Industrial Casters. Engineered for Spec.
Soft floors (epoxy, vinyl, hardwood) rule out steel and phenolic immediately. Outdoor pavement rules out soft rubber and standard poly. The floor is the first filter.
Above 2,500 lbs/caster eliminates rubber and most poly. Above 5,000 lbs requires forged steel, phenolic, or cast iron. Match material capacity to load tier.
Above 200°F eliminates poly and rubber (use phenolic or cast iron). Wash-down requires stainless or sealed poly. Chemicals require nylon or phenolic. Cleanroom requires conductive ESD wheels.
Low push force prioritizes MAX Efficiency 85A. Quiet prioritizes rubber. Floor protection prioritizes poly. Capacity prioritizes steel/phenolic. Trade-offs become explicit.
8-16 hrs/day or 24/7 operation requires maintenance-free precision bearings. Standard roller bearings degrade within 6 months under continuous heat buildup.
AGV/powered applications need minimum rolling resistance (MAX Efficiency or steel). Towed applications benefit from low force. Manual ergonomic targets push force.
Premium MAX Efficiency runs 30-50% higher upfront than standard poly but lasts 3-5x longer in continuous duty. 5-year TCO is 40% lower despite higher unit cost. Budget should reflect lifecycle cost, not just SKU price.
85 Shore A urethane on aluminum hub + maintenance-free precision bearings + kingpinless. Industry's lowest rolling resistance (0.028). USA made.
Browse 171 Ergonomic SKUs →Premium wheel tech across Hamilton ranges. Ergo-Glide for general industrial, UltraGlide for clean rooms, Ergo-Tech for cost-sensitive ergonomic. Capacity 1,200-7,000 lbs.
Shop Ergo-Glide →Maintenance-free sealed bearings + ergonomic urethane on cast iron core. 4-1/2" x 6-1/4" plate standard. Best price for sealed maintenance-free in 5-8" range.
Shop Ergo Extreme →Custom durometer urethane (60-95 Shore A), conductive ESD compounds, FDA-grade for food contact, ceramic-impregnated for foundry, oil-resistant nitrile rubber. We source and stock 40+ specialty compounds.
Three reasons. The 85 Shore A durometer is engineered for low hysteresis (less energy lost as heat during compression cycle). The aluminum hub reduces wheel mass 40-50% versus cast iron, lowering rotational inertia. The maintenance-free precision sealed bearings come standard in the 28-series. Combined: 44% lower rolling resistance than standard poly + iron + roller.
Choose steel when load exceeds 2,500 lbs/caster, push force needs to be minimized (towed/AGV), or temperatures exceed 200°F. Steel marks epoxy and damages tile/vinyl/wood. Best floor for steel is plain concrete or steel grating.
Durometer (hardness). Soft rubber (60-70 Shore A) absorbs more shock, runs quietest, but compresses under load. Hard rubber (90-95 Shore A) supports 2x the load of soft, runs quieter than poly. Hard rubber is the choice for institutional carts (libraries, hospitals).
Wash-down environments, food processing, pharma, marine. Carbon steel rusts within months in these environments; stainless lasts 10+ years. Note that stainless refers to the rig and hardware — pair stainless rigs with poly or stainless wheels depending on load.
Standard polyurethane is rated to 180°F continuous, 200°F intermittent. Above that, the polymer softens and loses load capacity. For oven applications (180-450°F), use phenolic. For 450°F+, use cast iron or steel with high-temp lubricated bearings.
Yes when you need shock absorption — outdoor terrain, gravel, dock plates, electronic carts moving sensitive equipment. The trade-off is occasional pressure checks and puncture risk. Foam-filled pneumatic eliminates puncture risk but loses some shock absorption.
For semiconductor fab, electronics assembly, or any environment with static-sensitive components, yes. Standard conductive (CO) wheels have resistance under 75,000 ohms; ESD wheels run higher resistance for controlled discharge. Pair conductive wheels with conductive rigs and conductive flooring for a complete system.
Roughly 30-50% higher upfront. The 5-year TCO is typically 40% lower because: 3-5x service life vs standard, no re-greasing labor, 25% lower push force = ergonomic compliance + reduced injury claims, aluminum hub doesn't crack from impact. For continuous-duty operations, the premium pays back within 8-12 months.
Escalate for: custom durometer requirements, FDA-grade contact wheels, conductive/ESD specs, oil-resistant nitrile compounds, applications above 250°F, or specialty hub materials. Submit your spec and we match a compound from 40+ specialty options.
