Casters, a piece of hardware, are a very prominent part of our lives. Whether or not we realize it, all of us use casters. They are a part of so many everyday activities and help us to serve many purposes. According to the Douglas Equipment Company, casters are mounts with wheels that are attached to an object so that it is easier to move. Casters are placed on medical equipment, office furniture, shopping carts, dollies, and are even great for various DIY projects. It is very important to make sure you select the right caster for the job.
Casters on Medical Equipment
Medical equipment is a crucial necessity in today’s world. All of the equipment has to be mobile in order to accommodate the changing situations. Hospital beds have wheels on them that can support many different types of weight. They also have brakes on them to allow them to lock into place when not being moved. There are multiple casters that adorn the bottom of the bed, the IV rack, the machines that monitor heart rate, etc. Along with the different hospital and doctor equipment, many personal medical supplies have casters on them. Oxygen machines and even some of the more complex walkers for the elderly have small casters to make transportation that much easier. When used in a medical setting, the casters and wheels are often made with stainless steel to make them easy to clean and keep sterile.
The mobility of Furniture and Work Equipment
Different types of furniture have different needs in terms of mobility. It is easy for us to see that the necessity for certain things to move in the house can be a great thing. Some kitchen islands can be made mobile in order to keep the space clean and clutter-free. This can also come in handy when hosting a party and you just need more space. You can easily move the island to an area that won’t be in the way. Couches, as well as chairs, can also have casters added to their legs. Be sure to use casters that have an easily accessible brake so that you can lock your furniture in place. This will help stop the furniture from sliding around every time you sit in it.
There are many different types of work equipment or machinery that can benefit from casters. This can help you keep your workplace clean and allow for projects that might take up a lot of space. The dollies and carts that are used by mechanics to easily get under cars have casters on the bottoms. Toolboxes that fix the cars have the casters on the bottom of the box so that they can be positioned close by during your work. There are casters everywhere!
The mobility of Entertainment/DIY Projects
Casters are used more often than you would think. Just take a closer look at many objects you use on a day to day basis, and you’ll see them. Many games tables like billiards, ping pong, or air hockey use casters. Billiard tables tend to be very heavy, so they will utilize a more heavy-duty caster. You can bet that those casters also have a brake on them because no one wants to play a game on a table that moves around all the time. Do it yourself projects are another great reason to use casters. If you are building a chalkboard, planters for your porch, or even a large bucket for miscellaneous household items, you can make those projects mobile with the use of casters. This can make cleaning around them or moving them from room to room very easy. Many different casters are used all over depending on the weight of the object, and the environment they are in.
After reading this article, I hope it is evident that the use of casters is all around us. They are used in so many different ways even though they may not even be obvious. Whether you notice casters on medical equipment, at home, or in the office; they are all around us. Choosing the right caster to use for your do it yourself projects can be a challenge, but a little research can make it easy. Casters are an important part of our everyday life and we should be grateful for them. They increase mobility, productivity, and even make things more flexible to work with. Casters are a necessity in our world today.