The swivel castor turns in the desired direction of travel. It can be steered.

The fixed castor is locked in a single direction of travel.

4 swivel castors: Suitable for confined spaces. The unit can be manoeuvred in all directions. Less suitable for long straight-line travel, as it lacks directional stability (one swivel castor could be fitted with a directional lock).

2 swivel castors / 2 fixed castors: The most common configuration, offering good straight-line and cornering performance.

4 swivel castors / 2 fixed castors: A complex upgrade. Easy to manoeuvre by taking the weight off the swivel castors. Proven for heavy

loads and long trolleys.

3 swivel castors: Suitable for small loads. The trolley can be manoeuvred in all directions. Not suitable for long straight-line journeys due to a lack of stability.

As a general rule: the trolley’s own weight + payload / divided by 3 = load capacity per roller

The load capacity depends on the speed of travel. For wheels and castors without specified speed ratings, a maximum speed of 4 km/h applies on smooth, level and clean floors without thresholds, grooves or rails at a standard temperature of 20°C. The load capacity specifications generally apply to wheels and castors for non-motorised equipment which, during normal operation, moves at walking pace and is not used in continuous operation.

The double lock prevents the wheel from turning and the swivel castor’s swivel head from rotating.

The wheel lock only locks the wheel.

The wheel lock simply locks the wheel in place.

A distinction is made between a double stop and a wheel lock. The double stop brakes the wheel. It locks both the rotational movement of the wheel and the rotational movement of the castor’s fork head.

The directional lock allows a swivel castor to be converted into a fixed castor for a short period. The swivel movement of the castor is locked. The directional lock can be engaged and released with a light press of the foot.

The directional lock significantly improves the ability of a swivel castor to travel in a straight line over longer distances or in narrow aisles. It is even sufficient to fit the trolley with a directional lock to, for example, make manoeuvring through a narrow corridor easier.

Plain bearings: The term is somewhat misleading, as with these wheels the wheel runs directly on the axle (no bearing). Particularly suitable for slow-moving vehicles; robust and low-maintenance, but sluggish under heavy loads.

Cage roller bearings: A robust type of bearing for slow-moving vehicles; smoother-running than plain bearings; the standard solution for many transport trolleys; largely maintenance-free.

Ball bearings: The bearing type with the lowest rolling resistance and the highest load-bearing capacity. Vehicles can be pushed easily even under heavy loads.

Maintenance: occasional lubrication is recommended.

This depends on the load capacity. For aesthetic reasons, a small wheel is often chosen. However, a larger wheel offers significant advantages in everyday use, such as making it easier to negotiate obstacles like thresholds or requiring less effort to push the trolley.

Wheels with ball bearings and domed tyres run particularly smoothly.

Generally speaking, the larger the wheel, the easier it is to push the trolley.

As a general rule, the chosen castor must be suitable for the type of floor surface in order to deliver optimum performance. Here are a few suggestions:

Concrete floor – polyamide (rather noisy), polyurethane, Vulkollan® (rather quiet), highly elastic solid rubber (very quiet)

Light-coloured floor – grey solid rubber or other non-marking castors

Pebble floor – pneumatic tyres (as large a wheel diameter as possible)

Soft floor = hard wheel, e.g. polyamide

Hard floor = soft wheel, e.g. solid rubber

Shore hardness provides an indication of the hardness of the wheel material. There are two scales:

Shore A and Shore D

The higher the Shore hardness, the harder the material.

Example: Solid rubber has a Shore A hardness of 69, whilst polyurethane has a Shore A hardness of 95. Solid rubber is therefore considerably softer.

Shore hardness A 25 is roughly equivalent to the hardness of a rubber band.

Shore A 70 corresponds to the hardness of a men’s shoe heel.

In principle, they are the same. Both are rollers made from polyamide-based thermoplastic. Pevolon is a registered trade name.

As the name was introduced over 30 years ago, it has become a household name in the wheel industry. It is a guarantee of consistent quality.

Both are very high-quality materials used in wheel manufacture. They are mainly used for heavy loads and in challenging operating conditions.

Polyurethane is highly abrasion-resistant and therefore has a very long service life. In most cases, polyurethane meets the requirements.

Vulkollan® is the top-of-the-range product in wheel technology. It meets the highest requirements in terms of load-bearing capacity, abrasion resistance and service life. Furthermore, Vulkollan® often exhibits high resistance to acids and other substances.

ROHS

The ROHS Directive regulates restrictions on certain substances in electrical and electronic equipment. All our wheels and castors marked with the ROHS symbol do not contain any substances whose use is prohibited under ROHS.

If you are using older FTA castors, we will be happy to provide you with information regarding their ROHS compliance.

STANDARDS AND DIRECTIVES

FTA products generally comply with the relevant DIN, EN and/or ISO standards. If the standard you are looking for is not mentioned in our product description, please do not hesitate to contact us. This applies in particular to electrically conductive castors.

‘Non-marking’ means that these wheels do not leave unsightly marks or streaks on floors. Non-marking wheels are therefore suitable for use wherever attractive floors are a priority.

Particularly suitable materials include: grey solid rubber, polyamide, polyurethane and Vulkollen®.

If the trolley is constantly under load and is rarely moved, we recommend a hard wheel material such as polyamide.

If you are looking for a very smooth ride, soft polyurethane or solid rubber wheels are the best choice.

Please also note our advice regarding the floor surface.

Extreme heat, cold, humidity and dryness have a significant impact on service life and performance.

In wet, deep-freeze and food-processing environments, choose stainless steel rollers. Polyamide is a material that is highly resistant to cold and hygienically safe, and which also withstands temperature fluctuations well.

For temperatures up to 80°C, we recommend high-temperature-resistant rollers or cast-iron rollers without grease in the clevis.

Lightweight NL and NLX housings – up to 4 km/h – load capacity up to 400 kg

Medium-duty housing M – up to 4 km/h – load capacity up to 500 kg

Heavy-duty housing P and PX – up to 6 km/h (not for continuous use) – load capacity up to 750 kg

Heavy-duty housing PT – up to 6 km/h (not for continuous operation) – load capacity up to 900 kg

Extra-heavy-duty housing EP – up to 6 km/h – load capacity up to 1600 kg

Electro-welded housing EE MHD and EEG MHD – up to 16 km/h (load capacity is reduced at speeds above 4 km/h) – load capacity up to 1,500 kg

Electro-welded housing EE HD and EE EHD – up to 16 km/h (load capacity is reduced at speeds exceeding 4 km/h) – load capacity up to 3,500 kg

Electro-welded double housing EEG HD and EEG EHD – up to 16 km/h (load capacity is reduced at speeds above 4 km/h) – load capacity up to 4,300 kg

ESD stands for Electrostatic Discharge

When two objects with different charges come into contact, an electrostatic discharge occurs, which can impair the functionality of sensitive components.

Examples include the shock felt when touching a door handle or the discharge that occurs in dry air.

Surroundings

Smooth running

Chemicals, cleaning agents, oils

Metal shavings, dirt or threads on the floor

Load capacity and speed

Trolley weight + payload

Climate

Heat, cold, humidity and dryness

Ground

Soft ground = hard tyres

Hard ground = soft tyre

Wheel material

If the trolley is constantly under load and is moved infrequently, we recommend a hard wheel material such as polyamide.

If you require a very smooth ride, soft polyurethane or rubber wheels are the first choice.

Wheel size

Depends on the load capacity. Smaller wheels are often chosen for aesthetic reasons. However, larger wheels offer significant advantages in day-to-day use.

Easier to negotiate obstacles – less effort is required to push the trolley.