Key Features to Look for in Industrial Castors
What makes an industrial castor? Answering this question is critical to preventing the purchase of castor wheels ill-suited for their purpose. For example, you might end up with castors that begin to degrade immediately when you put them to use. Industrial castors are not the regular models used in offices and residential furniture. They are specially designed to operate optimally in harsh conditions, such as extreme temperatures, exposure to chemicals, heavy loads, and rough terrain. With this in mind, what makes quality industrial castors? This article highlights essential features to look out for in industrial castors.
Fabricated Castor Fork -- Industrial castors must accommodate extremely heavy loads, which can significantly affect castor forks. In standard castors, the fork is a single metal piece manufactured by cold pressing. While the process makes a castor strong, a single cold-pressed metal fork is not enough to accommodate the demands of an industrial setting. Therefore, the fork part of industrial castors is made from thick steel plate sections. The plates are then welded together for a highly robust castor fork capable of accommodating extreme shock forces and high loads. Therefore, ensure that industrial castor forks have the desired steel thickness before buying.
Laser Cut -- As much as quality welding can produce safe joints, you should never leave anything to chance when shopping for industrial castors. The reason is that castors with welded sections can snap at any time, particularly when ferrying heavy loads over long distances for an extended period. Therefore, instead of worrying about possible failure points on castors, ensure that your wheels are laser cut with precision. Laser cutting eliminates potential failure points, guaranteeing that castors will remain intact regardless of the amount of load placed on them. If you are unsure what laser-cut industrial castors look like, ask your supplier for samples and verify.
Spring Load -- Most, if not all, industrial castors are exposed to extreme shock loads. For instance, dropping loads on a trolley or cart requires that castors accommodate the shock. Therefore, industrial castors should be spring-loaded to help absorb the impact and improve service life. Industrial castors equipped with a spring are typically found in airports, seaports, warehouses, and healthcare facilities. However, make sure that only high-grade springs are used because light-duty springs do not last. Spring-loaded castors are also crucial in industrial environments with uneven terrain since they help workers move carts and trolleys easily and fast.
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