Loose wheel in solid PA6, Ast

Loose wheel with a solid wheel in PA6, ESD

This is a loose wheel in PA6 with a conductive ESD property, built for spaces where static electricity has to be led away instead of building up. Running surface and hub are cast in the same nylon with a hardness of around 75 degrees Shore D, and the material is made electrically conductive. The wheel leads static charge from the cart down to the floor while it rolls.

ESD stands for electrically conductive and is the whole point of this version. When a cart rolls, static electricity otherwise builds up and can discharge in a spark. In electronics production, clean rooms and environments with sensitive components, such a discharge can damage products or disturb equipment. A conductive wheel gives the charge a path down into a dissipative floor, so the potential stays even. The function depends on the floor being intended for the purpose as well.

PA6 is a hard tread material with low rolling resistance. The wheel starts easily and rolls evenly with low friction, and the hard surface keeps its shape under load. On the clean, hard floors that ESD environments often have, the nylon does well and wears slowly. The material takes moisture and mild chemicals without trouble.

Like all hard wheels, PA6 does not damp noise or shocks to any great degree and can leave marks on sensitive floors. A softer conductive wheel would have run more quietly, but would have lowered the load capacity. Here the conductive property and the easy run weigh heaviest, and the load capacity is deliberately lower than on the heavy PA6 wheels: the series carries up to 170 kg per wheel, which is plenty for the equipment that typically rolls in an ESD environment.

The wheel comes with a ball bearing, which gives low rolling resistance and an even run suited to lighter loads and frequent moving. The hub is cast in the same conductive PA6 as the tread, so the conductive path runs unbroken through the whole wheel, from running surface to axle. The homogeneous hub is easy to keep clean, which suits environments with high demands on cleanliness.

The wheels come in diameters from 100 up to 125 mm. That is a practical size for equipment carts and rolling racks; a slightly larger diameter rolls more easily over joints, a smaller one keeps the overall height down. Since the wheel has no bracket, it mounts directly on its own axle through the hub and is easily built into your own chassis or cart design.

Where does it fit? The ESD wheel belongs in electronics production, clean rooms, laboratories and assembly lines for sensitive components. It sits under tool carts, assembly carts and rolling racks where static electricity would otherwise be a risk. The easy run makes it simple to move equipment often and carefully.

Think about the operating environment. The conductive function requires a dissipative floor, otherwise the charge has no way out. PA6 does well at normal indoor temperature and in dry to slightly damp premises. On sensitive floors you should consider a softer running surface, and do not load the wheel beyond its load capacity, since the series is dimensioned for lighter loads.

Do you want to make sure that wheel and floor work together in your ESD environment, and find the right diameter for your cart? Get in touch and we will go through the requirements together.