Swivel caster with solid PA6 wheel, 70 kg

Swivel caster with a solid wheel in PA6, top plate and wheel brake

This is a swiveling caster molded in one piece of PA6, with a hardness around 98 degrees Shore A, mounted on a top plate. The bracket turns 360 degrees and the plate is bolted down through four holes for a steady grip on the cart frame. The tread and the hub are the same nylon, a homogeneous and dense wheel with no glued joints, insensitive to moisture and easy to keep clean.

The hardness of 98 Shore A lies at the hard end but somewhat below the stiffest nylon wheels. In practice that means a wheel that still rolls easily and carries well, but where the material is not quite as rigid as the hardest grades. You get a small contact surface against the floor and therefore a low rolling resistance, and the wheel starts and rolls without you having to put in much force.

PA6 handles wear well and does not care about oil, grease or most mild chemicals, which makes it reliable in a workshop. The smooth surface does not pick up dirt the way a soft rubber does, and the wheel is therefore easy to wipe off.

There is one trade-off to keep in mind. A hard wheel rolls the most easily and carries a lot, but it does not damp and can run hard over joints and thresholds. A softer wheel in polyurethane or elastic rubber runs more quietly and takes up unevenness, but gives lower load and higher rolling resistance. This wheel suits you if you have an even, hard floor and want to prioritize easy rolling over damping.

Inside the hub sits a ball bearing. It gives low rolling resistance and a smooth, quiet ride, and suits places where the wheel rolls often and over long distances. With many starts and stops the difference against a simpler plain bearing shows clearly.

The caster comes in the diameter 100 mm and carries up to 140 kg per wheel. That diameter is a common middle size that rolls easily over normal floor joints while keeping the overall height under the cart reasonable. Mounting is done with a top plate, which with its four screw holes takes up the side forces from the swivel function well.

The swivel caster has a wheel brake. It locks the rotation of the wheel so that the cart does not roll away, but keeps the swivel function free. That suits you when you want to brake the cart in place but still be able to point it in another direction by hand, for example at a work bench where you adjust the position often.

Where does it fit? The PA6 swivel caster with a top plate and a wheel brake is an indoor caster for industry, warehouses and workshops. It sits under material carts, assembly carts, equipment racks and rolling work benches. The swivel function staying free when the brake is on makes it practical at stations where the cart should stand still but still be adjusted sideways.

Think about the operating environment. Nylon is happy at normal indoor temperature and in dry to slightly damp environments and handles most workshop chemicals. On soft or uneven floors the hard wheel loses ground to an elastic alternative, and on delicate surfaces you should weigh in that hard wheels can leave marks.

Do you want to know whether 100 mm and 140 kg are enough for your cart, or whether you need a different diameter? Get in touch and we will go through the load and the floor together.