Casters and Wheels

There are several types of casters and wheels. These include:

• Rigid (or stationary) casters – These fixed-position casters feature a wheel mounted to a stationary fork (also called a horn). The wheel can only roll along a straight line path. Accessories, such as wheel locks, prevent the caster wheel from moving to hold the load in place.
• Swivel casters – Featuring a wheel mounted to a fork (also called a horn) that is mounted to a pivoting swivel joint, these casters can rotate a full 360° so the wheel can roll in any direction. Accessories, including caster locks, prevent the caster from swiveling to move the load in a single direction.
• Wheels – Offered in a wide variety of hardness, materials, sizes, and treads. Wheel materials include:
  
  
  • Metal
  • Phenolic resin
  • Plastic
  • Pneumatic
  • Polyurethane
  • Rubber
  The appropriate choice of caster wheels depends on many application-specific factors, such as:
  
  
  • Amount of use
  • Environmental conditions (moisture, extreme temperature)
  • Exposure to chemicals or liquids
  • Floor surface and condition
  • Load weight
  • Loading shocks
  • Noise restrictions
  • Speeds

Casters and wheels are used in a variety of areas to support processing and picking throughout a facility:

• Assembly: Transporting loads to, from and through assembly processes
• Order picking: On carts and forklifts, transporting pallets and totes throughout a facility
• Production: Moving in-process parts through a production line
• Replenishment: Transferring items from storage to picking locations
• Transport: Moving loads and equipment throughout a facility

Casters and wheels provide a variety of benefits:

• Mobility – Adding wheels and casters to a platform or piece of equipment makes it easy to transport a load or machinery throughout a facility to support processing and handling
• Ergonomics – Because they facilitate motion, wheels and casters lessen physical strains and stresses on personnel as they move heavy loads
• Transport – Wheels and casters enable easier storage and manufacturing processes because they help to speed the travel of component parts and inventory throughout a facility

Casters and sheels are used in nearly every industry, including:>

• Automotive
• Bakery
• Beverage
• Chemical
• Electronics
• Food
• Hospital
• Manufacturing
• Office
• Paper
• Plastics
• Retail
• Warehousing and distribution

• Institute of Caster and Wheel Manufacturers (ICWM) Industry Group
• Institute of Caster and Wheel Manufacturers (ICWM) Industry Group Members