Category: Commercial

Caster Wheels for High Temperature Environments

Most casters and wheels for industry and commercial applications contain some ability for exposure to temperatures above the norm. Typically, temperatures to 180 degrees Fahrenheit are possible. For those environments where higher temperature are expected, such as a bakery oven or autoclave, caster wheel composition must be considered.

Phenolic wheelRecommended exposures to high temperature and length of operation vary. Also, consideration to the type of heat is necessary. These factors, along with floor surface, determine the possible lifetime of the caster wheel.

For locations with a dry heat, high temperature Phenolic wheels perform optimally. A safe range for estimating usage would be temperatures up to 475° F for 30 minutes of continuous operation.

When moist heat is expected, a glass-filled nylon wheel for high temperatures is the favored option. Conservatively, 475° F for 30 minutes continuous use provides the best scenario for a prolonged wheel lifetime. It should be noted that glass-filled nylon wheels are not for use in dry heat.

For issues of high heat, high temperature Phenolic and glass-filled nylon wheels are a solution for most environs. As noted, usage is permitted beyond the given parameters, but life expectancy of the caster wheels might be greatly reduced.

Choosing a Hardwood Floor Furniture Caster

Caster for hardwood floorYou have a beautiful hardwood floor, but your chairs, tables, and other furniture on casters are all hard plastic and nylon. These hard material wheels will cut and scratch the floor easily. What solutions are there, you might ask?

Hardwood floor casters are available for any common connections types out there. These casters are made of soft polyurethane, rubber, or other materials specifically designed for hardwood floors. In most of these cases, the casters will not only be hardwood safe, but they will also roll and perform better. Materials that have more grip will roll easier than harder wheels, so you won’t skip or skid across the floor but instead roll smoothly.

Is a caster hardwood floor safe just because its rubber or soft material? No! A small diameter rubber wheel can cause as much damage as a hard wheel. When choosing a caster, get one that distributes weight over a wider area. Twin wheel casters are a good idea, or a large soft single wheel caster.

The investment of some quality hardwood floor casters greatly outweighs the cost of replacing or fixing a hardwood floor.

Twin Wheel Casters VS. Single Wheel Casters

One question we get a lot here at SCC is “Why choose a twin wheel caster instead of a single wheel caster?” Well, let me tell you.

A twin wheel caster offers several distinct advantages over its single wheeled counterpart. Perhaps the most obvious advantage is weight handling capacity. If we take two casters with the same wheel diameter and material, but one is twin wheeled, it will handle more weight. Another way to look at this advantage is that we can use a smaller twin wheel caster to reach the same weight bearing capacity as a larger single wheel. This can be important if you need to maintain a lower load height within a specific weight capacity range.

Another great advantage of twin wheel casters is their ability to turn easily. Where a single wheel caster must pivot on itself, a twin wheel caster’s wheels can rotate independently of each other, making turning or reversing direction much easier.