Which Casters Are Right for Your Application?
With so many available options, choosing the right casters for your needs can be overwhelming. There are many factors to be considered when choosing the right caster for your needs.
As a top caster distributor, our industry experts know everything you need to know about casters. We’ve summarized some factors for choosing a caster for your specific needs.
Capacity: For capacity of the caster add the weight of the cart and its contents and divide by the number of casters you will be using. Keep in mind you may not be rolling over an even surface or have your cart loaded evenly putting extra weight on the casters in use, it’s always good to have a safety factor built in.
Rollability: Ergonomics is an important factor for casters to help avoid injuries. Is the load going to be pushed manually, the larger the wheel diameter the easier it will be to push or pull. If wheel diameter is a factor there are wheel materials, like the Darcor SE Wheel that will roll easy under heavy loads in smaller diameters. Other factors to take into consideration are floor conditions, are the floors rough, smooth, have debris or liquids on them. There are many options to choose from to meet your specific needs, the experts at C.P. Lauman will assess and pick the caster the caster to fit your needs.
Operating Environment: Is noise a factor, do you have debris on the ground or rough floors, a softer wheel like the Colson Performa Rubber wheel would be a good option. A quiet rolling, non marking and durable wheel the Performa Rubber will give a cushion ride and roll over debris, such as metal chips with ease. Polyurethane wheels are another option if noise is a factor and a heavier load is needed, also a non marking wheel it will not give a cushion ride or roll smoothly over debris. Is there water, oils or chemicals. In these conditions a stainless steel caster or precision sealed caster may be in need for longevity and to avoid corrosion. Polyolefin (plastic), Polyurethane, Nylon or Performa Rubber wheels would be good options to use, always check the chemical list to make sure the wheel chosen will be compatible. High temperature involved, high temperature Phenolic or Fiberglass wheels are best choices with 475 degrees continuous use and up to 525 degrees intermittent. Any questions on which caster and wheel to use call or chat online with a caster expert.
