A Quick Guide to select the best industrial castor

What is castor? An old question. Are they the stars of the galaxy, or small perforated shakers for sprinkling powdered sugar, or pivoting rollers attached to the underside of furniture and machinery to move them, or a type of Australian beaver? If you type the word castor, or castor as our friends across the pond in America spell the word into an internet search engine, the answer to the above question could be all four! However, in an industrial environment a castor is by definition a wheel on a rotating axle, which is attached to aid in mobility. Industrial Castors and Wheels have come up with some clever designs over the years to aid in the movement of objects. The dynamic coaster is one of the most recent developments in the field of conveyor systems.

Castor handing

Glass is by its very nature fragile and brittle and great care is taken in the manufacturing process to ensure that damage is kept to a minimum. Glass handling casters are a recent development, specifically designed to handle such delicate and polished flat sheet surfaces as in the glass manufacturing process. These casters are essentially either rubber, polyurethane or nylon balls seated on a threaded stem. Set the castor balls next to each other, as if on a conveyor, and the castor balls come into contact with the glass or wood and enable easy movement along the conveyor system.

Ability to handle friction

The industrial castors have made such an impact in the glass handling industry because of their ability to work in wet, dry or even dusty and harsh environments. These versatile casters have also entered the world of food production. Casters, like glass, can be fitted with stainless steel threads, so they won't rust. These casters also have the added advantage of being non-marking casters. Castor rubber or polyurethane balls have properties that are not suitable for food manufacturing environments. Polyurethane Ball Glass Handling Casters have resistance to wear and tear, making them an effective choice on conveyor systems.

Conveyor systems have been an important part of bulk material handling since the 17th century. In the early days they were mainly meant for carrying sacks of grain. Conveyor systems were not automated using conveyor belts and rollers until the 1900s. The front runner of the glass handling caster was the smaller ball transfer caster. These casters are suitable for heavy loads and are available in various sizes and shapes. A ball transfer caster essentially consists of a large ball sitting in a set of small ball bearings in a hemispherical cup. This ingenious design allows the main ball caster to spin freely in any direction.