Sometimes you come across the terms urethane rubber and polyurethane rubber. The simplest explanation of these two terms is that they mean one and the same thing, they are simply different names for polyurethane. Urethane rubber has to some extent the same properties as rubber and silicone rubber, but when it comes to load resistance, urethane rubber has great advantages.
URETHANE RUBBER CAN WITHSTAND HIGHER LOADS
Urethane rubber, especially the harder types, can withstand significantly higher compressive loads than conventional types of rubber. This also applies to shear and tensile loads. With increasing hardness, the load capacity of the urethane rubber increases. In addition to, among other things, material and temperature, the load capacity is strongly dependent on the so-called form factor.
The high load-bearing capacity of polyurethanes has become very important in moulding technology, pressing and bending of sheet metal, isostatic powder pressing and various types of spring elements.