A-Z Guide of Industrial Caster Selection 2024: how to choose the right caster for your application?

For an outstanding caster supplier with 15 years of experience, in addition to confidence in the caster quality, we are unequivocal on the caster's professional knowledge. Some common industrial caster problems that are often asked by customers have been summarized and answered below. Hope it can help you.

What Is a Caster

Casters are wheeled devices designed to make the rolling movement of large objects, they are usually mounted to the bottom of large objects such as office chairs, hospital beds, and industrial carts. The casters can be found in many different sizes, materials, and designs depending on their specific usage requirements. The casters consist of a wheel mounted within a frame. The wheel can move in a straight line or any direction freely depending on the way to mounted, some of the wheels are fixed but some of them are mounted on a swivel, which allows it to move in any direction. the wheel material is usually available in rubber, nylon, polyurethane, or metal.

What are the different types of casters?

Before selecting the casters, it is necessary to know the common types of casters that you may find in the market. The casters usually come in a wide range of styles and sizes. Each of them is designed for a specific application, totally there are three types of casters swivel casters, rigid casters, and locking casters

Swivel casters
The swivel casters are the most popular one, which allows for 360-degree maneuverability, they are usually used for furniture or equipment application that requires multi-direction movement. Such as office chairs, and medical carts.

Rigid Casters
The gid caster also called a fixed caster, can only move in a straight line which makes it suitable for heavy-duty applications, like in warehouse trolleys, where straight paths are typically followed.

Locking casters
The locking caster includes a braking mechanism that can hold the caster in place when stability is needed, the locking caster is mostly used in hospitals or in heavy-duty industrial equipment where safety is more than important. 

Caster Bracket Surface

The most common caster surfaces on the market come in two colors: silver and black. Silver is made by electroplating, plating a layer of zinc or chromium, so that the color of the bracket becomes silver. The black ones are usually made black by electrophoresis. Another kind of more high-grade caster, using toner jet technology, can customize the color according to customer needs. Of course, the price is relatively high. No matter whether electroplating technology, electrophoresis technology, or toner jet technology, the purpose is to prevent rust on the surface of the caster bracket.

Caster Brake

Caster brakes, according to the function can be divided into three types: brake wheel, brake direction, and double brake.
Brake wheel: A device that is mounted on the shaft sleeve or surface of the caster, and operated by hand or foot. The operation is to press down, the wheel can not turn but can change direction.
Brake direction: Brake direction is used in the universal wheel to make the universal wheel become a directional wheel so that it maintains the same direction.
Double brake: Double brake is to lock the wheel movement, and can fix the rotation.

Is Rubber Wheel Softer Than PU Wheel?

Not necessarily. The softness and hardness of the material can be modulated. Some manufacturers' rubber wheels are harder than nylon wheels, so rubber casters also have hard rubber and soft rubber. When buying rubber casters, if not required, generally you will get the caster with soft rubber.

Is Double Bearing More Stable Than Single Bearing?

Double bearings are used in high-end products, with stronger stability, silent effect, and load-bearing capacity than single bearings. Single bearing is a simplified version of double bearing. Although the performance is not as good as double bearing, the price of the single bearing caster is cheaper.

Which Factors Will Affect the Flexibility of Casters?

There are many factors affecting the flexibility of casters, which can be roughly divided into the following:
the size of the wheel: the larger the diameter of the wheel, the more flexible the rotation, and the less effort to push.
b, wheel material: on flat ground, the hard material rotation is more flexible, but on uneven ground, the soft wheel takes less effort to push.
c, wheel surface size: the smaller the contact area between the wheel and the ground, the more flexible the rotation is. So many wheels adopt a camber design, and the purpose is to reduce the contact area with the ground.

How to Install Industrial Caster on Furniture 

Installing industrial casters on furniture is a practical upgrade that enhances mobility and functionality, especially in environments where flexibility and durability are essential. Whether you’re outfitting office furniture, heavy workbenches, or storage units, choosing the right industrial casters and installing them properly is crucial for achieving optimal performance.

Firstly, select the appropriate caster based on load capacity, floor type, and the environment where the furniture will be used. Industrial casters are typically made from robust materials like steel or heavy-duty polymers, designed to withstand significant weight and frequent use. Once you have the right casters, gather necessary tools such as a screwdriver, wrench, drill, and possibly a measuring tape to ensure precise installation.

Begin by flipping the furniture piece upside down to access the base where the casters will be attached. If there are pre-existing holes, make sure they align with the mounting plate of your new casters; otherwise, you'll need to drill new holes. It's important to measure and mark the hole positions accurately to prevent any misalignment.

Attach the mounting plate of each caster to the base of the furniture using screws or bolts, ensuring they are tightened securely to support the weight and prevent the casters from wobbling. For added stability, some prefer using lock washers or nuts.

Once all casters are installed, carefully turn the furniture right-side up and test the mobility. Check that the casters swivel freely and that the furniture rolls smoothly on its new wheels. Proper installation of industrial casters not only boosts functionality but also extends the life of both the furniture and the flooring.

In conclusion

With fifteen years as a caster supplier, we provide expert knowledge and top-quality casters. We've addressed common queries about caster types, uses, and installation, helping customers make informed decisions for enhancing furniture and equipment mobility, ensuring safety, and maximizing functionality and durability. If you're looking for high-quality casters with competitive prices, Bestsuppliers is your best choice. Drop your request on casters to us to discover a million suppliers from China.