Guide roller with PUR tread

Guide roller as a loose wheel with PUR tread

This is a guide roller supplied as a loose wheel with a tread in cast polyurethane, PUR, with a hardness of 92 degrees Shore A. A guide roller steers and leads a movement, often against a track or an edge, and that is exactly why PUR is a wise choice here: the material is wear resistant but at the same time has a little soft give that protects both the guide surface and the wheel itself. You get a contact surface that takes up small variations without losing precision.

How does the tread behave in service? PUR at this hardness sits in the semi hard range. That gives low rolling resistance, so the wheel starts easily and runs evenly against its guide surface without binding. At the same time the polyurethane damps a bit more than a fully hard plastic wheel, which keeps noise and shocks down when the wheel meets an edge again and again. PUR also takes wear well and stands up to most oils and greases found in a workshop.

A comparison helps. A hard wheel in plain plastic would roll a little more easily and guide even more firmly, but it gets noisier and can scratch a sensitive guide surface. A very soft rubber wheel would be quieter but too yielding for a guiding job and would wear faster. PUR sits right in between: firm enough to lead the movement, elastic enough to run quietly and protect the surface.

Inside sits a ball bearing that gives low rolling resistance and even running. That makes the wheel turn easily even when it is pressed against its track from the side, which is what you want from a guide roller working against a contact surface all day. Since the wheel is supplied as a loose wheel, without a bracket, it is mounted directly on its own shaft through the center and can be placed exactly where the guidance is needed.

The wheels come in diameters from 30 to 85 mm and carry up to 120 kg depending on the model. A larger diameter rolls more easily and takes a higher load, while a smaller one keeps the overall height down in tight positions. Since the guide roller is often built into a machine or a trolley, you pick the diameter according to the space and the side force the wheel has to take.

Where does it fit? Guide rollers in PUR are used as guide and support rollers in conveyors, on track guided trolleys, in machine bases and in automation equipment where a part has to follow a set path. The gentle tread makes them suitable indoors in warehouses, production and workshops where both precision and a low noise level matter.

Think about the operating environment. PUR is happy at normal indoor temperature and in dry to slightly damp environments, and it takes contact with oil and grease. If the wheel stands still for a long time on the same point under load, the tread can get a temporary impression that rolls out after a while, which is normal for elastic materials. The material should be kept away from strong solvents.

Want to know which diameter in the series suits your guide design and the side load it has to take? Get in touch and we will go through geometry and load together.