Polyurethane Rod

Polyurethane Rod

Uniflex manufactures cast polyurethane rod stock built for demanding industrial applications. Whether you need standard stocked sizes ready to ship or fully custom diameters up to 10″, we have the durometer range, material flexibility, and machining capability to deliver. Our urethane rod outlasts rubber, UHMW, Delrin, Nylon, and HDPE, at a price that makes sense for your production budget.

Why Choose Cast Polyurethane Rod?

Cast urethane rod combines the elasticity of rubber with the toughness of engineering plastics, giving you a material that handles abrasion, impact, and deformation where standard materials fail. Unlike molded thermoplastics, cast urethane starts as a liquid resin, which means virtually unlimited hardness, size, and color combinations.

Key performance advantages over rubber, UHMW, and TPU:

• Superior abrasion and wear resistance
• Elastic memory returns to its original shape under load
• Excellent tear and cut resistance
• Oil and chemical resistant
• High load-bearing capacity
• Vibration and noise dampening
• Non-marring and non-conductive
• Fully machinable, turns and mills cleanly at higher durometers

Standard Polyurethane Rod: In Stock & Ready to Ship

Our standard polyurethane rod is stocked and ready to ship in durometers of 70A and 90A with colors in red and black. You can also order in any durometer from 40A-90A and any color if you need a more custom option; however, lead times may be a few days longer compared to our stocked materials. All urethane rods are supplied in diameters from 1/2″ to 4″ and lengths of 12″, 24″, 36″, and 48″. In addition, we also offer custom diameters up to 10″ upon request.

Please see the table below for sizing and pricing, or BUY ONLINE

**SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNTS WHEN ORDERING IN BULK. PLEASE MESSAGE US FOR A QUOTE IF YOU PLAN ON ORDERING IN VOLUME.**

Machinability: What You Need to Know

All Uniflex urethane rods are manufactured with machinable formulations. It can be turned, milled, and drilled to tight tolerances using standard CNC equipment.

A note on durometer and machinability: 90A and 65D machines cleanly with minimal effort. Below 80A, material becomes progressively softer and more difficult to hold dimensionally during machining, though still achievable with the right tooling and techniques. If you’re machining to close tolerances, we recommend 80A or harder as a starting point. Not sure what durometer fits your application? Our team can help you select the right compound.

What Is Polyurethane Rod Used For?

Urethane rod stock is one of the most versatile fabrication materials in industrial manufacturing. Buyers typically machine rod stock into finished parts; it’s faster, more economical, and more flexible than ordering custom molded parts for short runs or prototypes.

Common applications include:

• Bushings and sleeve bearings
• Washers and spacers
• Vibration dampeners and isolators
• Wear pads and guide components
• Plugs and stoppers
• Tube bending mandrels
• Prototyping and one-off custom parts

Industries that rely on urethane rod stock:

• Oil and gas
• Automotive
• Mining
• Material handling
• Robotics
• Aerospace
• Military
• Marine

These industries are among the many Uniflex serves.

Custom Material Options

Standard formulations don’t cover every application. Uniflex offers a full range of specialty urethane compounds upon request:

UNIDUR 5000HP: Vulkollan® Equivalent

Our UNIDUR 5000HP blend delivers performance at or above Vulkollan® standards at a lower cost. Unlike traditional Vulkollan®, which comes in a single off-brown color, UNIDUR 5000HP accepts pigment, allowing you to specify virtually any color for color-coding, branding, or identification purposes.

Additional specialty compounds available:

• FDA-compliant urethane (food processing, pharmaceutical)
• TDI-based urethane
• MDI-based urethane
• TODI-based urethane
• Polyester urethane
• Polyether urethane
• Polycaprolactone urethane

Polyurethane Rod vs. Other Materials

Property	Urethane Rod	Rubber	UHMW / Nylon / Delrin	Metal
Abrasion Resistance	Excellent	Good	Good	Fair
Elastic Memory	Yes	Yes	No	No
Machinability	Good (at 80A+)	Poor	Excellent	Excellent
Chemical Resistance	Good	Variable	Good	Variable
Noise/Vibration Damping	Excellent	Good	Poor	Poor
Load Bearing	High	Medium	High	Very High
Custom Hardness Range	Very Wide	Limited	Fixed	Fixed
Cost	Competitive	Low	Low–Medium	High

Why Uniflex?

Uniflex manufactures custom rubber and urethane products in-house at our Brighton, Michigan facility. We manage design, tooling, casting, and machining internally to ensure consistent quality, faster turnaround, and competitive pricing.

• Made in the USA, Brighton, MI facility
• Over 45 years of urethane and rubber manufacturing experience
• Fully in-house production with no outsourcing or added markup layers
• Flexible production from prototypes to full-scale runs
• Rapid prototyping for faster product development
• Competitive pricing with quality comparable to or better than national competitors
• Fast, free quotes with quick response times

Get Your Urethane Rod Quote Today

Standard stock ships fast. Custom sizes, durometers, and compounds are available on request. Fill out a quick form or give us a call at 248-486-6000. We’ll get back to you with a free quote, no runaround.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a cast urethane rod and an extruded urethane?

Cast urethane rod is produced by pouring liquid urethane resin into a mold and curing it. This process allows for a much wider range of hardness, color, and compound options compared to extruded materials. Cast rod also tends to have better physical properties, higher tear strength, better elastic memory, and tighter dimensional consistency.

What durometer should I use for machined bushings?

For bushings and wear parts machined from rod stock, 90A and 65D are the most common choices. They machine cleanly and hold tolerances well. Softer durometers (below 80A) can be machined but require more care.

Can I order a urethane rod in FDA-compliant material?

Yes. Uniflex offers FDA-compliant urethane formulations upon request. These are commonly used in food processing, pharmaceutical, and beverage equipment.

Do you offer a Vulkollan® equivalent urethane rod?

Yes. Our UNIDUR 5000HP compound is a direct Vulkollan® equivalent that matches or exceeds its performance at a lower cost, with the added benefit of custom color options.

What is the lead time for a custom urethane rod?

Standard stocked items (70A and 90A, red/black, 1/2″–4″ diameter) ship fast. Custom durometers and colors typically add a few days. Custom diameters up to 10″ are available upon request. Contact us for lead time on your specific spec.

Do you offer bulk pricing?

Yes. Significant discounts apply to volume orders. Contact us at sales@uniflexinc.com or call 248-486-6000 for a bulk quote.