For nearly a century, rubber load-bearing pads have been employed in railway design and construction worldwide. Installed between the steel rail and the sleeper, load-bearing pads play a critical role in protecting the sleeper from wear and damage.
However, with advances in wear technology, natural and synthetic rubbers may no longer be the best choice for railway applications. Although rubbers are highly resilient in high-impact wear applications, they are prone to ozone and other environmental deterioration. In short, changes in temperature and long-term exposure to ultraviolet rays and ozone will eventually cause rubber to wear out prematurely, requiring (expensive) replacement.
As leaders in advancing wear technology across all industries, Iracore has a solution. Using over 50 years of experience developing urethane-based wear materials for heavy industry, we’ve engineered the next generation of load-bearing pads for the North American railway industry’s increasing demands. Read on to discover the benefits of Iracore’s urethane load-bearing pads and how they can add value to your next project.
High-Performance Compounds
Urethane’s durability and cost-effectiveness have made it a favoured alternative to rubber-based compounds in many industrial use cases. In load-bearing applications, urethane has superior abrasion and ground-level ozone resistance compared to rubber, neoprene, and other wear materials. Additionally, urethane load-bearing pads are less prone to deflection than their rubber counterparts, and require little (if any) reinforcement.
Iracore sources raw materials directly from major chemical producers to engineer polyurethane compounds suitable for specific applications and use cases. Our proprietary formulations are developed through decades of field knowledge to meet rigorous operating conditions, including the railway industry’s unique challenges. Iracore compounds have been proven to stand up to the harshest environments, offering superior load-bearing capabilities compared to other materials, both in the lab and in the field.
Our compounds are proven to retain performance and durability at temperatures as low as -40ºF, making them suitable for the harshest North American conditions. Their superior ability to handle harsh environments makes them a cost-effective alternative to conventional rubber and neoprene pads.
Built to the Most Demanding Specifications
All Iracore load-bearing pads are AREMA-approved, exceeding all regulatory requirements and standards. Our pads are also approved by all major North American railway companies, including CN, CPR, and BNSF, making them a superior choice for any North American operation.
Custom-Engineered Solutions
Iracore’s in-house team of chemists and engineers offers custom-engineered bridge load-bearing pads to meet design needs. No matter what your next project requires, our team can select the right compound and fabricate load-bearing pads to exacting specifications, including custom dimensions, holes for clearing bolts, and more.
Our manufacturing facility is capable of high-volume output, allowing us to support projects with the high-output requirements. We are committed to our ISO 9001 quality management system, allowing us to deliver top-quality products on-schedule for operations of all sizes and scopes.
Ready to Learn More?
Contact us today to learn more about Iracore’s load-bearing pad solutions.
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