Author: Algood

After decades in the caster business, we’ve learned that specifying the right caster starts with asking the right questions. That’s true whether you’re outfitting medical carts, industrial racks, or custom-built machinery. Here are the questions we hear most often, answered with the insight of our CasterSmiths who have been solving mobility problems for years.

1. How do I determine the correct load capacity for a caster?

Start by calculating the maximum load your equipment will carry when fully loaded with materials. It’s not enough to base your numbers on the empty frame—you need to plan for the heaviest load that equipment will ever see. Once you’ve got that total, divide by three (not four). Why? In real-world settings, not every caster touches the ground at the same time, especially on uneven floors. For example, if your equipment fully loaded weighs 1,200 lbs., each caster should be rated for at least 400 lbs.

2. What mounting options are available for casters?

The three most common are top plates, stems, and bolt holes. Top plates offer the most stability and are common on heavy-duty equipment. Threaded stems and grip rings enable casters to be fastened to the legs of equipment and are great for lighter carts or where space is tight. One critical point—especially with stem fastenings—is to ensure they’re installed flush between the equipment and top washer. A loose or uneven stem mount can lead to bending or failure over time. Bolt hole casters require a smaller footprint, offer easy maneuvering in tighter spaces, and simple replacement or maintenance if something goes wrong.

3. How do I determine which wheel material is best for an application?

Choosing the right wheel material isn’t one-size-fits-all—it starts by asking the right questions. What kind of flooring will the caster roll over? Will there be exposure to water, chemicals, or extreme temperatures? Is noise a concern? Will the load be moved manually or with powered equipment? How heavy is the fully loaded equipment? And how often will it be moved?

These questions help guide material selection. For example, if you’re dealing with high loads, you might consider in-house moulded options like RollX™ for ergonomic ease or NyRock™ for maximum durability. Polyolefin is a versatile, lightweight alternative that holds up well under stress. In washdown or chemical-prone settings, thermoplastics or nylon are often the answer.

If you need help comparing options, check out our Wheel Comparison Chart and Chemical Resistance Chart.

4. Do I need casters with brakes or locks?

If your equipment needs to stay in place for safety or function, yes. There are several options: brakes that apply friction to the wheel, total-lock brakes that stop both the wheel and swivel, directional locks that hold the wheel straight, and 4-position swivel locks that allow repeatable alignment. In critical settings like hospitals, labs, and factory lines, these features aren’t optional—they’re essential.

We always recommend considering our iLock system. It’s a high-performance lock that combines total-lock braking with precise positional control. If you’re looking for something dependable and easy to use, this is it.

5. How does wheel diameter affect performance?

The diameter may be dictated by the required overall height of the caster. Beyond that, larger wheels roll more easily. They help overcome obstacles, reduce push effort, and protect against vibration. On the other hand, they are less stable. Smaller wheels save space and lower the center of gravity—but they’re best kept to smooth floors. Choosing the right diameter has a real ergonomic impact, especially if people are pushing the load manually. If you provide us with the specific application and the details of the environment, we can recommend the ideal diameter.

6. What maintenance is required for casters?

Routine checks are key. Inspect wheels for wear, check that fasteners are tight, and keep bearings lubricated unless they’re sealed. In rough-duty environments, aim for quarterly maintenance. And if your casters get hosed down or are used in wet conditions, stainless steel is the way to go. It’ll keep rust at bay and extend the life of your investment.

7. Can I customize casters for specific needs?

Absolutely—and often, you should. Whether it’s the custom overall heights or stem lengths, bearing type, swivel radius, or even finish, customizations help align the caster to the real-world demands of your application. Tight space? Specific mounting style? Need your brand colour on the wheel? We’ve done it all.

We excel at creating casters for custom applications. Because we handle everything in-house—from moulding wheels to welding rigs—we can turn around custom requests quickly and precisely.

Do you have more questions? We’re here to help.

Every project has unique needs, and the best solutions start with a conversation. Whether you’re building from scratch or upgrading your existing setup, we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and find the right fit. Request a quote or contact us and let’s get rolling.

Choosing the right casters and maintaining them properly are essential steps to protect your mobility investment. However, casters often lurk in the shadows, out of sight and mind, until something starts creaking in the night. Yet, there can be some precious cargo riding on those wheels, and if one or more fails, it can cost you dearly. At the very least, failed casters are a real nightmare because you have to drop everything and give them your immediate attention. To help you recognize when the mobility monsters are at work and it’s time to call Caster 911, this issue of CasterU  highlights a few telltale signs that your casters might be on their last legs—or wheels.

1. Unsettling Noises

If your casters are screeching or rattling like a ghostly wail, they’re likely crying out for some lubrication. Casters should be lubricated twice a year to keep the wheels rolling smoothly. If strange noises persist, it might be due to a seizing wheel bearing, an incorrect bearing type, or even a worn rig/yoke. Sometimes, these eerie sounds indicate a caster misalignment that needs fixing before things get truly scary. It could be like hearing the floorboards creak when no one’s home–your first sign that something is coming back to haunt you.

2. Push/Pull Predicaments

If pushing equipment feels like hauling a trap filled with angry spirits, it’s probably rust or corrosion haunting your caster. Casters running at excessive speeds can also overheat and damage the hub, diminishing performance. If turning becomes a problem, the culprit could be brinelling—a condition where ball bearings create grooves in the raceway, limiting the caster’s swivel range. It’s like trying to run from a ghost in a nightmare–no matter how hard you push, you’re not going anywhere fast.

3. Uneven Wheel Wear or Flat Spots

Flat spots on your wheels might indicate foreign materials like thread, dirt, or even stray metal binding the wheels. Alternatively, it could mean the wheel material isn’t a good match for the temperature or conditionsit’s being used in. Think of it like rolling through a maze of spiderwebs–you keep getting tangled, and every rotation only slows you down.

4. Frame Distortion

This spine-chilling issue often arises from exceeding load capacities or experiencing excessive impact loads—like encountering a bump that magnifies the weight beyond what the casters can handle. Over time, this leads to a distorted frame that needs careful attention.

5. Top Plate Separation

If equipment goes over an unexpected obstacle or faces severe conditions, the top plate might bend and detach. This could also hint that the wrong hardware or washers were used during installation—creating a ghoulish situation no one wants to face. It’s like a vampire’s coffin lid coming off–nothing stays in place when it’s needed most.

6. Bent Stem or Kingpin

Collisions with other equipment or impacts with obstacles can leave your casters with bent stems or kingpins. Additionally, uneven loads can place excess strain on a single caster, leading to warping or contortion over time. It would be like a skeleton missing a few crucial bones–everything’s left unstable and on the verge of collapse.

If you encounter any of the signs above, it’s an emergency—your casters likely need to be replaced. However, the best way to avoid a 911 call is to use the right caster specifications from the start and maintain them properly. For expert advice to keep your mobility nightmares at bay, reach out to your local Algood sales representative or a member of our customer support team.

Electroplating is a key component of the caster manufacturing process. In this issue of CasterU, we provide you with everything you need to know about plating. 

Caster components are plated for two reasons. First, plating protects parts from corrosion. In fact, parts that are plated corrode 100 times slower than those that are untreated. Plating also enhances the appearance of parts, which is particularly important for furniture and retail fixtures.

Zinc plating is the most common coating available. It is also the most economical and requires the shortest lead times. Nickel, chrome and antique finishes are used to meet visual requirements. In this primer, we focus on zinc.

Based on the type of electroplating, there are many possible steps in the plating process. Here is a typical zinc plating process:

Soak & Cleaning — For the electroplating process to be most successful, all components must be thoroughly cleaned. Oil residue from stamping and chemicals from heat treatment processes prevent the adhesion of zinc plating and cause flaking. Parts are immersed in different acid and/or alkaline baths as part of electro-cleaning processes, which remove residue, debris, and scales at a micro level.

Zinc Plating Bath — Components are immersed in a solution that includes zinc and other chemicals. The length of time and other parameters of the solution determine the thickness of the zinc coating. At Algood, our standard coating thickness is eight microns, between 0.0003 and 0.0005 inches. The other chemicals in the solution add protection to the zinc coating and can enhance its appearance.

Dipping in the zinc solution can be done using a tumbling process where many small parts like nuts and washers are placed in a barrel and plated at the same time. That process isn’t suitable for bigger parts because fewer parts can fit economically in the barrel, and it would also result in dinging or denting. The alternative is a rack plating process in which parts are suspended through fixtures onto racks, and the complete rack with parts is dipped in the plating solution.

Rinsing & Seal Application — Components are rinsed thoroughly and dried, and often, an additional sealing solution is applied for added protection against rust. 

Corrosion protection testing is done by placing parts in a salt spray test chamber and measuring the number of hours until rust appears. Actually, there are two types of rust that are considered. The first to appear is white rust, which results when the zinc coating is oxidized. Once that coating has deteriorated, the metal itself oxidizes, and red rust appears.
 
There are options available to enhance zinc plating. Components can be immersed in the zinc solution for longer to add thickness to the coating. Additional chemicals can be added to provide enhanced protection to the plating. This is often done for casters to be used in the computer industry, where any flaking could contaminate the whole environment.

Environmental standards are extremely critical and all Algood’s plating is ROHS compliant, meaning that no hazardous chemicals are used.

Of course, your Algood sales representative or a member of our customer service team would be pleased to talk to you about the right plating to meet your requirements.