Industrial Casters are industrial mobility devices consisting of a wheel, a frame (rig), and bearings. They are divided into two types: swivel casters (universal wheels) that can rotate 360 degrees, and rigid casters (fixed casters) that cannot turn. Common materials include polyurethane (PU) and rubber. They are often used in combination (e.g., a hand truck with rigid casters at the front and swivel casters at the rear). They are suitable for equipment in factory workshops, warehouse logistics, and automated production lines such as conveyors and assembly robots. In 2024, the market size of China's industrial caster industry reached 8.409 billion RMB. Upstream raw materials included 1.4 billion tons of steel and 9.219 million tons of synthetic rubber. [1][3]
In 2022, China's industrial caster production was 334 million units, with demand at 281 million units. Coastal regions including Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu accounted for over 68% of the output. Companies such as Qingdao Dashi Huihao Caster Co., Ltd. (achieving full industry chain self-production), Zhejiang Yideli Caster Co., Ltd. (with a production base of 25,000 square meters), and Zhongshan Wika Caster Co., Ltd. hold major market shares. Through intelligent technology upgrades, the industry has achieved a 25% reduction in raw material consumption. Qingdao Wei Hai Technology reached an output value of 300 million RMB in 2023. The industry is moving towards integrating sensor and automation control technologies, gradually enabling autonomous navigation and unmanned production. [1-2] [4-5]
- Chinese Name: 工业脚轮 (Gōngyè Jiǎolún)
- English Name: Industrial Casters
- Classification: Swivel Casters, Rigid Casters, Swivel Casters with Brakes
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Casters
2. Product Introduction
3. Selecting the Right Bearing
Introduction to Casters
Caster Classification
- By Steering Capability: Rigid casters have no swivel structure and cannot turn; swivel casters (universal wheels) allow 360-degree rotation. (Figure: Rigid Industrial Caster shown in original).
- By Application Industry: Mainly divided into medical casters, industrial casters, supermarket casters, furniture casters, etc.
- Medical Casters: Specialized casters designed for hospitals requiring quiet operation, high flexibility, high elasticity, extra silence, wear resistance, tangle resistance, and chemical resistance.
- Industrial Casters: Mainly refers to caster products used in factories or mechanical equipment. They can use wheels made of advanced imported reinforced nylon (PA6), super polyurethane, or rubber, offering high impact resistance and strength.
- Supermarket Casters: Specially developed for the mobility of supermarket shelves and the light, flexible requirements of shopping carts.
- Furniture Casters: A dedicated type produced for furniture requiring a low center of gravity and high load capacity.
- By Caster Material: Mainly divided into super synthetic rubber casters, polyurethane (PU) casters, plastic casters, nylon casters, steel/iron casters, high-temperature resistant casters, rubber casters, and S-type synthetic rubber casters.
Applications of Casters
Casters are extremely widely used, primarily on hand trucks, mobile scaffolding, workshop carts, etc.
Often, the simplest inventions are the most important, and casters possess this characteristic. Interestingly, the level of development in a city is often positively correlated with the usage rate of casters. Cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing, Wuxi, Chengdu, Xi'an, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Shenzhen have a very high caster utilization rate.
A caster consists of a single wheel mounted on a frame (rig) and is installed under equipment to allow free movement. Casters are mainly divided into two categories:
- A. Rigid Caster: A fixed frame (rig) with a single wheel, allowing movement only in a straight line.
- B. Swivel Caster: A 360-degree swiveling frame (rig) with a single wheel, allowing movement in any direction.
Industrial caster wheels come in many types, varying in size, tread shape, and material. Choosing the right wheel depends on several conditions:
- A. The environment where it will be used (floor conditions).
- B. The required load capacity.
- C. Exposure to chemicals, blood, grease, oil, salt, etc.
- D. Special climatic conditions like humidity, high heat, or severe cold.
- E. Requirements for impact resistance, shock absorption, and quiet operation.
Image caption: Heavy-duty white nylon swivel caster for shelving/racking.
How to Choose the Right Casters
1. Light-Duty Applications (10-140 kg per caster) : For smooth floors in supermarkets, schools, hospitals, offices, hotels (light loads). Choose electroplated steel frames (2-4mm thick) , which are lightweight, maneuverable, quiet, and attractive. For frequent movement, select double ball bearing raceways over single.
2. Medium to Heavy-Duty Applications (280-420 kg per caster) : For factories and warehouses with frequent, heavy loads. Choose hot-forged, welded thick steel plates (5-6 mm thick) with double ball bearing raceways.
3. Extra Heavy-Duty Applications (350-1200 kg per caster) : For textile, automotive, and machinery factories with high loads and long travel distances. Choose frames cut from very thick steel plates (8-12 mm thick) and welded. Swivel frames should use a combination of plain thrust bearings and ball bearings in the top plate for heavy load capacity, smooth swiveling, and impact resistance.
Product Introduction
Industrial casters are caster products primarily used in factories or mechanical equipment. They can utilize wheels made of advanced imported reinforced nylon (PA6), super polyurethane, or rubber, offering high overall impact resistance and strength. The metal components of the frame (rig) are made of high-quality steel plate, treated with zinc or chrome plating for corrosion resistance. Precision ball bearings are installed inside using an integral injection molding method. Users can choose steel plates of 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, or 6mm for the caster frame.
Image caption: Polyurethane (PU) Caster
Performance and Features
1. The caster frames are produced using high-pressure stamping presses in a single operation, suitable for short-distance transport of goods with load capacities between 200-500 kg.
2. Wheels of various materials and load widths can be selected according to the user's different operating environments.
3. Generally, industrial casters can be used in various environments such as factories, workshops, commercial spaces, and the catering industry.
4. Different caster products can be designed according to the required load capacity of the user's environment.
5. Two types are available: industrial ball bearings and industrial roller bearings.
How to Select Suitable Industrial Casters
Many different factors determine the choice of an industrial caster; the key is what best suits your application. Several of the most important considerations are introduced below.
- Load Capacity: Determines the load weight and wheel size, also affects the caster's swiveling ease. Ball bearings are suitable for heavier loads above 180 kg.
- Floor Condition / Site Condition: Choose a wheel large enough to handle floor cracks or debris. Also consider the roughness of the floor and potential obstacles.
- Special Environment: Each wheel type adapts to different working environments; choose the best one for your specific environment. For example, traditional rubber is not resistant to acids, oil, and chemicals. For different special environments, Keshun high-tech polyurethane wheels, plastic wheels, modified bakelite wheels, and steel wheels are good options.
- Swiveling Flexibility / Rolling Ease: Larger wheels roll with less effort. Ball bearings can handle heavier loads and provide more flexible swiveling, but typically have a lower load capacity than roller bearings for the same size.
- Temperature Limits: Extreme cold or heat can cause problems for many wheels. Using Keshun specially formulated green grease allows casters to operate in temperatures ranging from -40°C to 165°C.
Image caption: High-temperature resistant swivel caster
Selecting the Right Bearing
- Delrin / Plain Bearing (Thermoplastic) : Delrin is a DuPont engineering plastic suitable for harsh environments including extreme cold, heat, dryness, humidity, and corrosive conditions. It is durable.
- Image caption: Delrin / Plain Bearing
- Roller Bearing: Can handle heavier loads compared to a ball bearing of the same specification.
- Ball Bearing: Fully sealed precision ball bearings (pressed into the wheel in pairs) are suitable for applications requiring smooth swiveling and quiet operation.
- Image caption: Fully sealed precision ball bearing
- Integral precision ball bearings (products from precision machining) are suitable for applications with higher load capacity, low noise, and smooth swiveling.
- Image caption: Integral precision ball bearing
---
I hope this translation is helpful. Let me know if you would like any adjustments for a specific regional dialect or terminology preference.