Wheel Caster
5,000 years ago, the invention of the wheel revolutionized how humans moved and created technology. The wheel is one of the six classical simple machines, which also include a lever, a wedge and a screw.
The wheel caster is a round object with a hole in the center to accommodate an axle or spindle. It is designed to roll on a flat stable surface, which reduces friction and allows heavier objects to move with much less energy.
A caster is an additional component that a wheel incorporates to provide additional mobility and maneuverability. It comes in rigid and swivel styles, and is available in a variety of materials, including rubber, polyurethane and phenolic.
Understanding Wheel Casters: Types, Functions, and Applications
Rigid casters feature an aluminum or zinc finish with double ball bearing raceways and a yoke. They are ideal for carts, furniture and institutional equipment.
Swivel casters, on the other hand, feature a steel or aluminum yoke and can be adjusted in height to accommodate different load capacities. They are ideal for carts, furniture, medical equipment and a wide range of industrial applications.
Caster material: The proper caster wheel depends on several factors, including floor type, load capacity, impact resistance, chemical resistance and rollability. Wheels are made of a number of elastomers (rubber and polyurethane), phenolic, nylons, metals or a combination of these materials.
Choosing the right caster wheel is critical to ensuring your application runs smoothly and safely. The caster selection process involves discussing your application, floor conditions and load requirements with our experts.
