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Shock and vibration are constants on manufacturing floors, and industrial casters take their share of abuse between frequent directional changes, uneven flooring, and debris. Constant vibration can also cause equipment like casters and carts to experience fatigue over time.
Either way, it’s a challenge that manufacturers are always looking to overcome. And one of the best ways to accomplish this is by using a Shock Absorbing Caster.
Shock Absorbing Casters are spring loaded and designed to absorb shocks and minimize the impact to the cart, resulting in smoother movement, reduced risk of damage, and less noise. They are also great for applications where the load may be fragile or highly reactive to vibration, such as small parts or glass.
A spring cushions the effects of surface unevenness and impacts from the floor. Shock absorbing casters are usually spring loaded, and those springs deflect when you apply pressure to them. Vertical spring-loaded, heavy-duty casters are ideal for applications where the carrier is used for a dedicated purpose and set for pre-determined weight capacity.
The benefit of this design is that there will be no deflection of the springs when loaded with the rated load capacity. [Spring deflection is the travel distance between the loaded position and the pre-loaded position of the spring. Click here for more information on spring deflection.]
Spring-loaded casters are very popular in the aerospace industry and are used for jet engine dollies and aircraft jacks. They are also ideal for in-plant trailers, trash gondolas, lift truck stabilizer casters, revolving signs, parade floats, and many other industrial applications. These casters can be designed to carry loads over 20,000 lbs. They can also minimize vibration and noise when the cart is empty.
If your application requires dual-wheel shock absorbing casters, consider casters with independent suspension. MS casters utilize a Vari-Flex linear suspension system. This system achieves optimal shock reduction, and drastically reduces shimmy, dynamic bounce, and resonance when the cart is empty, or loaded beyond its rated capacity. Our dual wheel models utilize a fully independent suspension, and each wheel has a separate leg and axle. It’s like having two different casters on one top plate. This is extremely beneficial because it helps to keep both wheels on the ground and the cart or dolly level, even when the ground is not.
With vibration comes noise, and products like the CasterShoX® are efficient at reducing both noise and shock load. CasterShoX® utilizes patented technology that combines the very best attributes of spring technology and polymer dampening technology. The result is a product that is unsurpassed in dampening noise in a manufacturing environment.
These casters have elastomer springs that are built directly into the wheel’s very core, thus further mitigating vibration and shock and ensuring a much smoother ride for the load. For even heavier loads, the 93 Series Extra Heavy-Duty Shock Absorbing Caster is also a great choice. It can handle up to 25,000 pounds per caster, making it perfect for use on aircraft jacks and engine dollies.
CasterShoX® At-a-Glance:
Here at Caster Concepts, we offer several lines of shock-absorbing casters to choose from. Our engineers have the expertise and experience to meet and solve your most difficult noise and shock-absorbing challenges.
