TPU Material Properties and Processing Principles
Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) is a linear segmented copolymer composed of alternating hard segments and soft segments. The hard segments form physical cross-linking points through intermolecular hydrogen bonding of urethane groups, providing excellent tensile strength (25–75 MPa), abrasion resistance (wear loss <50 mm³), and thermal stability (continuous service temperature ≤80°C). The soft segments, typically based on polyether or polyester polyols, impart rubber-like elasticity with elongation at break ranging from 400% to 800%.
With an adjustable hardness range from 65A to 85D, TPU combines the processing advantages of plastics with the elasticity of rubber. It is widely used in automotive components, medical devices, industrial seals, sports equipment, cables, and functional films.
TPU production processes are generally categorized into bulk polymerization and solution polymerization. In bulk polymerization, the prepolymer method first reacts diisocyanates with macrodiols to form a prepolymer, which is then chain-extended using agents such as 1,4-butanediol (BDO), enabling superior mechanical properties. The one-shot method mixes all raw materials at once, simplifying the process at the cost of slightly lower performance.
Feilong Polyurethane adopts an advanced semi-prepolymer process, which reduces reaction difficulty by preparing MDI-based semi-prepolymers before precision metering and chain extension. This method ensures high-quality, continuous TPU production and solves the industry challenge of poor pigment dispersion in high-viscosity elastomers through patented metering and mixing technology.
Key Features and Core Parameters of Feilong TPU Processing Equipment
As the Engineering Technology Sub-center of the National Reaction Injection Molding Engineering Research Center, Feilong Polyurethane Equipment represents the leading technical level in China’s TPU processing industry. Its fully automatic CNC thermoplastic elastomer casting equipment offers modular configuration and a wide output range of 2,000–15,000 g/min, supporting laboratory formulation development, mid-scale verification, and mass industrial production.
Feilong’s equipment delivers three major advantages:
1. High-Precision Metering System
- Servo-driven precision gear pumps with mass flowmeters enable closed-loop control
- Metering accuracy ≤0.5%
- Mix ratio adjustable for three components: A (polyol), B (MDI), C (BDO) at 100 : 15–60 : 4–15
- Triple-layer feed tanks: stainless steel inner liner, spiral flow jacket heating layer, and polyurethane insulation
- Multi-point temperature sensors for ±2°C control, stabilizing viscosity and preventing material degradation
2. High-Efficiency Mixing and Degassing
- Variable-section helical high-shear mixing head, 3,000–5,000 rpm
- Micro-level dispersion without air inclusions
- Vacuum degassing system maintains moisture content <0.05%
- Nitrogen protection prevents oxidation at high temperatures
- 2025 patented design improves ultra-hard filler dispersion efficiency by 40% and reduces equipment wear by 25%
3. Intelligent Control System
- 10" HMI touchscreen with Siemens PLC
- Real-time monitoring of 20+ parameters (temperature, flow, pressure, viscosity)
- Recipe storage and one-touch recall
- Dual-tank design ensures seamless switch between raw material dehydration and continuous supply
- Automatic purge and cleaning functions reduce changeover time to under 30 minutes
- ERP-compatible production data logging and traceability
- Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) >85%, 15% higher than the industry average
Industry Trends and Feilong’s Strategic Technology Layout
TPU is evolving toward bio-based materials and functional composites. Staying ahead of industry trends, Feilong launched a bio-based TPU production line in 2025 compatible with renewable materials such as polylactic acid polyols. By maintaining an isocyanate index (NCO index) of 0.97–1.03, the system produces TPU with >50% bio-based content while achieving 90% of the mechanical properties of petroleum-based TPU.
In additive manufacturing, Feilong developed an ultra-precision micro-foaming TPU testing machine with an output as low as 0.3 g/s, enabling customizable TPU formulations for 3D printing and elastic lattice structures.
With over 25 years of polymer equipment innovation, Feilong now offers a full-range TPU equipment ecosystem—from laboratory R&D machines to 10,000-ton production lines—empowering industries including electric vehicles, smart medical devices, advanced manufacturing, and energy storage.
Feilong Polyurethane Equipment is accelerating its transformation from “Made in China” to “Intelligent Manufacturing in China”, delivering advanced TPU elastomer solutions to global markets.
