A caster is simply a non-powered wheel mounted on the bottom of larger objects to help facilitate movement. Caster wheels are commonly found in shopping carts, office chairs, medical beds, and material handling equipment.
However, casters come in a variety of types to suit different applications, offering essential mobility features like strength, corrosion resistance, water resistance, and weather resistance. Choosing the ideal caster wheels/castor wheels depends on the terrain and the weight it needs to support.
For heavy items, sturdier wheels are needed, and larger objects may need multiple casters to distribute weight evenly. How caster wheels work is straightforward enough. In most instances, they are attached to the underside of the vehicle via a fixed top plate, from which the wheel assembly hangs.
Having said that, let’s take a gander look at the different types of caster wheels you should know about.
Heavy-Duty Caster Wheels
The best caster wheel manufacturer in USA will tell you that there are three different castor wheel strength ratings widely used. These denote the load-bearing capacity, durability and maneuverability needed for the weight of the vehicle they are attached to.
Light duty casters typically support weight of up to 75 kg while medium duty will usually be ideal for loads between 76kg and 140kg. Heavy duty casters can often support weights of over 141kg, but always be sure to check the manufacturer guidelines carefully before mounting.
Depending on the types of surfaces you’re using heavy duty casters on, you may also wish to shop for pneumatic or puncture-proof models. This is an especially common requirement for many industrial and outdoor applications.
Swivel Casters and Fixed Caster Wheels
Swivel casters allow the wheels themselves to spin on a bearing, meaning they can track across the floor in any direction ( as in shopping trolley wheels). Things tend to be different with fixed casters as they only allow the object to move back and forth in a straight/linear manner. Understanding the difference between these two will surely work to your advantage when counting on the best caster manufacturer in India.
Braked Casters
Caster wheels with brakes are designed with an integrated pedal or tab mechanism that can lock the wheels in place, securing the object being moved. This is more so useful if you will sometimes need the vehicle to remain fixed in place, without risk of unwanted movement.
Small Caster Wheels
The size of a caster wheel will usually impact on its maximum stability and load-bearing capacity. Smaller wheels are cheaper and made from less durable materials although there are exceptions in certain industrial designs. Remember, most small casters for dollies are intended for use in professional or commercial settings. They are often installed on indoor furniture items as they are unobtrusive.
If searching for a top caster company in India to leverage, then Comfort Castors is the place to go. From retail to construction to automotive, we have customized solutions for every application. No wonder Comfort Castors is the best caster wheel supplier to-date.