Are you looking for cast polyurethane components such as wheels, tyres, bushes, sheets, rods, scraper blades, or engineering sector parts?
Have you noticed a decline in the quality of your parts, including reduced abrasion resistance, tear strength, bond strength, and overall quality?
Are you experiencing more frequent part failures, leading to repeat orders?
A key reason for these issues could be the change in your supplier’s processing practices.
Recently, some suppliers have ceased processing MOCA (MbOCA) cured polyurethane due to regulatory changes enforced by HSE REACH Regulations, however, it’s crucial to understand that MOCA has not been banned in the UK!
It simply requires a difficult-to-attain authorisation. Fortunately, Custom Moulded Polyurethane (CMP) has passed the evaluation process and is now a certified supplier of MOCA (MbOCA) cured polyurethane!
CMP Ltd: Certified supplier of MOCA (MbOCA) cured polyurethane
CMP Ltd is fully compliant with the new legal requirements. We have successfully completed the necessary application to REACH UK, demonstrating our continued capability to process MOCA cured polyurethane, adhering to all regulatory standards. Our Chemical Safety Report is clear proof of that.
Brief history of hot cast polyurethane
In simple terms, hot cast polyurethane with high tensile strength is produced by mixing a TDI prepolymer resin with a curative called MOCA (MbOCA).
MOCA was first used as a polyurethane curative way back in 1954. It has a very long track record of very successful use. This helped it gain strong customer confidence due to its excellent durability and technical performances.
Currently, there is no “drop-in” replacement for MOCA on the market.
MbOCA cured components provide high load-bearing capacity, good abrasion resistance, high tensile strength, compression set and rebound resilience. MbOCA still remains the preferred choice in the European cast polyurethane industry. It has been this way for decades and MOCA is still the most widely used chain extender outside of the EEA.
Since its first use as a polyurethane curative in the 1950s, TDI/MbOCA cured parts have been extensively tested and approved as the sole sufficient grade polyurethane to use for demanding applications, as stated on many part drawings. No other polyurethane grade will meet the demanding all-round performance criteria required.
Trust CMP Ltd’s commitment to quality and compliance
CMP Ltd remains committed to delivering high-quality cast polyurethane components. One example in the below photo shows a water treatment plant wheel where the polyurethane tyre has de-bonded. We have bonded new tyres to such wheel centres for many years using TDI/MOCA-cured polyurethane without any failures ever present.
To test alternatives, we supplied this wheel cast in an alternative grade of polyurethane MDI. Its bond failed after a few hours in service, which speaks volumes about how inefficient MOCA alternatives are. Alternative PU systems will simply not work in many applications, and there is no alternative curative to replace the high performance of MOCA.
We have analysed numerous other alternatives to MOCA featured in our application to REACH UK.
Why is MOCA so closely regulated in the UK?
The MOCA curing option was phased out due to serious (and understandable) concerns about safety during the manufacture of polyurethane blends. MOCA can be hazardous to human health when inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin.
So much so, that there were Europe-wide moves to ban it, due to MOCA’s potential to be carcinogenic when mishandled.
Does that mean parts made with MOCA carry risk? Absolutely not, because once the polyurethane has been produced, it becomes highly stable and safe.
In fact, one of the advantages of polyurethane (and especially the MOCA version) is that it does NOT flake, crumble or give off toxic gases or dust, even when used in abrasive situations. Nor will it tear, split or distort, due to its unrivalled impact absorbency.
Avoid inferior MOCA (MbOCA) alternatives
It is important to exercise due diligence in the procurement process, as there are instances where certain suppliers might provide misleading information regarding the availability of MOCA. This misinformation can potentially lead to the procurement of suboptimal cast parts, which may not meet the desired standards of durability or performance. Such scenarios could result in increased operational downtimes and additional financial implications. It is advisable to thoroughly verify product specifications and regulatory compliance to ensure the acquisition of high-quality components that align with your requirements.
Here’s the difference between using proper MbOCA polyurethane and using a sub-optimal alternative when casting:
Reject MDI Casting Polyurethane:
Proper MbOCA Polyurethane:
Contact Custom Moulded Polyurethane for superior quality PU parts
For more information about our high-performance MOCA cured polyurethane parts, or to request a quote, please contact us! You can find us at:
Telephone: 01594 844 445
Email: enquiries@cmponline.co.uk
