Q. |
What is the total load that the
casters will need to carry? |
A. |
Load per caster is not necessarily taking the total load
and dividing by the number of casters to be used, as the load is typically not evenly distributed over
all of the casters. In most applications, the load is centered over at least three of the casters,
meaning that each caster should handle one-third of the load. |
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Q. |
What type of caster wheel is needed to protect
your flooring? |
A. |
Floor conditions are a very important factor in
determining the proper caster. On rougher floor settings, there is more likelihood that the load will
not be evenly distributed over the total number of casters. Hardwood floors need a much different wheel
type than cement in order to prevent damage. |
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Q. |
What size wheel is necessary to provide ease of
rolling? |
A. |
The diameter of the caster wheel plays a large role in
mobility. Typically, the larger the wheel, the easier that it will roll. |
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Q. |
What is the environment in which the casters
will be used? |
A. |
The environmental factors (water, oil, acids, corrosive
materials, or temperature) greatly affect the necessary caster. There are a variety of wheel options
that are designed for such reasons. |
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Q. |
How will the casters be pushed/pulled? |
A. |
Choosing the caster that is best for the application is
also determined by how the unit is moved. Ergonomic casters are designed to provide ease of rolling for
manually pushed units. Different bearings are options for powered units to provide length in life of the
casters. Speed also comes into play when selecting casters. |
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Q. |
How many swivel and how many rigid casters are
needed? |
A. |
Determining the number of swivel and rigid casters is
necessary to ensure the proper mobility of the unit. More swivel casters provide ease when moving the
unit into tight spaces. A unit using all swivel casters will be difficult to push long distances. |
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Q. |
How are the casters being mounted in the
application? |
A. |
There are a variety of mounting alternatives for various
casters (i.e. Plate, Stem, Hollow Kingpin, etc.). When selecting the caster, be sure to have the
appropriate measurements of the mounting device. |