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Caster Selection
Guide- Office Furniture Casters
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Guide for Office Furniture Casters, Chair Casters, Table
and Cart Casters...
Office chair casters, also known as twin wheel casters, are produced in a
variety of styles, sizes and features. Below are descriptions of the most
commonly used office furniture casters:
Click on a heading to advance to the appropriate section:
Wheel Size- measured in
millimeters, ranges from 30mm to 125mm or more
30mm-45mm Caster Wheel
Diameter: typically used on mobile furniture such as credenzas or filing
cabinets, wheels not large enough for office chair casters due to the higher
weight loads and impediment heights common for office chairs
50mm-65mm Caster Wheel Diameter: typical office
chair casters used on office chairs, ideal for the weight load and conditions
where office furniture is used, wheels too large of a profile for mobile office
furniture and cabinets and not durable enough for higher weight loads required
of carts and heavy duty furniture. 50mm wheels are more economical and have a
lower less obvious profile, 55mm-65mm wheels are typically more durable and are
more visible of an office chair caster
75mm-125mm Caster Wheel Diameter: ideal for heavy
duty office furniture applications such as carts and tables, generally of a more
durable construction these casters can be of the usual twin wheel caster
construction or the more durable riveted axle style which can perform under
greater loads and higher impediments, generally too large of a profile for use
as office chair casters as well as being less economical than the 50mm-65mm
office chair casters
Wheel Type- describes
the construction of the wheels on twin wheel furniture casters
Hard Wheel Caster- wheels
are constructed entirely of one material, usually nylon. Ideal for use on all
surfaces and is the most common and economical caster wheel type, the most
undesirable effect of the hard wheel caster is its tendency to be noisy on hard
surfaces, especially uneven surfaces like ceramic tile or concrete
Soft Wheel Caster- wheels are constructed of a
hard core surrounded by a softer material, typically nylon core and
thermoplastic polyurethane caster wheel tread, provides a softer feel and more
quiet performance but is much more expensive than the hard wheel caster due to
the fact that this caster wheel uses more expensive materials and is produced in
multiple processes, usually a high end option for hard and uneven surfaces
Conductive Wheel Caster- a specialty
caster produced in both soft and hard wheel versions but where the wheel and
caster body conduct electricity, useful in clean room and antistatic
applications
Housing type- describes
the design and style of the caster body
Center Housing/Unhooded
Caster- this design of caster body has no hood or cover over the wheels, so the
caster wheels are entirely visible and offers a more technical appearance and
some economics due to its use of less material
Hooded Caster- this design features a cosmetic hood,
covering or fender over the wheels which conceals the tread of the wheels and
gives the furniture caster a more classic polished appearance as well as less
areas in which dirt or dust can collect, one of the most popular and generic
furniture caster styles.
Hooded Caster with Collar/Euro Style- the most popular
design for office chair casters, like the hooded caster this version also
features a hood covering the caster wheels but also has a collar or barrel which
surrounds the stem and is the same size as the chair base, giving the chair base
and chair caster a continuous unitary appearance. Collars are available in
various sizes to match the end of the chair base, with the most common sizes
being 38mm and 45mm in diameter.
Braking Options- the
function to lock the caster wheels
Non-braking Casters- the
most common type of braking option is no braking meaning the caster has no
mechanism to lock the wheels in any way at any time, the most economical and
common option since most applications like office chairs never require that the
wheels be locked
Lever Brake Caster- the most popular type of
braking when braking is required, features a lever on the caster housing that
generally has two positions locked, which locks the caster wheels, and unlocked
which allows the furniture caster wheels to roll freely, generally an option
used for carts, tables or other mobile systems other than office chairs where
immobilization of the office furniture is desired at times
Compression Brake Caster- a specialty caster
with spring-loaded wheels which do not roll freely unless weight is applied to
the caster (in compression), a safety feature which prevents the office chair
from rolling freely when the user stands up from the chair, in many European
countries this is a requirement on all office furniture casters
Caster Stems and Attachments-
this is how the furniture casters attach to the furniture
Friction Ring Stem- the most
popular attachment for office chair casters and many other office furniture
caster applications, consists of a smooth metal stem containing a spring ring
that compresses when the caster is inserted into the receptacle, easy to insert
and remove and usually provides sufficient holding power, ideal for plastic
chair bases or tubular furniture with caster socket inserts
 
Threaded Stem/Bolt Stem- more common for
tables, carts and frames-based metal furniture, the stem screws into a T-nut or
other threaded insert, typically not recommended for office chairs, can provide
for adjustment if necessary
Top Plate- a steel stamping which screws into the
bottom of the furniture and attaches to the caster, common for the bottom of
wood office furniture
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of the catalog.
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