Castors - swivel castors and fixed castors

What is the difference between castors?

Castors are divided into swivel castors and fixed castors. Swivel castors can also be equipped with a brake. A swivel castor can be turned through 360° and thus allows the user a high degree of manoeuvrability, e.g. when turning a trolley on the spot.
A fixed castor, on the other hand, cannot swivel and is rigid in its frame. The advantage of this for longer distances is that the trolley does not swerve sideways as quickly and keeps its track better.

 

Which castor materials are available?

  • TPE (thermoplastic elastomer)
  • Solid rubber
  • Elastic solid rubber
  • Polyurethane
  • Polyamide
  • ESD-TPE (electrically conductive)
  • Pneumatic tyres

 

Which castor for which application?

When choosing a castor, you should consider the following criteria:

How high is the required load capacity?
What kind of surface do you have at the place of use?
Is there dirt, chips, nails, liquids and chemical substances on the floor, etc.?

Apart from these basic characteristics of the floor, there are also questions about the desired driving comfort. A high-quality castor offers better damping properties or lower rolling resistance, depending on what is desired. It should be noted that the load-bearing capacity alone does not necessarily mean that the trolley can be pushed easily with the castor.

 

Here is a brief overview of the castor characteristics:

Wheels with TPE

Medium load capacity, easy-running deep-groove ball bearing, little elasticity, very low rolling resistance, ideal for flat floors.

Wheels with solid rubber

Medium load capacity, easy-running roller bearing, elastic running and therefore also suitable for slightly uneven floors. Cost-effective and universally applicable.

Wheels with elastic solid rubber

High load capacity, ball bearings, long service life, low driving noise, very comfortable due to light and highly elastic running. Good for frequent driving over edges and thresholds.

Wheels with polyurethane

High load capacity, ball bearings, light low-noise running, resistant to many aggressive media, very high-quality and durable tyres.

Polyamide wheels

High load capacity, easy running on smooth floors. Largely resistant to moisture, salt, acids and alkalis. High driving noise.

Wheels with ESD TPE

Properties as with TPE but in an electrically conductive version. Odourless, non-marking, ideal for ESD areas.

Wheels with pneumatic tyres

Low to medium load capacity, very elastic running, ideal for use in poor floor conditions, especially outdoors.