Basics Concerning Stainless Steel Casters

By Chelsea Evans


Stainless steel casters are in form of small steering wheels, which are mounted at the foot of an object. They are also called castors and may be compound, double, or one depending on the structure they are installed on. They are fixed onto items such as tables, shopping carts, chairs, and many others. They are mounted on these structures to facilitate easy movement from one position to another.

They come in various sizes and are made using different materials. Some common materials include aluminum, rubber, plastic, or nylon. Castors that are made using stainless steel are durable and withstand weighty loads thus applied in several industrial applications. A heavy-duty castor is mounted on items like platform trucks, carts, and towlines. They function better on straight and smooth surfaces.

There are two major types of castors. The first version is rigid whereas the 2nd is swivel. A rigid castor is fitted on a stationary fork, thus non-flexible and tends to move along a straight line. A swivel castor is fixed on a pivot in a way that the wheel aligns automatically to the course of movement. The wheel is free to roll in any given direction without altering the orientation of the cart.

Swivel castors should have enough offset space between the center axes of the castor wheels and the centre axes of the vertical shafts. The offset distance plays a role in aligning the wheel in the right direction of movement as the vehicle. It causes the wheel assemblies to turn around the axes of vertical shafts in alignment with the orientation of the vehicle. In case the offset is ignored then the wheels may not rotate if they are not facing the right direction.

Some castors have braking systems, which prevent rotation of vertical shafts and wheels. The braking system is in form of a pedal that pushes a brake cam against the wheel. A revolving lock is installed on each vertical shaft such that the shafts and wheels are unable to spin. By use of brakes, swivel castor may be converted into directional castor as the vertical shaft is lockable whereas the wheel moves freely.

Flutter is the main disadvantage with castors. Flutter is the rapid movement of carts with casters from one direction to another. The swinging occurs at particular speeds. It is a type of speed wobble that is seen in vehicles. The trailing distance and the weight are the main determinants of the velocity at which flutter occurs.

Extending footrests and adding dampers can be of more importance in monitoring flutter. As fluttering occurs at great velocities because of instability. One way of improving stability is extending the trailing distance. Flutter may equally be dealt with by causing more friction at the pivots. Friction may be increased by including more washers at the pivots.

When in search for stainless steel casters several online companies sell them at reasonable prices. Such firms sell casters of all sizes, which are made of various materials. New and old clients can reach them via their websites on the internet for enquires and details.




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