Friday, November 13, 2015

How To Pick Heavy Duty Casters

By Mattie Knight


Productivity of equipment and the workers who use them is highly affected by wheels and casters installed. When the right heavy duty casters are selected, long term cost and productivity are maximized while earning the greatest return on investment. With that in mind, it is important to invest some time and resources in picking these devices. This article will present some important facts to consider before settling down on any kind or model.

Expected load per caster should be the first calculation to make. This load should be exceeded by a minimum of thirty percent for the gadget to be applied safely. The weight per caster can be got by dividing the maximum weight the vehicle will ever support by number of wheels minus one. It is assumed that no floors are perfect and as such, one or two wheels are always not supporting the weight at any given time.

The next item of consideration is speed. Devices can only move at a given speed when supporting certain amounts of weight and failure to adhere to that causes damage. It is advisable to consider the worst case scenarios when calculating so as to account for possible discrepancies. Manufacturers can help with calculations for speed because they have systems for duplicating applications.

The floor condition should be considered next. Newly cemented or other types of floors offer a very good surface for the wheels to move without trouble. However, if the floors have holes and other kinds of defects, they can cause some real damage within a short time if the casters selected are of the wrong type. If the floors have defects, one should consider high-rise wheels.

Floors also get damaged by wheels. Floors made of wood or ceramic get damaged by wheels during movement. To preserve floors like those ones, softer wheels should be bought. Some examples of soft materials used to make soft wheels include plastic and rubber.

Movement of wheels differ in different models. Some are multidirectional while others are unidirectional. Unidirectional ones move in a straight line, while the other models move through an angle of 360 degrees. The mode of attachment also presents a major difference. A device can be attached through two modes, screw-on also called plate or stem. Kind of movement is supported by the method of attachment. These facts must be verified before making a purchase.

Today, technology has made it possible to produce models that are power driven and manual driven. Power driven models experience more force from the load, but also move faster. On the other hand, manual ones move slowly at the pace of the worker, but experience less force. Less force implies that longevity is increased.

Finally, the additional features a device incorporates should be considered. Presence of locks, shock absorbency, and anti-bacterial material are some of the top features to look out for. Locks help to control free movement of the equipment. Additionally, locks help to ensure safety of pets and children when the wheels are used in a home setting.




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