The Official Blog of Polymer Technologies, Inc.

Innovative Materials for Compact Track Loaders and Skid Steers

Skid Steer on construction site

Polymer Technologies has been a premier supplier of innovative materials for manufacturers in the construction industry for over 30 years. We specialize in creating solutions for noise, vibration, thermal, and fluid transfer challenges to enhance the performance and functionality of all construction equipment.

Reducing sound, vibration, and heat within the cabins of construction vehicles is a game changer for the longevity of your equipment. We work with our clients to ensure we offer them the best, customized solutions for their challenges.

This blog will focus specifically on Polymer Technologies’ solutions for compact track loaders and skid steers. These equipment options are common in construction and require specifically tailored materials such as overmolded foam cabin components, molded mats, and high-performance hoses.

Overmolded Foam Cabin Components

No one wants to sit in a cabin that is loud, hot, or vibrates a lot. Polymer Technologies has found a solution through our molded foam options. We’ve found that utilizing the overmolding process within a cabin is an excellent way for our customers to ensure their particular equipment is operating at peak performance with the best environmental conditions.

For compact track loaders and skid steers specifically, the design is so that the cabin is close to the engine and mechanical parts that produce vibrations, sound, and heat as they function. Therefore, overmolding is a must. This process can cover a tube, pipe, or piece of metal that might be present in the cabin itself.

A simple foam application to metal armrests creates a significantly more comfortable environment for the driver and gives the cabin a far more aesthetic, finished look. Though it’s not particularly common, overmolding can also provide security for an application. For instance, the motherboard of an electronic device might be overmolded to protect it and hold it in place.

And that’s not all. There are many other benefits to ensuring a cabin is fit with molded foam.

  • Improves the quality and performance of equipment
  • Serves as an internal chassis to enhance a structure
  • Eliminates fasteners, screws, and more to simplify product assembly
  • Provides a thermal barrier
  • Manages sound and damps vibration
  • Fills voids with lightweight material
  • Makes inventory management easier
  • Shortens the number of suppliers and vendors
  • Moderate manufacturing cost
  • Little assembly required
  • Reduces the overall cost of manufacturing
  • Long application life

Molded Mats

Along the same lines as cabin insulation and acoustic absorption, having floor mats custom molded to the specifications of your equipment can ensure a much more comfortable work environment. When combined with overmolding, our floor mats can ensure the compact track loader and skid steer are performing at their best.

Alternatively, our POLYDAMP® Floor Mat materials reduce noise and vibrations transmitted through the floor of vehicles or operator cabs without investment in molds. They are available with highly durable wear surfaces. These mats create ergonomic enhancements and reduce the noise level in your equipment vehicle’s cabin.

The heavy-duty floor mats contain a loaded vinyl acoustic barrier, a non-skid abrasion-resistant wear surface, and a decoupler layer. They are available in a variety of surface textures, including Ribbed (PAB-RB), Pyramid (PAB-PY), and Modified Twist (PAB-MT) surfaces.

These floor mats can make the difference between a loud, rough ride and a smooth one for compact track loaders and skid steers. The performance quality of the equipment will increase exponentially because the machinery will not have to fight against the noise and vibration output, prolonging the usability of the equipment overall.

High-Performance Hoses

We often discuss how our high-performance hoses compare to the competition in providing solutions for our various industries. This time around, we want to ensure you understand the importance of these hoses for construction equipment.

Whether you need them to help with pressure, temperature, flexibility, or air and fluid transmission, our Polybond silicone and organic hoses will do the job right. These hoses are perfect for engines, cooling systems, and CAC systems, which are all found in typical compact track loaders and skid steers.

Adding silicone or organic hoses to your equipment guarantees it will last longer and remain at peak performance. Your operators won’t have to worry that their lives are in danger due to engines overheating or cooling systems failing. Our hoses ensure that the heat, sound, and vibration output of certain equipment parts never exceeds that which is safe and comfortable.

Explore our range of high-performance hoses meticulously engineered to cater specifically to the requirements of the construction sector. We ensure that our hoses boast exceptional durability, flexibility, and optimal performance.

Polymer Is Here to Assist

As you can see, Polymer Technologies has created various innovative materials to help your compact track loaders and skid steers stay in tip-top shape for longer. Whether you are looking at molded foam options, customized floor mats, or hoses, we have the perfect solution to meet your challenges head-on.

If you still have questions about our products or believe you need a more customized option, contact us. Our experts are ready to help you get the most out of your construction equipment.