About Industrial Casters and Industrial Caster Manufacturers Including: Caster Wheels, Furniture Casters, Furniture Glides, Furniture Wheels & Swivel Casters.
Industrial casters are mechanisms attached to the bottom of furniture and transportation equipment to provide mobility. Casters consist of a wheel, a base and bracket assembly and an axle assembly. Industrial casters should not be confused with industrial wheels, which are components of casters. Industrial caster wheels provide the rolling motion that moves the item to which the casters are attached from one location to another. Wheel bearings and spanner bushings are part of the wheel. The king pin is the essential ingredient of a base and bracket assembly and can be a nut and bolt, riveted or stacked. The king pin fits into the top plate that typically has four mount holes. The plate fits over the top cup and upper raceway, which carry the load with double ball bearing swivels. The cup and raceway fit into the bracket, which may be stamped, cast, welded or drop forged. The lower cup and raceway follows in the assembly; their job is to absorb side thrust, provide better swiveling action and allow for more ball contact. Finally, the king pin nut fits underneath and can be tightened for closer tolerances. Axle assemblies consist of nuts and bolts, which can be replaced and do not necessarily require a spanner.
When purchasing from industrial caster manufacturers, it is helpful to have an idea of the type of attachment required. Caster attachment methods include three swivel, two rigid/two swivel, tilt mounting, diamond mounting, four swivel and four swivel/two rigid. Industrial casters can also be attached with an expandable rubber stem or a round or square solid metal stem inserted into the tubing. Octagonal shaped stems hold the caster to the unit with bolts that go through cross-drilled holes and are secured in angle iron legs. A lock nut holds in place a threaded stem that passes through a hole. The threaded stem may also go into a tapped hole. Other caster attachment methods include top plate mounting, stem/socket or stem without socket.
Industrial caster manufacturers cater to almost every industry. Casters are used on numerous items, including beds, carts, chairs, dollies, tables, racks and stands. The selection of a caster depends upon a variety of factors. Consider the load capacity of the caster, the shock load applied to the caster, substances to which the caster may be exposed and environmental conditions, such as temperature and moisture, to which the caster might be subjected during use. It is also necessary to know the diameter and face width, the hardness and the overall height of the wheel and if a wheel brake is required. Industrial caster manufacturers will also need to know if the wheel should be painted and, if so, what color. Determine the best combination of swivel and rigid casters (e.g. four swivel casters or a combination of two rigid and two swivel casters). How should the caster be attached? Some manufacturers may require a rough sketch, a drawing or prints of the application requirements.
Appropriate caster choices can reduce or even eliminate back strain, which is often caused by improper pushing or lifting. Casters designed for low rolling resistance and quiet shock-absorbing wheels will help decrease the occurrences of back pain, tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Industrial Casters Terms
– Caster mechanism that, in conjunction with the nut or bolt, connects the caster wheel to the leg.
– The amount of space required for caster wheel insertion.
– The rolling caster part that provides movement to the equipment to which the caster is attached. Caster wheels are positioned between the legs of the caster and connected by the axle.
– The enclosure in which the hardcap sits. The dustcap protects the raceway from foreign materials.
– Caster part, also referred to as a “fork,” “yoke” or “rig,” inside of which the caster wheel rests. The frame consists of two legs to which the caster wheel is attached by means of an axle, nut or bolt and a top plate; swivel casters also contain a swivel bearing between the top plate and the caster legs.
– The upper raceway that bears the thrust.
– The caster wheel core.
– Caster part that is connected to the top plate. Legs are also attached to the caster wheel by the axle.
– In a swivel caster, the rivet inserted into a hole in the center of the top plate to connect the top plate to the rest of the swivel assembly.
– The recommended load that an individual caster can accept during standard operation conditions.
– Distance measured from the bottom of the unit to the rolling surface.
– Distance measured from the center of the axle to the center of the attachment method.
– The largest load a caster can handle under conditions of shock, such as bumps, uneven surfaces and the dropping of items onto the caster.
– The round, cylindrical stationary sleeve between the bracket legs, within the bearing and over the axle, through which the axle runs.
– The largest load that a caster can accept while stationary and under no exposure to shock.
– Mechanism on a swivel caster that prevents the swivel from rotating but not from moving forward and backward like a rigid caster.
– Also known as a “swivel bearing,” it is the plate of a swivel caster located between the top plate and the legs that facilitates the swivel movement.
– Caster accessory that encases the wheel bearing and shields the caster wheel hub and frame from substances and materials, like threads, that might otherwise gather between the two caster mechanisms.
– Also referred to as the “base plate” or “mounting plate,” it a part of the caster that connects the caster to the equipment and is located on top of the legs or, in the case of swivel casters, the swivel bearing. A rigid top plate contains four holes, one in each corner of the plate, while a swivel top plate contains an additional central hole through which the kingpin is inserted.
– A component that supports the upper and lower raceways.
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