An Industry Constantly in Movement
An industry that is constantly in movement in almost every aspect is the Aerospace industry. In an industry that is so dependent on movement, it is vital that everything be able to move quickly and efficiently and that there is little down time. A large part of the movement that occurs in the aerospace industry happens behind the scenes. Although there are many aspects of business that require movement that are seen by airline clients, from luggage carriers to carts, to flight attendant carts to moveable airline doors, there is still a large percentage of industry movement that occurs out of customer sight. Out of sight, however does not mean that it is not important to the industry and the client. In fact, the efficiency with which the behind the scenes movement is handled is imperative to assuring customer satisfaction.
The Center of Movement, the Airplane
The crux of the airline’s business is the airplane itself. And much of the movement of the industry happens in correlation to this very important construct. Just the everyday happenings require much to and fro movement; however, as with anything that is in constant movement, there is also the need for regular maintenance and repairs. Imagine the supplies and food items that need to be transported to an airplane daily. Or imagine the amount of luggage that needs to be hauled to meet the correct plane. Also, to maintain, replenish and sometimes repair the mechanical aspects of the airplane, imagine the many parts and materials that need to be transported to and from storage areas to the airplane to accomplish this work.
Everything Is Mobile
When considering the amount of things that are in movement to make an airline function, it is amazing to consider how many pieces of equipment need to be able to be on the move. There is little use for immobile equipment in a constantly moving workplace such as an airline. If most of the equipment utilized needs to be in motion, imagine the number of casters that are in use to make all of those things moveable. With the wide variety of equipment and items that need to be moved, not only are there many casters in use, but there are many different types of casters in use.
Each type of caster is almost constantly in use, and therefore receives a high volume of usage resulting in greater wear and tear. Due to the nature of the business, it is very important to make sure that the correct caster is chosen for each type of equipment being used, and for each type of job. If the caster is properly matched to the job that it is being asked to accomplish then it will make the job go much smoother, and it will save the airline money in the long run because the caster will be able to hold up better doing the correct job it was designed for.
What to Consider
There are many aspects to consider when it comes to choosing the caster that will be best suited for the specific job you have to accomplish. First and foremost, there are many questions that need to be answered about the specific job. What is the job? If you are thinking of utilizing casters then it is inevitable that something needs to be moved. What needs to be moved? Where does it need to be moved? Over what type of terrain does it need to be moved? Is the item oddly shaped and hard to balance? Or is the item or items unusually heavy? A lot of things can also be dependent on the specific work environment. If a work environment is dependent on things being in constant movement then the reliance on casters is one of utmost importance.
Making the Correct Match
After determining the details of the job to be performed, it is then very important to consider the makeup of the caster itself to make the correct match. Some of the most basic aspects to consider include the following: wheel width, wheel diameter and the overall height of the caster which contains both wheel and attachment mechanism. It is also important to consider the material of the wheel, as well as the design and material of the mount.
Specialty Casters for Every Unique Need
In the aerospace industry there are many specific situations that require special types of casters. And there are a wide variety of specialty casters available to meet those needs. Some of the examples include: spring loaded door casters, gravity lock ladder casters, concealed side mount casters, die-cast aluminum leveling casters, rug runner casters, high-capacity, low overall height extrathane casters and glass cutting table casters. Another specialty option is the addition of carbon steel ball transfers that are made of a ball of steel or nylon that can roll omnidirectionally, multiplying movement options exponentially.
Making the Hard Choice
Because there are many different types of casters to choose from, the decision can be a difficult one. Starting with the basics, Douglas Equipment offers a full range of basic and specialty casters. There are three different segments of basic casters that we carry. They are Light, Medium and Heavy. We also carry a large range of Specialty and Pneumatic casters to ensure that you will be able to find the most appropriate caster for the job.
No matter what your caster needs are, we at Douglas Equipment are happy to help you ask the right questions to determine which is the best one. We have been keeping people and companies on the move for over fifty years. And with our industry and inventory knowledge combined, we want to help you make the wisest choice. Please contact us by calling Toll-free at 1-800-481-0030 or locally at 305-888-3700. You can also reach us through the Contact Us section of our website. We look forward to hearing from you.
