Tips on Choosing the Right Casters

What are the most important factors in selecting the right caster? Many varying and individual factors must be balanced to make the selection that will do the best job for you. The following are several of the more important considerations.

IMPORTANT NOTICE
Selecting the right caster for your application is very important. If you do not select the right caster, your or the users of your equipment could be injured.

PRODUCTIVITY
Wheels and casters affect the productivity of equipment and the people who use it. Selecting the proper wheel or caster insures maximum productivity, minimizes long-term costs, and provides the greatest return on your investment.

Wheels are the heart of any piece of rolling equipment. Bearings make wheels go and thus affect production. Low-grade tires and bearings do not provide profitable performance, especially when trying to adapt them to heavier loads. Their use results in costly maintenance, out-of-service equipment, and added manpower consumption.

LOAD WEIGHT AND WHEEL SIZE
Generally, the greater the load, the larger the diameter the wheel must be. To determine the load capacity for each wheel, divide the combined weight of the equipment and maximum load by the number of casters to be used. This is the weight that each caster and wheel must support.

FLOOR CONDITIONS AND OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
Sometimes obstructions must be tolerated. Examples may include expansion joints that are not level, track, dock plate, or brick floors. There simply may not be an ideal solution. However, as a general rule, resilient wheels roll over floor obstructions better than hard tread wheels. Obstructions require selecting larger wheels and stronger casters than the application would require if the floors were smooth. Metal shavings can become imbedded in rubber and polyurethane tires. Steel plate can cut resilient tires, and chip or break hard tread wheels. Always keep floors clear of debris. Harmful substances or chemicals may require using special wheels or bearings. The bonding agent which holds rubber and polyurethane tires to their metal centers can be affected by exposure to some chemicals, impact, overloading, and the buildup of heat. Click on WHEELS link for more detailed information regarding recommended applications.

Our Staff can give you valuable assistance in the selection of the right combination of wheels and casters for your needs. They are knowledgeable, competent and experienced in caster usage.