UCx™ Bulb Seal Properties

Thermoplastic Vulcanizates: Education

Thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) are a class of polymers that perform like thermoset rubber while still allowing thermoplastic processing. This combination provides significantly greater manufacturing flexibility, enabling broader design possibilities and more customized options. Because TPVs can be re‑melted and re‑processed, they also offer improved recyclability, making them a more sustainable choice compared to traditional thermoset rubber.

TPV’s key benefits:

• Design flexibility
• Cost effective, yet high-performance sealing solutions
• Excellent compression set resistance
• Low or high surface coefficient of friction
• Sound abatement
• Chemical resistance and great temperature performance (specific material selection can yield high performance for both HIGH and COLD climate specific applications)
• Superior air/water sealing performance
• Recyclability
• Variety of custom profile shapes
• Multiple color options

Thermoplastic Vulcanizates (TPV’s) can be manipulated in a number of ways to achieve your specific sealing requirements.

• The durometer, aka material hardness, of TPV’s can be altered to create custom compression seals that meet a multitude of operational force requirements
• The wall thickness of bulb seals can be modified to exact specification to increase/decrease compression requirements

UCx™ Available Features:

Ultra Glide®:
Our Ultra Glide seal features a specially formulated low-friction TPE blend, now available on UCx product lines. This advanced material offers a significantly lower coefficient of friction compared to standard TPE, resulting in smoother sash movement and easier cleaning.

Ultra Glide S®:
Ultra Glide S is a surface-applied, color-matched slip coat designed for targeted contact areas. Available on our UltraCell® and Multihollow bulb seal product lines, this advanced coating significantly reduces surface friction compared to standard Ultra Glide.

Ultra Glide® X:
Ultrafab’s latest and lowest friction option for extruded seals. It is a surface applied flocked material designed for applications requiring extremely low breakaway force. This feature helps window systems meet operational force requirements without compromising performance.

Its flocked surface not only reduces friction but also adds a layer of protection against wear and environmental exposure, making it ideal for
high-usage, high-performance systems.

It’s specifically engineered for applications where seals are prone to pinching or sliding, such as tilting sashes or swinging casements. The result? A more durable, low-maintenance seal that handles everyday operation with ease.

T-Slot Backing:
Many UCx bulb seals are offered with many T-slot backing options, ranging in widths and offsets.

Push-In Backing:
TPV seals available in a variety of configurations on a kerf mounted base to fit in vinyl, pultruded, composite, aluminum or wood kerf retention slots.

Polypropylene Leaf Seals
Versatile, durable, high-quality seals; excellent for sliding applications.

Flexible and Rigid PVC Seals
High quality, UV stabilized material with excellent weatherability.

Meeting Your Needs

UCx™ extruded components are manufactured to meet or exceed your needs and expectations:

• Physical stability with unmatched adhesion between the TPV bulb & the polypropylene base
• Excellent compression set resistance and low closing forces
• Excellent weatherability, UV resistance and chemical resistance
• Superior color consistency in 5 standard colors, black, brown, white, tan, or gray, or custom colors
• Positive retention in kerf-mounted applications
• Automation systems for easy bulb seal insertion
• Engineered resins for extreme applications (severe weather, temperature, heat, humidity)

Tooling

UCx™ integrates CAD-based technology with multi-axis EDM machining centers to develop high-quality extrusion dies at reasonable prices. Dies are designed and manufactured for high-quality tight tolerances, excellent processing properties and long life. Tooling is designed for efficient manufacturing which means more cost effective products for you.

Insertion Equipment

Ultrafab’s custom online extruder insertion equipment and fabricator insertion equipment can be fully utilized for both Pile Weatherseals and Extruded Profile bulb seals. Ask us to assist with customized equipment to meet your insertion requirements!

Materials

UCx™ has the ability to process a wide variety of materials with a wide range of physical, mechanical and chemical properties. We will work with you to produce a cost effective solution for your application requirements. Commonly used materials include:

• Rigid PVC Exterior Grade for weatherability, impact resistance and long-term durability
• Flexible PVC Exterior Grade for economical sealing, capping and coextruded applications
• TPV’s (Thermoplastic Vulcanizates) for high performance sealing and retention
• Polyolefins add rigidity to TPV and coextruded products
• Filled Polyolefins for increased rigidity, high stress, high heat and superior chemical resistance

UcX Compression Seal Choices