Loose wheel with PP hub and TPE tread

Loose wheel in TPE with PP hub

This is a loose wheel with a tread in TPE and a hub in PP, meant for light to medium heavy transport indoors where quiet running and a floor without marks carry weight. The tread is a thermoplastic elastomer with a hardness of 85 degrees Shore A, a fairly firm but still yielding running surface. TPE is often gray and non-marking, which means the wheel rolls without leaving the black streaks that dark rubber can give on light floors.

The character of the tread shows in service. A semi-firm elastomer gives moderate rolling resistance and a calm, damped run; the wheel gets going without a big jerk and damps small shakes from joints and seams. That makes the day quieter in a workplace with many starts and stops, for example a picking cart or a rolling serving table. TPE takes normal indoor surroundings and most of the mild cleaning agents found in premises and kitchens.

Compared with a softer wheel, say one in soft rubber, this one is somewhat firmer and rolls more easily, while a hard plastic wheel in nylon would roll even more easily but make more noise and risk scratching sensitive surfaces. TPE lands in the middle: soft enough to be quiet and spare the floor, firm enough not to feel sluggish.

The wheel comes with two bearing options. The plain bearing is simple and maintenance-free, takes dust and damp and suits places where the wheel rolls now and then. The ball bearing gives lower rolling resistance and a smoother run, a better choice when the cart is moved often or a stretch at a time. The PP hub is light and corrosion-free and holds its shape around the axle at the loads the series is built for.

The diameters reach from 40 to 150 mm. A larger diameter rolls more easily over thresholds and cable ducts and lowers the rolling resistance, while a smaller one keeps the overall height down where it is tight under a box or a chassis. Since the wheel has no bracket, it is mounted straight onto its own axle through the hub, which makes it easy to build into an existing design.

Where does it fit? TPE with a PP hub sits well under lighter transport carts, shelf carts, equipment stands and mobile furniture in workshops, warehouses, shops and public premises. The non-marking tread makes it a safe choice on lacquered concrete, tile and laminate where tracks and scratches are not wanted. The series handles load capacities up to 100 kg per wheel, so it is enough for an everyday load without being a heavy industrial wheel.

Think about the operating environment. TPE is happy at normal room temperature and in dry to slightly damp surroundings, not in strong heat or powerful solvents. If the wheel stands still for a long time under load, the tread can take a small temporary flat spot that rolls out after a while; that is common for elastic materials.

Are you unsure whether the diameter and the load capacity are enough for your cart? Get in touch and we will go through the load, the floor and how often it is to roll together.