jeudi 18 juillet 2013

Basics About Stainless Steel Casters

By Chelsea Evans


Stainless steel casters are usually in the form of small wheels that are mounted at the base of an item. They are sometimes known as castors and can be double, compound or single depending on the object they are fitted on. They are fitted on items such as chairs, tables, shopping carts, and many others. They are used to enable easy movement of the object from one point to another.

These objects are available in varied sizes and are made of different materials. Some of the most used materials include nylon, aluminum, plastic, or rubber. Casters, which are produced from stainless steel are tough and withstand heavy loads thus used in lots of industrial uses. A heavy-duty caster is mounted on items such as platform towlines, trucks, and carts. Castors operate better on smooth and straight 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.

Addition of dampers and lengthening footrests is known to control flutter. Given that, flutter occurs at high speeds partially due to lack of stability. Stability can be improved by allowing more trailing distance. More friction at swivel joints may also be an option in dealing with flutter. Friction can be increased by addition of washers at the swivel joints.

When in need of stainless steel casters lots of online corporations sell them at lower prices. Such companies sell castors of all sizes and are made using various materials. Old, new, and potential clients can contact them via their blogs on the internet for inquires and details.




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