Types of Wheels

Casters have different applications ranging from medical, industrial, furniture casters and more.

Braking Systems for Caster Wheels

Brakes are one of the most popular and important tools for heavy duty industrial casters. Braking gear allows the user to park and keep the cart in place, which can be useful in some situations, or to improve safety by reducing the risk of loss of control. There are many types of caster brakes to choose from, each with its own set of features. This article will cover several of the most common heavy duty caster brake designs.

Cast Iron and Semi-Steel Caster Wheels

Grey iron is used to make cast iron wheels. They are wear-resistant and roll without much effort. These wheels are extremely durable, built for high volume needs and can withstand enormous heat. This type of caster can roll on concrete and smooth steel surfaces. Some of the specs found on this caster wheel include hardness of 90-95A; Brinell 145. The wheel has bearings including balls, precision balls and delrin. This type of caster can operate in the following conditions: mild chemicals, oily and greasy areas, metal chips on the surface, high temperature (+250°F) and extreme cold (+45°F).

Ferrous Wheels

Due to its sturdy construction, iron wheels offer the highest load capacity, shock resistance, temperature range and rollability of any caster. Iron wheels, as the name suggests, are made of forged steel or cast iron, which makes them ideal for harsh environments like warehouses and manufacturing plants where ground protection is not a priority.

There is a big difference between wheels and casters, so choosing the right caster is crucial. When choosing casters, there are many factors to consider, from impact force, degree of chemical resistance to rolling ability and capacity.

Flanged Caster Wheels

To reduce steering and rolling effort, flanged wheels are designed to run on steel tracks. Rolling on rails has the added benefit of lowering floor load capacity, allowing for greater capacity, easier rolling and floor protection. Most of these wheels are made of cast iron and steel due to their strength and wear time.

These wheels have a hardness of 130 - 150 Brinell. The bearings they use can include: ordinary bore, straight rollers and precision tapered rollers. Flanged caster wheels can operate up to 800°F with proper bearings and lubrication. This type of caster can operate in the following conditions: mild chemicals,oily and greasy areas, and metal chips on the surface.

Pneumatic Caster Wheels

Rubber wheels with built-in air provide optimum floor protection for rolling over a variety of obstacles. Aero wheels provide cushioning and stress absorption, making them suitable for transporting sensitive loads over a range of floor surfaces. Pneumatic casters are ideal for aerospace and other applications.

Polyurethane Tread Wheels

Soft-treaded wheels are harder to roll than polyurethane-treaded wheels, although they offer great ground protection. Made from solid polyurethane, chemically or mechanically bonded to plastic, or chemically bonded to cast iron or aluminum cores, these wheels have a 3,000-pound capacity and strong resistance.

One disadvantage of poly wheels is that if the wheel is overloaded or the tread suffers other damage, it destroys its structure and the tread can separate from the tire core. Therefore, choosing solid polyurethane wheels is one way to avoid these problems. Issues of tread separation and core corrosion are minimised because the entire wheel is made of moulded polyurethane with no core.