jeudi 12 novembre 2015

How To Buy Good 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.

Speed is also of great importance. The speeds at which casters are meant to move under different conditions differ. For instance, the speed at which the wheels rotate when the cart is empty differs to that of a loaded cart. When the speed is exceeded, the device breaks internally and fails eventually. When one is not sure about how to choose the product in regard to speed and load, manufacturers are usually willing to help because they have the necessary machines to duplicate possible scenarios.

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.

Many criteria can be used to classify casters. The mode of powering is one such criterion. Normally two kind of devices fall under this classification, that is, manually driven and power driven. How fast the device moves and how much force the load exerts on the wheels depend on the method of powering. Usually, power driven devices get damaged faster and easily due to more force being exerted by the load.

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.




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