Companies are bringing their manufacturing back to the United States. It’s now the second most dominant manufacturing powerhouse in the world.
As more businesses build out their domestic industrial operations, we’re seeing them invest heavily in a variety of infrastructural components. Among the items that we’ve seen pop up the most on purchase orders are heavy-duty casters.
Casters are used for everything from moving workbenches to transporting non-stationary heavy machinery. If you’re ordering casters for the first time, you’re going to find that there are a variety of caster-types that boast everything from breaking mechanisms to polyolefin bases.
If you don’t know what any of that means, don’t worry. Below, we walk you through key considerations to keep in mind when selecting caster wheels for your needs.
1. Consider Wheel Diameter
One of the first things that you’ll notice when shopping heavy-duty casters are that they have variable wheel diameters.
The larger your wheel diameter, the more easily your casters will roll. This will reduce the amount of exertion that it takes to push a heavy load. On the flip side, large wheel diameters raise objects higher off of the ground which can increase the risk of tipping.
2. Understand Your Weight Needs
Different casters are rated for different amounts of weight. The more weight that your casters are capable of carrying, the more expensive that they’re going to be.
Be aware that when a heavy duty caster vendor advertises the amount of weight that a caster can handle, that figure is almost always referencing per-wheel capacity.
3. Look Into Wheel Hardness
The way that heavy-duty caster wheels are manufactured will have an impact on how much give the wheels have. In general, if your floors are hard, use soft wheels. If your floors are soft, go with hard wheels.
By doing that, you’ll decrease stress on your wheel, your floor and will find that your casters roll more easily.
4. Check for Locking Features
Casters that are supporting heavy loads should have breaks that can lock in place. Despite that, break/lock features are not a given with all heavy-duty caster wheels so you’ll need to specifically shop for these features.
If you decide to cut costs by leveraging non-lockable casters in your workplace, a large object could shift and cause serious injury.
5. Learn About What Your Casters Are Made Of
Whether you’re shopping hard or soft wheels, know what your caster is made out of and learn the unique pros and cons that material presents. Popular hard caster wheel materials include:
- Polyolefin
- Plot II Urethane
- Cast Iron
- MoldOn Polyurethane
Any wheel names that end in “rubber” or “nylon” are considered “soft wheels”.
Talk to the vendor that you’re buying from and have them describe what you can expect from the wheel material that you’re buying. That way, you can ensure that you’re getting matched with the best materials for your needs.
Buying Heavy-Duty Caster Wheels Doesn’t Have to Be Hard
As your business revs up domestically, you may find yourself overwhelmed with all of the infrastructural components that you need to buy. While some of your purchases might cause stress, buying heavy-duty caster wheels doesn’t have to.
Simply follow our guide to frame your caster search, ask your vendor any questions that you have and buy with confidence!
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