Polyurethane Wheels for Mining Equipment

WSCS supplies standard and custom polyurethane wheels for underground mining, suspended monorail and tunnel transport equipment. The range includes drive wheels, load wheels and guide wheels designed around the actual load, torque, rail profile, speed and environment.

Buyers can provide a drawing, operating data or a used sample. WSCS can evaluate dimensions, polyurethane hardness, tread profile, hub and shaft connection for prototype or repeat production.

Mining Equipment Wheel Range

The Clients

Thanks to many years of cooperation with Mining Plants and Companies we have adapted our production profile to be able to supply drive wheels for the following types of suspended monorail transport systems:
- SCHARF
- PIOMA
- IMM
- FERRIT
- BEVEX
- BIZON
- BECKER WARKOP

Wheel Attributes

▶ VULKOLLAN® Polyurethane

▶ Excellent abrasion resistance

▶ High load capacity and low heat build-up

▶ Good dynamic performance and impact resistance.

▶ Good friction and traction

▶ Heat resistance

▶ Oil and chemical resistance

▶ Water resistance

▶ Flame retardant and Anti-static

Specifications

Where Mining Wheels Are Used

Suspended Monorail Transportation

Drive, load and guide wheels move personnel, materials and equipment through underground passages while maintaining traction during starts, braking, curves and gradients.

Underground Material Handling

Mining wheels are also used on transport carriers and equipment-moving systems exposed to repeated loads, dust, moisture and limited maintenance access.

Tunnel and Rail-Guided Equipment

Tunneling equipment can require large or non-standard wheels for rail joints, alignment and long work cycles.

Mining Operating Challenges

How to Select Wheels for Mining Equipment

1. Confirm the Wheel Function

Determine whether the wheel transfers torque, carries vertical load or guides the equipment. Drive wheels require a reliable bore, keyway, flange or other torque connection, while load and guide wheels may require bearings and different tread profiles.

2. Calculate the Dynamic Load

Include equipment weight, transported load, wheel layout, acceleration, braking and rail impact. Loads may not be distributed equally between all wheels.

3. Provide Torque, Gradient and Speed

Mining drive wheels must generate sufficient traction without excessive slip. Provide motor or hydraulic-drive torque, gearbox ratio, normal speed, maximum gradient and braking conditions.

4. Review Rail Contact and Preload

Rail profile, curves, contamination and drive-wheel preload affect contact pressure. Too little pressure can cause slipping; excessive pressure increases deformation, wear and heat.

5. Select Polyurethane by Performance

Hardness alone does not determine service life. Material selection should also consider traction, tear resistance, dynamic heat, moisture, oil and operating temperature.

6. Confirm the Hub and Shaft Interface

Steel or cast-iron hubs are commonly used for heavy loads. Bore dimensions, keyways, flanges, bolt patterns, hub rigidity and corrosion protection should be confirmed before production.

Polyurethane and Mining Safety Requirements

Suitable polyurethane formulations can combine load capacity, traction, wear resistance, tear resistance and dimensional stability. WSCS can evaluate materials for wet conditions, oil exposure, continuous operation and variable underground temperatures.

Flame-retardant, antistatic or conductive performance is not a default property of every mining wheel. Buyers should provide the required project or test standard.

Custom Mining Wheel Capabilities

• Outside diameter, tread width and tread thickness

• Polyurethane formulation and hardness

• Flat, crowned, grooved or special tread profiles

• Steel, cast-iron or other suitable wheel cores

• Bore, keyway, flange, bolt holes and bearing structures

• Large-diameter and non-standard wheel designs

• Prototype, one-piece and small-batch replacement production

• Repeat production for mining equipment manufacturers

When no drawing is available, WSCS can evaluate a used sample together with equipment data, installation measurements and failure history.

Common Mining Wheel Failures

Wheel Slipping

Check rail contamination, preload, tread material, equipment load and acceleration settings.

Tread Delamination

Possible causes include poor hub preparation, corrosion, high torque, excessive heat or wheel-core deformation.

Cracking and Chunking

Sharp particles, damaged rails, repeated impact and insufficient tear resistance can remove sections of the tread.

Uneven Wear or Excessive Heat

Inspect rail alignment, load distribution, paired-wheel diameter, preload, speed, tread thickness and operating time.

Why Choose WSCS?

• Polyurethane material development combined with wheel engineering and production

• Drive, load and guide wheels for demanding industrial equipment

• Custom tread, wheel core, shaft connection and performance options

• Large-diameter and non-standard wheel capability

• Support for drawings, used samples and replacement development

• Flexible prototype, small-batch and repeat production

Testing and Quality Control

Inspection and validation requirements can include:

• Outside diameter, width, bore, keyway and flange dimensions

• Hardness and material batch consistency

• Roundness, concentricity and radial runout

• Wheel-core condition and tread-to-hub interface

• Load, traction, temperature, wear and tear performance

Final approval should include testing on the customer’s equipment under representative load, speed, rail and environmental conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What wheels are used in suspended mining monorails?

Typical systems use drive or traction wheels to transmit torque, load wheels to support the carrier and guide wheels to maintain rail alignment.

Why do mining monorail drive wheels slip?

Common causes include insufficient preload, wet or oily rails, unsuitable tread material, excessive load and acceleration beyond the available traction.

Can WSCS manufacture from a used wheel?

Yes. A sample can be evaluated, but equipment data, original dimensions where available and operating conditions should also be supplied.

Can one replacement wheel be ordered?

One-piece and small-batch projects can be evaluated according to wheel size, hub machining, material preparation and tooling requirements.

Are all mining wheels flame-retardant and antistatic?

No. These properties require a specific material system and defined testing. Buyers should provide the applicable standard and required result.

Request a Mining Wheel Evaluation

Reliable mining transport requires the tread material, wheel profile, metal hub and rail contact to work together. Send WSCS your drawing, used sample, load, torque and operating conditions to identify a standard product or develop a custom polyurethane wheel solution for your mining equipment.