Swivel bracket and industrial caster with PP hub and TPE tread, 100 kg

Industrial caster in a swivel bracket with TPE tread and PP hub

This is a swiveling industrial caster in a swivel bracket with a running surface in TPE and a hub in polypropylene. The combination gives a light caster that rolls quietly and does not mark the floor, built for indoor transport where both the noise level and the floor surface are to be kept in check. The TPE tread has a hardness around 85 Shore A, that is in the softer span, which is what gives the damped and quiet run.

TPE is a thermoplastic elastomer that is often gray and non-marking. It lays itself softly against the surface and takes up part of the small shocks when the wheel rolls over joints and seams. That keeps both vibration and noise down, something you notice in premises where staff stay all day and where the rolling rig would otherwise disturb. The gray tread also leaves no black streaks behind on light floors.

Soft has its price in rolling resistance. A soft TPE tread deforms somewhat under load and therefore needs a little more force to get going and keep rolling than a hard wheel in nylon or polyurethane. The difference is clear: a hard wheel rolls most easily and carries the most, but is louder and can scratch sensitive floors, while this softer wheel runs quietly and gently but suits lighter loads. The series handles load capacities up to 250 kg per wheel, which is plenty for manual carts, roller tables and lighter equipment underframes.

The hub in polypropylene is light and corrosion free and keeps the total weight of the caster down, an advantage when the cart is to be pushed by hand. The bearing is a plain bearing, a simple solution with no moving parts to maintain; it takes dust and wet and works well in environments where the wheel is exposed to dirt. The plain bearing gives a somewhat higher rolling resistance than a ball bearing, but needs no attention and therefore suits wheels that are to run a long time without service.

The swivel bracket makes the caster swivel through 360 degrees, so the cart can be maneuvered and turned in tight spaces. The wheels are mounted with a top plate that is screwed on with four holes in the underframe, a stable and common mounting. The diameters reach up to 200 mm. A larger diameter rolls more easily over thresholds and lowers the rolling resistance further, while a smaller one keeps the overall height down where space is limited.

Where does it fit? A TPE wheel with a PP hub often sits under serving carts, picking carts, roller tables and lighter machine underframes in premises where quiet and clean floors weigh heavily, for example in healthcare, offices, shops and light industry. The non-marking tread makes it a safe choice on painted concrete, linoleum and tiles.

Think about the operating environment. TPE is happiest at normal indoor temperature and in dry to slightly damp environments. If the caster stands still for a long time under full load, the soft tread can take a temporary flat spot that rolls out after a while, which is normal for elastic materials. For heavy loads on a hard floor a harder wheel is often a better choice.

Do you want to know which diameter and load capacity suits your cart or your table? Get in touch and we will go through the load and the surface together and find the right wheel.