Mtech Sports Wheels from MPC Report to Work

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 13, 2006

Durable, shock-absorbing wheels are now available for medical and industrial uses

MPC (Mearthane Products Corporation) announced that its highly engineered urethane and Mtech wheels, already in widespread use on skateboards and inline skates, are now available for medical, industrial, and office applications.

The wheels are well suited for products that require shock-dampening qualities and smooth travel, such as medical and shop-floor carts, suitcases, and printing, packing, and mail machines.

"Our Mtech wheels dominate the inline skate market because they grip surfaces well and provide a smooth ride under grueling conditions," says John Roderick, President and CEO of MPC.

"They are also ideal for nonrecreational applications".

"Industrial engineers in general could benefit from looking at the successes of sports-engineering applications, since recreational environments provide an aggressive proving ground for new technologies." MPC created Mtech wheels in response to the needs of inline skate manufacturers.

The US-patented, multi-layered wheel has a hard urethane surface and a remarkably resilient inner cushioning material for damping vibration and shock.

Mtech wheels are created by a two- or three-step casting process, depending on the number of material layers required for the specific application.

By contrast, the majority of wheels used in medicine and industry are composed of a single material.

Rubber-based wheels reduce shocks, but they are subject to wear.

Urethane and other hard plastic wheels are durable, but they do not produce smooth, shock-free motion.

Dual-material Mtech wheels combine durability and cushioned movement.

The material characteristics of Mtech wheels are customizable.

The outer urethane layer is wear-resistant and has a Shore hardness between 72A and 95A, with a high coefficient of friction for good grip.

The Mtech inner plastic has high resilience of up to 90 percent rebound on the Bashore resiliometer (bounce test) as well as excellent heat resistance.