Disc handwheels VH53 black

A disc handwheel sits where a machine is set: on the spindle that moves a fence, on the screw of the feed table, on the valve that throttles a flow. Disc Handwheels VH53 are molded in glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic with a matte surface and have a turning handle at the edge; since the handle rotates freely around its own axis you can crank many turns in a row without letting go or twisting your wrist.

The series spans six diameters: 80, 100, 125, 150, 175 and 200 mm, with heights from 33 to 59 mm. The diameter is chosen by the force needed when operating. A small wheel is enough for easy running spindles and valves, while a 200 mm wheel gives considerably more torque with the same hand force when the thread is coarse or the load is high. The fact that all six sizes share the same shape and color means a whole machine line can be fitted with wheels in several sizes without looking pieced together. If more force is needed than the largest wheel gives, it is often the gearing that should be looked at, not the wheel.

The hub is supplied with a pilot bore, meant to be machined to the finished shaft dimension by you or your subcontractor; you bore it out and add a keyway or pin locking as the design calls for. A cover cap in light gray thermoplastic then hides the shaft end and gives the wheel a clean front without a visible screw head. Exact hub and bore dimensions for each size are given by the manufacturer in the data sheet, together with the other detail dimensions.

The glass fiber reinforcement is the technical point of the series. Reinforced thermoplastic is considerably stiffer and holds its shape better than unreinforced, so the wheel does not flex when you tighten hard, and it keeps its shape even when the temperature in the building varies. The metal parts are in zinc plated steel. The matte black surface is easy to grip even with grease on your fingers, hides scratches and keeps its look after years of daily handling; a glossy wheel in the same environment would have looked worn after the first year.

The handwheels typically sit on the attachments of lathes and milling machines, on format settings in packaging machines, on fixtures, feed units, clamping devices and valves. Designers drawing their own machines and rigs use the disc handwheel as a standard interface for everything that has to be adjustable by hand, and the rotating handle makes a real difference during changeovers where the spindle has to be cranked many turns; ten turns with a fixed handle is tiring, ten turns with a rotating one takes seconds.

When choosing size it pays to think about the operator rather than the machine. A wheel that calls for two hands is the wrong choice; one that spins too easily is equally wrong, since the setting then creeps during operation. Start in the middle of the series and adjust by how it feels. Think about placement too: a large wheel close to a sharp sheet metal edge becomes a scrape on the back of the hand, and a small wheel deep inside the machine becomes a daily irritation. Details, you might say, but these are the wheels the operator touches a hundred times per shift.

Delivery is by pack: five wheels per pack in sizes 80 and 100 mm, two per pack from 125 mm and up. That suits both the machine builder who draws in the same wheel in several places and the maintenance department that wants replacement wheels on the shelf when old handles give up.

Unsure which wheel diameter gives the right force for your spindle? Get in touch, and we will help you settle the choice.