Pages

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Information To Understand About Industrial Casters

By Mattie Knight


Performance and functioning of casters is highly dependent on many factors. The factors include load capacity, mode of attachment, speed of movement, and nature of the surface. When buying industrial casters, these are the factors to keep in mind among many others. It is sometimes hard to make a choice, but after reading this article, one should be in a better position to make an informed decision.

The first fact to consider is the maximum weight the device is designed to support. This figure is usually determined by the manufacturer at the time of production and should not be exceeded for safe application of the wheel. Closely related to the maximum weight is the load per caster that can be supported on a cart. This figure can be derived by diving total weight a cart is supposed to carry by number of casters attached to it. The figure quoted should be slightly higher for safety purposes.

The speed is the next factor to be considered. Casters are designed to move at different speeds under different circumstances. The speed at which the wheels can move when the cart is empty cannot be the same as when it is loaded. Exceeding the specified speed causes internal break down and eventual failure. Manufacturers can offer assistance with choice in this regard if one cannot make up their mind.

The surface upon which the device is meant to be used on matters a lot too. Wheels rotate more efficiently and move faster when the surface is smooth and flat. However, when the surface is characterized by depressions and other kinds of defects, it becomes hard for the cart to move and more damage is done to the wheels.

In the same way that surfaces damage casters, the devices can also damage floors. Products with hard wheels can cause damage to soft floors made of ceramic, wood, or bamboo. They leave behind trails, scratches, and marks as they move. A solution would be to pick wheel that are constructed from soft materials such as rubber, fabric, and plastics.

Many people often overlook the environment the caster is meant to be used. Products meant to be used in one environment usually have their performance affected in environments it was not intended for. Manufacturers are usually specific when designing the products so that they suit certain environments. Wheels and finish features are the ones that are most affected when environments of application is changed.

Classification of casters has been done basing on several different criteria. One such criterion is how the device is powered. Under this classification, there are only two kinds of devices, manual driven and power driven. Mode of powering used varies speed and force exertion on wheels. Since power driven devices experience a lot of force exerted on the wheels, they are quickly and easily damaged.

Modern products incorporate several features that improve efficiency and functionality. However, they also cost more. The cost can sometimes be so high that it becomes important to make the investment wisely.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment