Essential Guide for Selecting Specialised Castors for High-Temperature Operations

24 June 2019
 Categories: , Blog


Castors play a critical role in industrial facilities because they facilitate the movement of material in, out and around the facility. Therefore, a standard polypropylene caster wheel will do if you are an equipment manager in an industrial facility where temperatures don't exceed 60 degrees Celsius. The wheels will function normally and give you excellent service throughout their entire service life. However, if the environment likely goes beyond 60 degrees Celsius, then you need specialised castors. Notably, when buying specialised castors for high-temperature application, you need to specify to the supplier the temperature range in your industrial facility. The information in this article will help you to select the right caster wheels for your operations. 

Glass-Filled Nylon Castors -- Specialised castors that are made from glass-filled nylon are best for applications where temperatures go up to 475°C. For instance, the baking ovens in an industrial bakery need specialised castors that can withstand high temperatures for extended periods. Since glass and nylon are poor conductors of heat, they can withstand long periods of baking over a long period of usage. Before you start shopping for glass-filled nylon casters, make sure that your temperature readings of the environment are accurate. 

Phenolic Castors -- This is another material that can withstand very high temperatures, and it is best suited for specialised castors in industrial environments where temperatures range between -30°C –300°C. Although phenolic castors break easily when compared to glass-filled nylon, phenolic holds its own in temperatures where the former cannot survive. An example of an application where phenolic casters are the best is an oven that is used to cure paint. You must, however, be careful when using phenolic castors because their load capacity falls with increased temperatures. Therefore, ensure that you match the load capacity to the operating temperature for quality castor service. Another advantage is that phenolic castors have a thick cross section for extra stability. 

Cast-Iron Castors -- Cast-iron is arguably the best material for castor wheels that are used in industrial environments where temperatures are between -100°C – 600°C and are sustained for long periods. Moreover, the load capacity is not affected by an increase in temperature; therefore, you should not worry about keeping tabs on any changes in temperatures. That said, cast-iron caster wheels have an axle spacer in place of bearings which must be lubricated with high-temperature grease. However, applications, where temperatures exceed 230°C, require exotic grease.     

If you follow this guide, you should be able to determine which specialised castors would be most appropriate for your work. 


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