Product Design
It’s possible that your design looks good on paper, but it’s not really feasible to make. Or, maybe there is a more cost-effective way to manufacture it that you are not aware is an option. The manufacturer you choose should be willing to provide the strategic guidance to ensure the most cost-effective way of creation with the longest lifespan of your custom molded polyurethane part. They should have a dedicated team that can:
- Examine your product sketches.
- Provide recommendations to increase the lifecycle of parts.
- Understand your product’s environment and how it will work.
Capability To Handle Unique Tolerance Requirements
With some products, there is little to no tolerance flexibility, while with others tight tolerances may not be a requirement. Make sure the manufacturer has small standard tolerances, so you:
- Won’t incur upcharges in pricing.
- Won’t need additional customization.
Also, keep in mind that some custom molded polyurethane products need tighter tolerances than the standard. Based on this, you may want to talk with the manufacturer to make sure they have the machining ability required to meet these tight tolerances.
In-House Mold Making
If the custom molded polyurethane manufacturer also offers in-house molding, they eliminate the need for you to use a third party. This will help you reduce costs while also obtaining faster turnaround times. In other words, in-house molding provides you the flexibility that is essential for faster fulfillment on future orders and timely delivery of your parts.
Choose a Dependable Manufacturer For Custom Molded Precision Polyurethane Products
High-quality materials and an experienced tech team are the two critical elements for the production of superior polyurethane products. Substandard service and products lead to substandard results, costing more over time and creating more work for you.
Since 1979, Uniflex Inc. has been a leader in custom molded polyurethane casting and molding for a wide range of industries. The creation of every product we make is precise, using only the best quality materials no matter how small or big the project is. We go the extra mile to make sure the end result matches the detailed specifications exactly.
If you have any questions about the different types of custom urethane products we make, please call us at 248-486-6000 or request a quote here.