When you think of industrial material handling, you may picture a dusty warehouse with a rough cement floor, with workers in boots and grease-stained coveralls moving pieces of heavy machinery on a battered truck with its wheels pocked and grimy from years of abuse. And you wouldn’t be wrong; that certainly describes a segment of material handling environments.
But there are also material handling needs at the opposite end of the spectrum: in environments that require a high degree of sanitation, such as food processing areas, hospitals, and laboratories. In these settings, every piece of equipment used, including trucks, carts, and dollies, need to be easy to clean and must inhibit the growth and spread of bacteria. This includes the casters on which the equipment rolls.
Here at Douglas Equipment, we have been supplying casters and other material handling equipment since 1955, from rugged heavy machinery to delicate cleanroom components. We’re always happy to lend our expertise to help you find the right casters you need for the jobs you have at hand, including those for sanitary environments. Here are some details on just a few of the casters we offer that will meet your needs when you must keep things clean.
Shepherd Medical Casters
Shepherd Casters manufactures a line of medical casters that are equally applicable in laboratories, food processing and service, and other cleanroom settings. Shepherd’s medical series includes:
- Stainless Hospital: This medium-duty caster (capacities from 165 to 240 pounds) is made of polished 304 stainless steel for easy cleaning. Its dual ball swivel raceways and precision ball bearings add increased strength and rollability. Choose from total lock brakes, which lock both the swivel and the wheel, or directional lock brakes, which lock the swivel only for easier steering. Available in hollow kingpin, threaded stem, and swivel-top plate models. Anti-microbial treads are available for all models.
- Hospital Bed Chrome and Hospital Bed Stainless: This series is ideal for hospital beds and stretchers. Both chrome and stainless models are resistant to corrosion by cleaners and disinfectants. These casters are available with santoprene rubber, polyurethane, and anti-static wheels, none of which will leave marks on floors. The swivel raceways have a sealed precision bearing for smooth swiveling and easy rolling. Available in central-locking free-swivel models, central-locking total lock models, and central locking direction and total lock combo models.
- MRI Caster Series: These casters are rated MRI Conditional, with a universal logo alerting hospital staff that these casters are approved for use with MRI machines. These casters are created with an extremely controlled manufacturing process that ensures that they are completely non-magnetic. All components are 100% anti-corrosive for easy sanitation and resistance to water and moisture. This caster can smoothly and quietly move 75 to 165 pounds of medical equipment, hospital carts, or other electronic equipment.
Colson Series 2 Stainless Steel Precision Casters
All component parts of these casters are made of stainless steel to resist corrosive materials and enable easy cleaning. The precision swivel raceway provides ergonomic, easy rolling, and swiveling with zero end play. Its permanently sealed precision bearing is in a metal housing and is maintenance free. Its 5/32-inch steel top plate provides optimal durability and impact strength for casters in its capacity class (275-300 pounds). Available with polyolefin, polyurethane HI-TECH, Performa Rubber, and TPE Hi-Temp, the last of which withstands high temperatures for use in autoclave operations and provides easy sanitation.
MedCaster Primacy PT/PS/PC Series
This caster has a wide array of medical applications, including:
- Care, hospital, and ICU beds
- Medical appliances
- Operating room beds and tables
- Stretchers
- Gurneys
- Medical recliners
- Mobile ultrasound equipment
Available in single-wheel and twin-wheel models, these washable casters sport a high-quality synthetic cover over die-cast aluminum, with sealed precision wheel bearings to eliminate maintenance. Also available with total locking brake or precision locking brake. PT Twin wheel models feature polyurethane treads, while PS and PC single-wheel models have thermoplastic rubber treads; none of these wheels will mark floor surfaces. With capacities from 286 to 330 pounds, the Primacy series makes an excellent all-purpose caster for all types of medical environments.
Medical is Just One of the Industries We Serve
Here at Douglas Equipment, we have many options and ideas that may be just right for your medical and laboratory material handling needs. Our knowledgeable and friendly customer support staff will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding medical casters such as these, or any other casters that would be appropriate for your tasks and your work environment. Contact us online, or if you’re local to South Florida, call us at 305-888-3700. National customers can call us at (800) 451-0030.