A wide range of military and defense applications rely on polyurethane and epoxy products. From prototypes and production parts to gaskets, wheels, and casings, many products in these industries benefit from polyurethane and epoxy construction. At Hapco, Inc., we carry a product line of high-quality polyurethane materials and epoxies for customers in the FBI, Army, and Navy, along with defense contractors.
Depending on our customers’ requirements, we offer a variety of resins for military applications, but our line of Hapflex™, Di-Pak™, and Tuffalloy™ products are particularly popular because of their superior resistance to impact and abrasion.
Military & Defense Applications
Government and military clients often use polyurethane and epoxy component parts due to the materials’ enhanced properties that make it more appealing than plastic, steel, rubber, and other materials. Parts made from polyurethane and epoxy benefit from increased durability, along with extreme resistance to solvents, heat, abrasion, and chemicals.
Benefits of Using Epoxies and Polyurethane Over Alternative Materials:
There are many advantages of using epoxies and polyurethane over alternative materials such as metal, PVC, silicone, and more. These advantages include:
- Rust-proof. While metals such as titanium and stainless steel offer corrosion resistance, they are not rust-proof like epoxies.
- Lower manufacturing costs. Metal materials are more expensive to machine. Using metal materials will increase your overall manufacturing costs without providing advantages in terms of durability and performance. Epoxies and polyurethane cost less to manufacture and offer enhanced performance benefits.
- Performance. Silicone does not bond to non-silicone materials, and PVC can leach harmful toxins over time. PVC also becomes brittle when exposed to cold temperatures. Epoxies and polyurethanes do not encounter these same problems.
- Versatility. Although polyurethane has a higher cost than other polymers, it’s versatility makes the higher price-per-pound worth it for manufacturers.
Hapflex™ Urethanes
Hapflex™ flexible and semi-rigid urethanes are employed in many military and defense applications. Due to their high impact and abrasion resistance, these materials have been used to manufacture prototypes, production parts, custom wheels, gaskets, casings, bumpers, coatings, and much more.
Hapflex™ 500 Series Flexible Urethane Elastomers (60-95A)
This flexible polyurethane is ideal for seat pad cushioning. It’s also nearly unbreakable and highly resistant to thermal shock. Customers have used these liquid rubbers for a variety of custom parts, including gaskets, coatings, seals, pads, and molds, along with other products.
Hapflex™ 600 Series Semi-Rigid Urethane Elastomers (50-72D)
Components made with these elastomers feature reliable abrasion and impact resistance that make them suitable for repeated abuse in harsh environments. This series is often used for casting wear-resistant molds, building working prototypes that feature a living hinge, and coating points of friction on vehicles or equipment.
Di-Pak™ Dielectric Compounds
Military and defense applications often require dielectric compounds for electrical potting, encapsulating, and coating. These polyurethane and epoxy barriers keep dirt and conductive contaminants such as impure water out of sensitive areas and serve as structural reinforcement, protecting sonar transducers and other deep submergence items from collapsing under extreme pressure. Black pigmented resins are employed to discourage reverse engineering of proprietary products such as printed circuit modules and RF-enabled devices.
Di-Pak™ is Hapco’s diverse line of polyurethanes and epoxy formulations commonly used for potting and encapsulating electronics and vibration sensitive components used in drones, underwater submersibles, all terrain vehicles, and weaponry. Depending on our customers’ durometer requirements, we offer the D-Pak™ E-Series, which are elastomeric, and the Di-Pak™ R-Series, which are rigid with little to no flexibility.
Di-Pak™ E-Series Elastomeric Dielectric Compounds (45A-72D)
The Di-Pak E-Series includes hydrophobic materials with antifungal properties that were designed to be in constant water immersion while maintaining electric and physical properties.
Di-Pak™ R-Series Rigid Dielectric Compounds (80-95D)
The Di-Pak™ R-Series of rigid compounds consists of production-grade dielectric epoxies and polyurethanes for use in applications such as electrical insulation, potting, encapsulating, and components.
Tuffalloy™ Polyurethane Plastics
Military and defense applications also use thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which is a type of polyurethane plastic featuring a number of unique, desirable properties, such as inflexibility as well as superior abrasion, oil, and grease resistance.
Customers frequently use our Tuffalloy™ 4270 Series products for casting certain production and prototype parts that need to feature thermoplastic properties such as high impact resistance and service temperature.
Military and Defense Casting Resins and Rubber at Hapco, Inc.
Based on the specific needs of our customers in the military and defense industries, we offer top-quality polyurethane and epoxy products for nearly any application. Founded in 1969, we’ve developed into a leading manufacturer, formulator, and distributor of polyurethane and epoxy products, including coatings, adhesives, and release agents. Additionally, we produce and sell an array of temperature-regulated molding chambers, meter-mix dispensing systems, and vacuum chambers to drastically improve product output and quality.
Through our combined hands-on training and technical guidance, we meet each of our customers’ unique specifications and help them overcome any challenges they face. To learn more about our polyurethane and epoxy products for the military and defense industry, contact us or request a quote today.
