Tagged With: urethane
Redco Polyurethane In Sawmill Applications
Out of all the plastics used in sawmills polyurethane is the most versatile. The material is available from “eraser soft” to “bowling ball” hard and permits a use in a very wide range of applications. A quick overview of the different types of Redco polyurethanes and potential applications: Redco Deadplate: at 52A this is our … Continue reading
Solution Spotlight: Redco Carry-Over Wheels
Redco Carry-Over wheels are designed to bridge the gap between chain runs in sawmill and planar mill applications. The wheel is made of two separate components that are changeable: the tire and the hub. The hub can be made of Redco polyurethane, but metal hubs can also be resurfaced with a polyurethane tire. If Redwood … Continue reading
Don’t Get “Pigeonholed”
One of any actor’s biggest fears is to be typecast in a particular role. The same could be said for industrial plastics in sawmill applications because for decades plastics have enjoyed success in a few specific applications: hooks, lugs, wear guides and bushings/bearings. Maintenance Managers and purchasers tend to only think of plastics in sawmill/planar … Continue reading
Cold Weather “Bionic Hooks”
So, how was winter? Polyurethane sorter hooks are a common application in sawmills. However, depending on the location of the mill the cold weather may cause problems. Especially like what most of North America experienced in 2014! Most hooks are made from 75D urethane and can get brittle in cold weather, which may result in … Continue reading
Urethane vs. Rubber
Urethane and rubber sometimes are lumped together as materials. This is because the two materials are both elastomers, meaning when compressed they will return to 90% of their original dimensions, though there is often 100% rebound in the rubber scale (shore A) urethanes. This elastomeric property means the materials can handle impact, shock and reduce vibration. … Continue reading
The Simple SharkFin
“Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” -Steve Jobs Well, we can’t move mountains with our simplicity – but we sure can move boards! The Shark … Continue reading
Sprocket Solutions
Plastic sprockets in sawmills are a tested and valuable solution that reduces wear on chain and equipment while also reducing noise and downtime. Plastic sprockets come in several types including “Snap-it”, mill chain, drive and traditional bolt-on or split. Snap-it sprockets are the cheapest and are very easy to install, a video can be found here. However, snap-it sprockets are only … Continue reading
Deadplate = Equipment Life
Redco™ polyurethanes come in a variety of hardnesses useful in many sawmill applications. Our hardest urethanes are used in bearings and sprockets in many sawmills. However, just as popular is our softest urethane: 52A durometer “Deadplate”. Deadplate serves one purpose very well – it absorbs shock and stops kinetic energy flat. As a softer elastomer, Redco™ Deadplate has … Continue reading
Hold Down Rolls Cracking?
REDCO™ 750 & 70A DUAL HARDNESS HOLD DOWN ROLLS A customer was having a big concern over the aluminum hubs cracking on their existing R & K hold down rolls. The hubs had a tendency to crack apart well before the urethane cover even had a chance to wear. As these rolls are solid and there are 5 … Continue reading