A Better Cast
er
When it comes to moving fragile items, certain details are very important. In particular, glass items that need to be moved, need to be both stabilized and cushioned in a way that allows safe movement without rigidity. A very important item for which strong consideration should be taken, is the caster. With the advancements in design and material technology, there are now casters that are specifically designed for use with glass. One example is the Glass Handling Caster by Shepherd. This particular caster has many specialty features that takes into consideration the fragility and rigidness of glass.
Wheel Details
The Glass Handling Caster has a 2” soft non-marking wheel with a 15/16” tread. The wheel is made of neoprene. Neoprene, a synthetic rubber, is a material that maintains chemical stability and therefore can maintain flexibility over a range of environmental temperatures.
Movement and Size Details
The Glass Handling Caster features a dynamic load bearing capability of 75lbs. and has a mounting height of 2-3/4”. It features a raceway system that can protect against debris. It also features ball bearings that allow the wheel to have great rolling ability. And it has a swivel radius of 2-9/16”. The Glass Handling Caster comes with a threaded stem mounting application that features jam nuts to allow for mounting height adjustments. Additional mounting options are available upon special request. Additionally, it is coated in zinc to help resist corrosion.
Caster Uses
The glass industry and glass manufacturers have very specific purposes for which they use casters to transport glass. Often the casters are placed in inverted position mounted to conveyor systems. Therefore the casters can be used in various situations in plant operation, conveyor systems and other material handling.
Possible Other Caster Needs
Possibly the Glass Handling Caster is the perfect solution for your business’s needs. However, there may be other circumstances in which you need casters to add mobility and other options may be better suited. Just as the advancements in technology have made specialty options available, the standard offerings and variety of options available are greatly increased.
Knowing the Other Options
When making the determination if a specialty caster may be good for the job you have to accomplish it is beneficial to be familiarized with the wide variety of basic casters options available. In general, standard caster options come in three categories based on their weight bearing capabilities. There are light, medium and heavy, each able to transport and handle a slightly higher category of weight ranges.
Details of Standard Options
Within each category, there are many different characteristics that have different options available. Each different one changes the functionality of the caster and how it interacts with its environment. Some of the different characteristics include: mounting mechanism, wheel material, wheel size, tread, and metallic finish of wheel housing. Some of the available options of mounting mechanisms include:
- kingpinless top plate
- square stem
- top plate
- top plate swivel
- threaded stem
- stainless steel
- expanding adapter stem
- grip ring stem
- pipe thread stem and modular stem
Some of the wheel material and tread options available for light and medium casters may include:
- Performa Rubber with flat tread
- Polyolefin
- Hi-tech Polyurethane
- Cushion Rubber and Hard Rubber.
Some of the available wheel material and tread options available for the heavy casters may include:
- Performa Conductive Round
- Polyolefin
- Maxim
- Hi-Temp Thermo
- Polyurethane Hi-Tech
- Phenolic
- Cast Iron
Also, within the material varieties there are tread size options. The tread variance usually ranges from 7/8” to 1 and ½”. In addition to the standard categories and the specialty Glass Handling Caster there are other specialized casters that are designed with specific purposes in mind. For example, some of the specialty options may include:
- spring loaded door casters
- rug runner casters
- die-cast aluminum leveling casters
- gravity concealed side mount casters
- lock ladder casters
- high-capacity and
- low overall height extrathane casters
Important Details to Consider
In addition to carefully considering the weight of the load that you will need to move, there are many other job and workplace environment details to consider. For example: What is the type of floor or ground that the casters will be required to travel over? As previously mentioned, how fragile is the item being moved? These questions can help you to best determine which wheel material type would be the best match for the job. Also, sound quality and aesthetics may need to be taken onto consideration depending on the work environment. Visual aesthetics and appearances may be very important for businesses that have an area in which they need to make a good first impression.
For this purpose there are different metallic finishes and materials option available for both the caster housing and the wheel. In other areas of business the sound quality may be of equal importance. For this purpose it is beneficial to note that some materials, due to their hardness or softness, may be either quieter or louder when combined with certain floor types.
A Trusted Source
Regardless of the particular parameters of the jobsite and the job that needs to be accomplished there is a caster that is more specifically suited to the combination of factors. At Douglas Equipment, it is our job to ensure that you have a full understanding of the potential options so that you can make an informed decision. We strive to make the decision making process one that is informative, easy and speedy.
We know that you have business to do and, therefore we make it our job to help you find the best and most cost effective caster solution to best suit your specific business needs. We have a long-standing reputation and a full understanding of the caster and material handling industry. Please contact us Toll-free at 1-800-451-0030, locally at 305-888-3700, or by faxing us at 305-883-9563. We can also be reached electronically through the Contact Us section on our website. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
