A polyurethane forklift wheel is a cast PU tread bonded onto a steel or aluminium core. PU is chosen over rubber because it carries higher load, resists wear and chunking, rolls with less resistance and leaves no marks on warehouse floors. The tread is produced on a two-component PU elastomer casting machine — we build that machine; you run it with your own or sourced PU system.
What You Need to Produce Forklift Wheels
- PU elastomer casting machine — meters and mixes polyol and isocyanate at a fixed ratio and temperature
- Wheel moulds — one cavity per wheel size/profile
- PU system + core adhesive — sourced by you (MDI or TDI based, per your hardness target)
- Post-cure oven — for full property development
The Process, Step by Step
- Core preparation — degrease and shot-blast the steel or aluminium hub, then apply bonding primer. Adhesion failure at the core is the No.1 cause of tread separation.
- Mould and material conditioning — preheat the mould and hold polyol/isocyanate at the set temperature; PU viscosity and reactivity are temperature sensitive.
- Metering and mixing — the machine meters both components at the fixed ratio and mixes them; ratio drift shows up directly as soft spots or brittle tread.
- Pouring — pour into the mould around the core, filling from the bottom to avoid air entrapment.
- Gel and demould — leave to gel, then demould at the set time.
- Post-cure — oven cure to develop final hardness and mechanical properties.
- Finishing — machine the tread to final diameter and profile.
Key Parameters to Control
- Hardness — forklift and castor treads are typically cast in the Shore A 80–95 range; harder for load and rolling, softer for grip and floor protection
- Ratio accuracy — the single biggest driver of consistent hardness part to part
- Material and mould temperature — controls flow, gel time and surface finish
- Pot life vs pour time — must suit your wheel size and cavity count
- Post-cure schedule — under-curing leaves soft, low-wear-resistance tread
Which Machine
For forklift, castor and trolley wheels we supply the Fork Wheel Making Machine (PU elastomer casting). See the full PU elastomer casting machine range, including universal wheel casting machines.
FAQ
What hardness should a forklift wheel be?
Most forklift and castor treads are cast between Shore A 80 and 95. Harder treads carry more load and roll easier; softer treads grip better and protect the floor. Your PU system and post-cure set the final value.
Can one machine make forklift, castor and trolley wheels?
Yes. The same casting machine feeds different wheel moulds, so changing the mould lets you produce different wheel sizes and profiles without a new machine.
MDI or TDI system for wheels?
Both are used. TDI systems are common for high-performance treads, MDI systems for easier handling. Tell us your hardness and output target and we advise the machine configuration.
Do you supply the polyurethane material?
No — we build and supply the casting machine and can match moulds. You run it with your own or independently sourced PU system, so you keep control of formulation and cost.
Tell us your wheel size, hardness and daily output — we will propose the right casting machine and quote.