From heavy machinery and industrial carts to assembly line departments, and even large hospital facilities, industrial casters simplify operations, increase efficiency, and reduce the physical burden of manual push and pull tasks in industrial manufacturing.
At WheelsWay, we provide casters that optimizing functionality across various industries.
For applications involving high-temperature environments, such as foundries or industrial ovens, heat-resistant industrial casters are available, capable of withstanding elevated temperatures without compromising performance.
Industrial casters engineered with reinforced components or impact-resistant materials are capable of withstanding accidental impacts or collisions without sustaining damage, ensuring long-term reliability in demanding environments.
Certain industrial casters are designed with shock-absorbing properties to minimize vibrations and impacts, protecting both the equipment and the floor from damage.
Industrial casters equipped with noise-reducing components, such as soft tread materials or precision bearings, help minimize noise pollution in industrial environments, promoting a quieter workplace.
Some industrial casters feature a low profile design, reducing the overall height of the equipment for improved clearance in tight spaces or when maneuvering under low obstacles.
Certain industrial casters are ergonomically designed with features such as ergonomic handles or grips to improve operator comfort and reduce the risk of strain or injury during operation.
Designing and manufacturing custom casters for an OEM project involves several stages, we follow a detailed step-by-step process to ensure that your project runs smoothly and without any problems
Define requirements: Understand the customer’s specific needs and requirements. Consider special attachments, test standards, and industry standards. Give suggestions to improve the caster performance if the customer wants to eliminate the failure issues from their existing casters.
Material selection: Select appropriate wheel materials for the casters based on factors like load capacity, environmental conditions, and durability requirements.
Technical Drawings: Make detailed 2D/3D technical drawings of the caster based on the customer’s requirements or samples.
Prototyping: Develop prototypes to test the functionality and performance of the casters. It can be a 3D printing model or a small batch for initial testing.
Tooling and Equipment Setup: On the basis of the finalized design, set up and adjust the necessary tooling and equipment for mass production.
Production of Components: Manufacture individual caster components such as wheels and frames, according to technical specifications in confirmed drawings.
Surface Treatment: Apply surface treatments to enhance the aesthetics, corrosion resistance, hardness, or other functional aspects of the casters.
Assembly: Assemble the casters, making sure that each unit meets the design specifications and quality standards.
Load Testing: Test the casters according to the dynamic load test standard, such as EN12532, or conform to the test requirements of the customer. To ensure that the casters can handle the specified weight capacities without failure.
Durability Testing: Test the casters for durability under various conditions, such as different floor surfaces and temperature extremes, according to the customer’s demand.
Quality Control Checks: Implement ISO9001 quality control measures throughout the manufacturing process. Identify and correct any defects.
Packaging: Develop packaging solutions that protect the casters during transportation and storage.
Shipping Logistics: Plan and coordinate the logistics for shipping the casters to the client, and confirm the paperwork details with the customer, such as invoice and packing list, bill of lading, Certificate of Original, Form E, etc.
Customer Support: Provide ongoing support to address any queries, concerns, or further needs that the client may have after receiving the casters.
Cutting metal sheets into pieces, punching out the specific shape of top plate, fork, brake pedal, etc.
Bending the shaped pieces and form it into the caster fork, forming the steel ball track on the top plate sheet, etc.
Zinc plating, chrome plating, electrophoresis, etc.
Nylon wheel, PU wheel, TPR wheel, plastic wheels injection and die casting cast iron wheels.
Assemble all the caster components into one complete piece
Pack the casters in export grade thick carton box. Plastic bag, lable sticker, inner box, wooden crate, wooden pallet packing are also available.
Here’s the formula for calculating load capacity per caster:
Load per caster with safety factor = (total load × safety factor) / number of casters
“Total Load” is the equipment’s net weight plus its maximum additional load
“Safety Factor“ is an additional weight allowance added to the calculated load per caster to ensure that the casters can handle unexpected or temporary overloads, variations in load distribution, and wear & tear over time. It typically ranges from 1.0 to 3.0, although the specific value can vary depending on the application and industry standards.
The bigger the wheel, the easier to push the caster forward, because it can roll over obstacles or rough and uneven surfaces more easily. This is because a larger wheel makes the obstacles look smaller compared with the wheel’s size, making it roll over them more smoothly.
However, larger wheels will raise the center of gravity, so if you want to make sure things don’t tip over, especially if what you are carrying is heavy on top, smaller wheels are the better option. What’s more, smaller wheels can increase the amount of force required to move, helping to keep the equipment in place.
Another factor to consider is safety. It’s recommended that the total height of what you’re moving, including wheels and loaded goods, does not exceed 1400 mm. This will help to see better and avoid accidents.
The following table describes the characteristics of some typical working environments that industrial casters often encounter.
| Application Environment | Environment Condition | Wheel Material Preferred | Noise Level Required | Corrosion Resistance necessity |
| Manufacturing plant | Heavy loads, frequent movement, potentially rough floors | Steel, Nylon, or polyurethane wheels for durability | Low-noise casters are often preferred | moderate corrosion resistance |
| Warehouses and distribution centers | Need to handle heavy loads, long distances, varying floor conditions | Polyurethane or rubber wheels for floor protection | Low noise casters to reduce disruptions | Limited, but important in humid environments |
| Construction site | Rough terrain, heavy loads, exposure to outdoor elements | Heavy-duty casters with pneumatic, Polyurethane, or rubber wheels | Less critical in outdoor, noisy environments | Moderate to high for weather resistance |
| Hospitals and healthcare | Smooth and clean floors, hygiene-critical | Non-marking, easy-to-clean wheels, often made of antimicrobial materials | Low noise casters for patient comfort | Typically, this is not a concern |
| Food processing | Hygiene-critical, wet, and washdown environments | Stainless steel, Nylon, or rubber wheels for corrosion resistance | Low noise casters to minimize disruptions preferred | |
| Retail and displays | Smooth store floors, aesthetic considerations | Non-marking, often decorative wheels | Low noise casters for a pleasant shopping experience | Not typically a concern except shopping cart wheels need to be washed down |
| Outdoor and rough terrain | Uneven terrain, exposure to weather conditions | Pneumatic or solid rubber wheels for shock absorption | Less critical in outdoor settings | Moderate to high for weather resistance |
| Polyurethane | High | Good | Good | Low |
| Elastic Rubber | Medium to high | Good | Good | Low |
| Nylon | High | Fair | Excellent | Moderate |
| Plastic | Medium to high | Fair | Fair | Low |
| Thermoplastic Rubber | Medium | Good | Good | Low |
| High-temp resisted | Very High | Poor | Good | low |
| Stainless Steel | Very High | Good | Good | Low |
Plain bearingThe plain bearing is a simple and cost-effective wheel bearing, which is durable and free of maintenance under normal conditions. Plain bearings are mainly used for light-duty and low-speed applications. Since overheating can occur at high speeds under heavy loads, plain-bore cast iron wheels require regular lubrication.
Roller BearingThe roller bearing is a sturdy, long-life grease lubricated, and maintenance-free wheel bearing type that consists of steel rollers(needles) fitted into a plastic or steel cage. These rollers roll between the axle tube and the wheel hub. As the wheel rotates around the axle, it has only rolling friction rather than sliding friction, resulting in low rolling resistance, even under heavy loads. In addition to the standard version, roller bearings are also available in stainless steel.
Ball BearingA central ball bearing ensures precise, smooth running and effective sealing. it is integrated or injected directly into the wheel center. Two sealing caps are fitted as standard for added protection. Lubricated with long-life grease, these bearings are maintenance-free under regular conditions.
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Most frequent layout for heavy loads and long distances | Affordable, easy to keep on a straight line, easy to nevigate |
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Used on ramps are not recommended | Easy to handle |
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For applications requiring lateral movement | Easy to push and pull, make sharp turns and navigate corners smoothly |
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Light loads, used on ramps are not recommended | Economic positioning |
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For heavy loads, precise steering | Easily turned and rotated, easily positioned in tight spaces, and change directions quickly |
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For very heavy loads and long travel times | The 2 fixed casters allow the weight of the load to be distributed over the 4 swivel ones |
The wheel is limited in that it can only spin on a single axis. It can only roll in one direction at a time. Casters incorporate wheels into their structure, but they are a little more evolved. A castor includes the mounting system that holds the wheel in place.
Your choice of caster size should depend on how you intend to use them. A bigger caster is better for heavy materials. For example, if you’re designing a workbench, you’ll need to support more weight, so larger casters are more suitable, however, smaller casters are a better option when what you are carrying is heavy on top and you want to make sure things don’t tip over. Smaller casters are suitable for carpets and soft surface.
Various factors including dirt, pet fur, lint from high-pile carpets, dust, threads, fabric remnants, hairiness, and poor-quality lubricant can cause poor rotation of caster wheels. In addition, small items like beads, pebbles, screws, or glitter can get stuck in the caster and prevent them from turning smoothly.
Typically, four caster wheels are necessary to make the equipment mobile. To ensure compliance with weight specifications, follow a straightforward calculation process. Firstly, calculate the total weight of the load. Next, divide this figure by your proposed number of casters. If the outcome is below the load capacity limit for each caster, you are on the right track in picking the suitable caster.
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