This presentation details ergonomics' role in casters and wheels and describes optimal products for excellent ergonomic performance.

1. Phone: 1-800-544-8978 Caster Connection, Inc. Fax: 1-888-852-7202
Ergonomic Casters and Wheels
www.casterconnection.com
Why They Matter

2. THE RIGHT CASTERS AND WHEELS CAN
PREVENT INJURIES
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Required push/pull force is the most important component
of ergonomic performance regarding the manual moving of
carts with casters.
The weight load of the cart (and its cargo) being moved is
important, however the casters and wheels the cart is being
moved upon play a key role in the ease with which the cart is
moved.

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PUSH RATHER THAN PULL
Pushing a cart is preferable to pulling because:
• Workers moving the cart don’t put themselves at risk for being run into
or their feet being run over by the rolling cart
• The path of movement is more visible while pushing facing forward
versus occasionally turning around while pulling
• Pulling puts the shoulders and back in an awkward position
• Force is generated more easily with pushing than it is with pulling

4. ERGONOMICS’ FINANCIAL IMPACT
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• Quality of Output
• Health & Safety
• Productivity
are affected financially when there’s a poor combination
of
• Tools
• People
• Work
• The reduction of unnecessary and/or awkward
movements reduces the time and effort necessary to
complete a task

5. 5
WHEELS’ ROLE IN ERGONOMICS
• Wheel Composition
• The resiliency of the wheel is an important factor in
determining how the wheel performs when rolling over
physical barriers such as thresholds or debris.
• Softer (lower durometer) wheels to some extent conform to the
shape of the object(s) that they roll over, meaning debris and
barriers do not typically cause damage to softer wheels.
• Wheels that have the proper durometer and resiliency reject
embedding of debris and flat-spotting. Embedding typically
occurs in hard, non-resilient wheels and can cause floor damage,
added rolling resistance, increase noise and vibration.
• Harder wheels typically roll easier than soft wheels. When
using hard wheels, one must consider the likelihood of the wheels
encountering debris and the floor type.

6. 6
WHEELS’ ROLE IN ERGONOMICS (CONT.)
• Wheel Diameter
• The larger the diameter of a wheel, the lower the
rolling resistance will be. While this is an important factor,
it is frequently overlooked.
• The more uneven or coarse a floor is, the larger the
wheel’s diameter should be. Rough floor conditions may
include thresholds, debris, grates, etc.

7. The CC Apex wheel was developed after a major automotive manufacturer
approached Caster Connection looking for a solution to the problems they faced in
their tow line applications.
Those problems included:
• Push/Pull Ergonomics
• Debris Retention
• Increasing Weight Requirements
The CC Apex ’s high quality polyurethane
• Dramatically reduced push/pull force requirements with its incredible rebound
and resiliency
• Eliminated all debris retention in the wheel, thus maintaining easy
maneuverability and protecting the flooring
• Provided the necessary load capacities for the increasing weight in the
customer’s applications
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A WHEEL THAT MEETS ERGONOMIC NEEDS

8. Type of Raceway
• Traditional Kingpin Swivel Caster
• Composed of an upper and lower ball race held
together with a nut and bolt or riveted kingpin
• Kingpinless Swivel Caster
• Composed of a forged inner and outer race that are
held together by the ball bearings
• Maintenance-Free Swivel Caster
• Composed of a sealed precision-ball or other
sealed- ball raceway
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RIG/FORK ROLE IN ERGONOMICS

9. 9
RIG/FORK ROLE IN ERGONOMICS (CONT)
Type of Raceway
• Traditional Kingpin Swivel Caster
• Load is concentrated on the kingpin, ball bearings
float freely in raceway, causing spikes in push/pull
• Kingpinless Swivel Caster
• Load is concentrated on the ball bearings, ball
bearings float freely in raceway, causing some spikes
in push/pull
• Maintenance-Free Swivel Caster
• Load is concentrated on primary thrust bearing, which
has seated ball bearings, and the secondary load
bearing; this allows for even dispersion of load
reducing push/pull

10. 10
RIG/FORK ROLE IN ERGONOMICS (CONT)
Length of the Swivel Lead
• Swivel Lead
• The distance from the axle hole to the center of the
swivel raceway
• Standard Lead
• Like it’s name implies, the standard lead is the most
common variation in caster forks - this length varies
with the diameter of the caster
• Extended Lead
• Longer swivel lead than the traditional standard lead

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RIG/FORK ROLE IN ERGONOMICS (CONT)
By increasing the length of the Swivel Lead
• Chatter/Flutter is reduced in towing
applications, in addition to
• Reducing noise
• Prolonging the life of the product as
unnecessary stress is eliminated
• Required push/pull force is reduced
• By extending the lead, the caster naturally
settles into the trailing position
• Due to the caster rotating much more easily
and freely

12. The CC Peak Maintenance-Free Swivel Caster is designed to meet the
demanding requirements of manufacturing environments.
Those requirements include
• Push/Pull Ergonomics
• Durability – Stands up to abuse
• No maintenance required
The CC Peak ’s Robust Ergonomic Design
• Dramatically reduces push/pull force requirements with its precise
raceway and extended lead
• Stands the test of time and abuse with the thick forged steel
legs/raceway
• Requires no maintenance with the sealed raceway and lifelong
grease
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A CASTER THAT MEETS ERGONOMIC NEEDS
Caster Featuring CC Apex
wheel w/ CC Peak rig

13. NEXT STEP: CONTACT US!
Contact us today for solutions to your caster, wheel and
hand truck needs.
Our expert sales staff and product availability will ensure that
you implement the proper product the 1st time.
Still want more info? Check us out via these sources:
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www.casterconnection.com
sales@casterconnection.com