Mountain wagon_airplane

Load capacity

There is a general rule of thumb for calculating the required load capacity per castor for transport equipment with 4 wheels or castors:
You should always divide the total load by 3, as uneven floors or uneven load distribution, for example, mean that not all 4 wheels or castors always carry the load equally.

All our specified load capacities apply to a maximum speed of 4 km/h on smooth, even and clean floors at a temperature of approx. 20°C. However, the load capacity is significantly reduced at increasingly higher speeds and/or ambient temperatures.

You can use our calculator to determine the required load capacity per castor yourself. However, it is best if you call us for advice, because in addition to the correct load capacity, there are several other criteria for finding the right wheel or castor for your application.

Particularly in the case of special applications, you should inform us of the special features (e.g. temperature, substrate, chemical influences, unevenness, etc.). We hereby expressly exclude any subsequent complaints due to typing errors on our part or missing information on your part.


Recommended safety factors

The safety factor takes into account any deviations from the standard operating conditions, which require, for example, a smooth floor, a walking speed of 4 km/h in manual mode, even load distribution, straight-ahead travel and an ambient temperature of +15 °C to +28 °C. The safety factor is influenced by the speed and the ratio of wheel Ø to obstacle size (small/large).

It is influenced by the speed and the ratio of wheel Ø to obstacle size (small/large).
We have used four categories to differentiate between them (see below).

Important: The respective safety factor is based on new wheels and does not take into account any wear on the tread.

Sack truck

Indoor manual mode

  • uneven road surface
  • Small obstacle in relation to wheel Ø
  • Safety factor approx. 1.5 to 1.8
Forklift obstacle

with indoor drive

  • uneven road surface
  • Large obstacle in relation to wheel Ø
  • Safety factor approx. 1.8 to 2.2
Sack-cart-cloud-sun-1

Manual operation Outdoor area

  • uneven road surface
  • Small obstacle in relation to wheel diameter
  • Safety factor 1.8 to 2.6
Forklift-cloud-sun-obstacle

with outdoor drive

  • uneven road surface
  • Large obstacle in relation to wheel diameter
  • Safety factor 2.2 to 3.5
6G5A5180

Direct contact with the design department?

Do you need individual advice and would like to speak directly to our design engineers?

Then send them an e-mail or call them directly.

6G5A3782

Rolling in the right direction: Our adviser

Find the ideal wheels and castors or conveyor technology components  for your requirements and projects - with helpful tips concerning selection criteria, surfaces, load capacity an much more.

A well-rounded solution: our configurator

With just a few clicks, you can make a quick selection from a wide range of criteria and configure complex products yourself.
Gerhard Schwalb Konstruktion