What are industrial casters?
Industrial casters are suitable for industrial mechanical design. In fact, industrial wheels must be produced under strict quality controls, since the perfect operation depends largely on their quality. The caster wheels also need to conform perfectly to the specifications related to the platforms or devices where they will be located finally.
The industrial casters must work in the best way without any complications. The stem wheels must also accept training for weight support if their mobility is affected.
How many types of industrial casters are there?
There are several types of industrial casters, among them we will mention some in this section. Let’s see what they are:
Tractor type wheel: its material; rubber rope, which provides greater resistance to avoid immediate wear, sheet or aluminum rim, and type 6203 bearing.
Polyurethane wheel
The material of the rim of this wheel is a blind aluminum, which makes it solid and feels it light. To prevent detachment, it is coated with polyurethane that allows an overlap from the center to a consistency of 80 to 95 shore. The bearings included are roller or ball.
Industrial rubber wheels
The materials of this wheel include aluminum rim, solid, and with spokes. It covers with a certain type of rubber to a consistency of 80 – 90 shore. Includes roller or ball bearings.
Nylon industrial wheels
They use nylon as a raw material and their resistance to weight is variable. That is, it largely depends on the width and diameter.
Phenolic Industrial casters
The materials of this preparation include canvas ( has not yet been used )and phenolic resin. They are highly resistant to the following conditions: greases, impacts, acids, oils, solvents, and alkalis.
Of these two types are known:
Those that come in black that resist temperatures from -40℃ to 125 ℃.
Those that come in brown with the ability to resist temperatures that reach up to 205 ℃.
Load capacity of industrial casters
It is necessary to calculate the empty load of the instrument on which the wheels are to be placed, as well as the maximum weight capacity to be transported. This to determine the number of wheels needed for the load support. Besides, it is necessary to know that there is a variation between the different load capacities and this depends on the type of work and its conditions. It also has a lot to do with the types of terrain where the loading apparatus will be moved. Because they can lay flat, even or uneven and in these conditions the wheels must work properly in each one of them.
Therefore, when speaking of normal conditions, it refers to those in which there are no overload problems or that the ground is completely flat without unevenness, stones, burial mounds, roots, or other inappropriate conditions and also the absence of hits.
How to know the necessary load capacity?
Using the following mathematical formula is to calculate the corresponding load capacity:
Where:
C: is the total capacity that each wheel requires
Q: Weight of the loading instrument
M: Maximum load capacity
N: number of wheels
S: safety factor
“S” is the main factor that determines the variation related to the normal situations in which the use of the loading instrument occurs. It is necessary to use this factor, which ranges from 1.3 to 2.0. This will allow us to determine the load capacity.
Bearing types
When choosing the type of bearing, the following factors need to consider:
The factors include: the capacity of transport, influencing environmental conditions, resistance when carrying out the test in progress, as well as the rotation and types of use and duration.
The following are types of bearings:
- Ball-bearing: exclusive to respond under heavy work demands.
- Roller Bearings:Optimal for transporting cargo, it is not necessary to lubricate it unless itapplies to heavy loads.
- Plain bearing: optimal for carrying out domestic transport and slow movements and short spaces
- Tapered bearing: They are the ones that offer greater resistance to any type of load, even if it is heavy and very frequently. Its consistency is superior to that of roller or ball. Besides, they must be constantly lubricating.
Finding the perfect wheel for your application can be a simple process with the right knowledge. Wheel customers have three different options when selecting wheels to meet their specific needs:
- Find a factory or standard wheel.
- Find a factory or standard wheel that is close to your desired specifications and customize it. Customization options include increasing internal diameter, adding greasy fittings, decreasing tread width, reducing flange or external diameter, installing a pole, and adding bushings. (Start with wheel modifications when requesting a quote .)
- Create a custom wheel from scratch to meet exact specifications.
Metal flanged wheels are suitable for a range of track applications including wood kilns, material transfer vehicles, seaways, cranes, and factory or mine cars. When properly selected and maintained, used industrial truck wheels with track installations improve productivity and efficiency — offering controlled movements of heavy machinery with minimal friction and wear.
Incompatible wheels, or wheels inappropriate for a specific application, can have the opposite effect — the risk of failure can result in damage to the operating equipment. Selecting the wrong wheel can lead to slowdowns, interruptions, or even safety risks.
Heavy-duty industrial casters on a mining cart offer stable and controlled movement.
There are some important factors when selecting industrial wheels:
1.Application of the wheel
A key factor in wheel selection is wheel application. Different wheels serve different functions — some wheels carry lighter loads at higher speeds while others carry difficult loads at slower speeds.
Single flange wheels for higher speeds
Single flange wheels are commonly suitable for trains and trams designed to travel at higher speeds. The tab is located on the inside edge of each wheel — guiding without restricting movement.
Double flanged wheels for slower speeds
Double flanged wheels offer more stability and are ideal for overhead cranes and trucks. They help guide the equipment more precisely and result in less side-to-side movement.
2.Material and dimensions
Based on wheel application, material and dimensions should be considered.
Wheels for steel rail
Steel is an ideal material for industrial wheels as it is more elastic than iron and less susceptible to breakage. It is more malleable when going through curves, turns, and other variances.
Wheel hardness
Material wear will not be as prominent on a harder material compared to one that is less hard. For wheels and rails, it is much easier and cheaper to replace wheels than it is to replace an entire rail. For this reason, the track should be the hardest material, while the wheels should be less hard.
Wheel dimensions
Customized wheel dimensions are to fit tracks or rails — this includes altering the diameter or width of each flange or tread width. The tread width should be slightly larger than the rail size.
3.Rail application
Remember that the type and condition of the rail will impact the maneuverability and operational life of the wheels. Track and rail applications can be installed in many ways and take different forms. Rails can be placed above or below the surface — and in some cases, suspended above our heads. The rails are also installed in various widths and gauges.
Factors that influence the damage or wear of a track:
- Location
- Age
- Frequency of use
- Walking speed
- Curve designIt
- Excessive environmental waste
4.Operating environment
When choosing wheels for industrial use or commercial settings, it is important to identify and evaluate the overall environment. Extreme temperatures and caustic environments affect the performance and operating life of industrial wheels — leading to corrosion and/or accelerated wear.
- Caustic Environments
- Wheels in caustic environments are subject to corroding, melting, or pitting. Special materials or treatments may be required to prolong the life of the wheel.
- Corrosive Environments
- Stainless steel alloys offer high resistance to certain types of corrosion. Keep these alloy materials in mind when determining specifications for custom wheels.
5.High impact load
All materials have their breaking point. It is beneficial to know the limit of your wheels and plan accordingly. Consider any high impact or uneven loads that the wheels will need to tolerate. Working above a specific load capacity can lead to material failure which can damage vehicles or other machinery — as well as posing a risk to worker safety.
Safe workloads
To estimate the capacity requirements for each wheel — identify the maximum load weight (including cart weight), add 25 percent to the total weight, and then divide by the number of wheels. Learn more about evaluating safe wheel workloads.
Wheel load capacity = [(Total weight of vehicle or car + max load weight) * 1.25] / Number of wheels
Uneven loads
Uneven loads may require wheels to carry larger capacities. As more loads are put on individual wheels, the load capacity of each wheel should increase accordingly.
High impact load
High impact loading can lead to material fatigue over time. Although iron has better fatigue resistance than steel, it is also more brittle and susceptible to fracture. Steel offers better overall strength for long-term use.
6.Stability
Heavy loading requires stability for the safe transport of valuable materials. For example, wood should be stacked on drying kiln cartwheels in a way that promotes air movement, and then transported accurately. Wheel stability is critical for many industries where difficult loads must be transferred.
Besides, industries such as wood drying rely on heavy-duty cartwheels for stable transportation.
Features that improve wheel stability:
- Wider Wheels
- wheel dimensions offer better stability. Wheels can be customized for additional width when required.
- Elasticity of the material
- The elasticity of the material adds to the stability of the wheels. Standard steel wheels offer more stability than steel products, and special alloys can be specified for custom products.
- Proper Flanges Proper
- flanges are critical to maintaining rail alignment. Different weights, speeds, and other environmental factors will determine the dimensions for a suitable tab.
7.Mobility
Different propulsion modes will determine how easily a rail vehicle should move. Machine-driven forces will move a vehicle more effectively than manual labor. Therefore, manual vehicles should be designed to offer the least resistance possible to minimize fatigue among operators.
Wheel bearings and bushings increase mobility:
- Bearings
- Bearings are machine elements that reduce friction between moving parts within a restricted range of motion. They can be installed inside industrial wheels to ensure a free turn on a fixed axis. Low friction bearings are often ideal for hand-driven cars as they offer minimal resistance.
- Hubs
- are metal linings inside of a wheel to limit the size of the opening, resist abrasion, or serve as a guide. Bushings can prevent friction and erosion between the wheel and axle.
8.Standard vs. custom industrial casters
There are advantages and disadvantages to standard and custom industrial wheels. While the final application of the wheel — as well as time and budget — will ultimately influence the decision between a standard factory wheel or a fully customized industrial wheel.
Characteristics of a standard wheel
- Economic
- Convenient and ready for purchase
- Designed and tested to accommodate standard rail types and load capacities
- Ability to customize small details
Characteristics of a custom wheel
- Higher cost
- Longer production time
- Suitable for high volumes of orders with precise specifications.
- Ability to tailor to specific tracks or rails
There are many excellent caster suppliers, like Yutong in China, which offers advantages like quality, service, and price. Hengshui Yutong Metalwork Co., Ltd. is a China wheel manufacturer with nearly 20 years of professional experience. With its superb technology, high-quality products, and perfect after-sales service, it has won the trust of customers. Yutong specializes in the production and export of industrial casters of various specifications. It can provide customers with free samples for testing, furthermore it can deliver 3-4 days before other businesses in the industry. At the same time, the company provides OEM and ODM services to serve customers worldwide.
