Cable protector systems are built to protect valuable cables, lines and hoses from abuse and damage from trucks, buses, autos, pedestrians, carts and the surrounding environments.  They must work well in the summer heat of deserts and ice and snow of winter.  Cable protectors are designed to be light enough to be portable, sturdy enough to last 20 or more years in varying environments and supple enough to conform to the underlying surface. 

The material of choice for cable protector systems is polyurethane.  However, not all polyurethanes are equal.  Key measures of polyurethane’s ability to withstand demanding usage are its elasticity, density and abrasion resistance.  The process used in the manufacture of polyurethane has significant impact on these key attributes. 

Over 30 years ago Yellow Jacket, Inc.™  developed its proprietary cast molding process, Castathane™, for the production of its polyurethanes.

• Castathane™  produces extremely dense polyurethanes with superior elasticity and dynamic loading capabilities (ex. Trucks rolling over it at speed) and excellent abrasion resistance
• The Castathane™  process is used in the production of Yellow Jacket, Inc.’s ™  heavy duty Durathane™  and extreme duty Hiperthane™  polyurethanes.
• Both products are poured into and heat cured in specially designed molds.  This process requires more labor and raw material than competing processes, but produces a more rugged end product. 

Attributes of Yellow Jacket’s proprietary polyurethanes are:

• Durathane™ will hold up to the wear and tear of constant bus, truck and vehicular traffic. 
• Durathane™  is open cast molded polyurethane
• Raw materials are mixed and poured into the open mold, where they set for approximately 15 minutes
• Allows trapped air and reacted gasses to rise to the surface and escape
• Produces a much stronger, denser material that will withstand years of hard use. 
• Standard material used in Yellow Jacket products.
• Key specifications are:
• Tensile strength: 2500-3500 psi
• Elongation: 350-400%
• Tear Strength: 490-500 pounds per linear inch
• Abrasion Resistance: Very Good
• Hiperthane™  based products will withstand the abrasion of 350 ton ore trucks (Crossover™), protect cables dropped down thousands of feet of sharp shafts for the Atomic Energy’s Commission’s underground tests where it is essential that the cables and connectors be protected or else all test data is lost (Yellow Jacket® Classic) and for use in military dry docks where cables have to be protected from the high abrasion from sand blasting and heavy weight of forklifts (Yellow Jacket® Classic).
• Made using the TDI hot-melt, open-cast process. 
• Raw materials are melted at elevated temperatures, vacuum degassed, mixed and then poured into the mold. 
• Materials set in the mold for 40 minutes then heat cured for 16 hours at elevated temperatures. 
• Additional curing time results in additional chemical cross-linking augmenting the superior physical properties of the cast molded polyurethane.
• Hiperthane is an option for the Yellow Jacket AMS, Yellow Jacket Classic, Crossover and …
• Key specifications are:
• Tensile strength: >7500 psi
• Elongation: >600%
• Tear Strength:630 pounds per linear inch
• Abrasion Resistance: Excellent