The Polyurethane Plum Blossom-Shaped Rubber Pad is a high-performance elastic transmission component widely used in mechanical transmission systems. Its main functions include buffering vibration, compensating for axial misalignment, and transmitting torque. The following is a detailed introduction:
It is made of high-strength polyurethane elastomer, which combines the high elasticity of rubber and the high strength of plastic, and its overall performance is significantly superior to traditional rubber:
- Wide Hardness Range: The Shore hardness can be customized from A30 to D80 to meet different load requirements. For example, high-hardness models (e.g., D80) are suitable for high-torque transmission in mining machinery, while low-hardness models (e.g., A30) can provide better buffering effects.
- Excellent Wear Resistance: The abrasion loss is as low as 0.01-0.10 cm³/1.61km, which is 3-5 times that of ordinary rubber. It is particularly suitable for working conditions with high speed and high friction, such as crushers and ball mills.
- Outstanding Medium Resistance: It has strong resistance to mineral oil, lubricating oil, acids, alkalis, and other chemicals, and can maintain stable performance in harsh environments such as chemical industry and petroleum.
- Aging Resistance and Impact Resistance: It can resist ultraviolet rays, oxygen, and thermal oxidation, and is not easy to crack after long-term use; it has a fast elastic recovery rate and can absorb instantaneous impact loads.
- Nitrile Rubber (NBR): Excellent oil resistance but low hardness, suitable for medium and low-torque transmission.
- Neoprene Rubber (CR): Strong weather resistance but poor low-temperature resistance, suitable for outdoor equipment.
- Nylon: High hardness but insufficient elasticity, mostly used for high-precision transmission.
Polyurethane has a more balanced overall performance, and its advantages are particularly prominent in high-load and complex environments.
It has evenly distributed drum-shaped convex petals (usually 6-12 petals) on the outer circumference, and elastic spaces are formed between the petals, which can effectively absorb vibration and compensate for axial misalignment:
- Axial Compensation: Allows large axial displacement (e.g., ±5mm) to alleviate the impact of equipment thermal expansion or installation errors.
- Radial and Angular Compensation: Adapts to small radial deviations (≤0.3mm) and angular deviations (≤1°) through elastic deformation, reducing the strict requirements for installation coaxiality.
- Buffer Hole Design: Some high-end products are equipped with symmetrical buffer holes inside the convex petals to further disperse stress and improve the shock absorption effect.
- Built-in Steel Rings: Embedded metal steel rings can prevent excessive deformation and enhance load-bearing capacity, making them suitable for heavy-duty equipment with a torque of up to 2500N・m.
- Mining Machinery: Used for the transmission shaft connection of crushers and ball mills; its wear resistance and high load-bearing performance extend the service life of equipment.
- Chemical Machinery: When pumps, fans, and other equipment operate in corrosive media, its chemical resistance ensures long-term stability.
- Automotive Manufacturing: Used for the precision transmission of robotic arms in production lines and conveyor line motors, which can both transmit torque and suppress noise.
- Motors and Reducers: Compensates for installation deviations and reduces the damage of vibration to precision components.
- Bucket Elevators: Buffers the starting impact of motors and protects the gears of reducers.
- Textile Machinery: Reduces noise during high-speed operation and ensures the quality of textiles.
- Outdoor Equipment: Although its weather resistance is slightly inferior to that of neoprene rubber, it can still adapt to the outdoor operation of construction machinery (e.g., tower cranes) through formula optimization.
- Low-Temperature Environments: It can maintain elasticity at -40℃, which is better than the low-temperature performance of neoprene rubber.
- Torque Range: 22.4-2500N・m; the appropriate model should be selected according to the equipment load.
- Operating Temperature: The long-term operating temperature ranges from -40℃ to +80℃; high-temperature modified polyurethane should be used in high-temperature environments.
- Hardness and Size: The common hardness is 92A±2 or 95A±5, and the outer diameter ranges from 48mm to 391mm to match the requirements of different shaft diameters.
- Standards and Certifications: Complies with national standards such as GB5272-85; some products refer to German KTR technical specifications.
- Load Matching: Select the hardness and structure according to the maximum torque and impact frequency of the equipment to avoid failure caused by overloading.
- Environmental Adaptation: Prioritize polyurethane in oil-immersed or chemically corrosive environments; protective coatings can be used for long-term outdoor use.
- Installation Requirements: Although a certain degree of deviation is allowed, coaxiality should be ensured as much as possible to extend the service life.
- Regular Inspections: Check for wear, cracks, or deformation every 500-1000 operating hours, and replace aging components in a timely manner.
- Cleaning and Lubrication: Remove surface oil stains with neutral solvents, and avoid using sharp tools to damage the elastomer.
- Load Intensity: High torque and frequent impacts will accelerate wear; it is recommended to reserve a safety factor of more than 20%.
- Temperature Control: Long-term use above 80℃ will cause the material to soften; heat dissipation should be enhanced or high-temperature resistant models should be replaced.
- Installation Precision: Poor alignment will increase additional stress and shorten the service life.
With the upgrading of industrial automation, polyurethane plum blossom-shaped pads are developing in the following directions:
- Environmental Friendliness: The use of bio-based polyurethane materials reduces reliance on petroleum resources and complies with environmental standards such as EU REACH.
- Customization: Through 3D printing or precision mold manufacturing, personalized products with customized sizes and hardness are provided to meet the needs of special equipment.
- Intelligentization: Integrate sensors to monitor wear status, realize predictive maintenance, and reduce downtime losses.
With its material advantages, unique structure, and wide applicability, the Polyurethane Plum Blossom-Shaped Rubber Pad has become an indispensable key component in modern mechanical transmission systems. When selecting and using it, it is necessary to combine specific operating conditions, match parameters reasonably, and pay attention to maintenance to give full play to its characteristics of high performance and long service life.
