Casters versus Castors - How to choose the best? - By: Katrina Wagner

Following our presidential style debates during the recent government election in the United Kingdom, many commentators have complained of the Americanisation of our political system. However Americanisation of our British culture has been happening over the last hundred years. In fact the author and poet George Bernard Shaw once remarked the United Sates and the United Kingdom are ‘two countries divided by a common language’.

No more so has this recently been evident in the world of castors utilised for manual handling. The British spelling of the word ‘castors’ is often confused for the American version spelt rather differently as ‘casters’. There are several American versions of words in the British language. Castors and casters are not alone. Other notable differences are, for example, the British version of ‘colour’ is spelt in America ‘color’. If you are searching on the internet it may be mindful to utilise both versions of the word castors and casters in order to find what you are looking for!

Once you have decided on your term, either the British castors or the American casters there are a huge variety of castor or caster options open to you. Castors and casters are used in a breath taking variety of situations. Once you start to notice castors, they appear to be used everywhere, from office chair castors, to rubbish bin castors, to supermarket trolley castors to heavy industrial castors on machinery.

Even as you board your flight to go on your holiday, you may notice castors on the airport trolleys all around you. If machinery and equipment are used excessively, casters may become damaged. Replacement castors and casters often provide a more cost efficient solution than replacing the whole piece of equipment.

Choosing the right castor, or casters, can often be daunting and finding the right replacement that is suitable for you will potentially save you time and money. To specify a replacement caster there are a number of criteria you would need to consider. To determine which type of castor you require, a basic understanding of casters is required. A caster, or castor, is essentially a wheel set in a metal housing, comprising of either a top plate of single bolt hole for attachment via screws or bolts. Castors can be fixed which means they roll in one rigid direction, or casters can be swivelling, rotating in 360 degrees and able to manoeuvre in all directions.

When choosing the right castors, one of the most important considerations is determining the load the castors are expected to carry. For heavier loads, casters are required to manoeuvre under more extreme conditions, which mean more industrial castors would be required. As equipment and machinery can be relocated and move over uneven ground or ramps, the floor surface is another important criteria to be considered.

For example if a trolley moves on carpet or floor tiles and must be quiet, a rubber wheel casters are preferable. If the flooring is industrial, such as a concrete floor, then nylon or polyurethane castors are better options. So if its ‘castors’ or even ‘casters’ you need then consider the options of fixed castors versus swivel castors, the loads capacities and the flooring they are running on. Fulfilling these basic criteria will enable you to buy the most appropriate casters for your requirements.

About the Author

Ross Handling specialise in the supply of all types of castors and industrial wheels to industry throughout the UK. View the full range of Castors and enquire online.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Katrina-Wagner/79590

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