Stainless Steel vs. Non-Stainless Steel Casters
When choosing casters for your equipment, the decision between stainless steel or non-stainless steel can significantly impact how your casters will perform, the overall durability of your equipment, and maintenance requirements. C.P. Lauman offers a variety of both types of casters to choose from. Most casters from Colson and other brands offer light, medium and heavy duty caster series using stainless steel or a zinc-plated finish. Let’s explore two of the most popular series from Colson, which is one of the top rated caster manufacturers in the industry. After reading this post, you’ll understand how to select the best type of caster finish for your unique application.
Which Colson Caster Series Is Right For Your Application
One of the most popular caster materials you’ll find is stainless steel. This caster material is the preferred material for applications with frequent exposure to chemicals, steam, harsh cleaning agents, and washdowns. Some typical applications include food processing, food service, food manufacturing, stainless carts, hospitality, medical carts, and applications operating in wet environments. Stainless steel is a beneficial material for these conditions because it is easy to clean and maintain.
Stainless steel casters are corrosion resistant and made with a versatile 304 Grade steel which offers a high polish and shine. But most importantly, 304 Grade steel gives these casters a critical defense against caustic solutions and frequent washdowns. This material withstands conditions known to cause oxidation over time compared to standard casters.
Which Stainless Steel Caster Is The Best For Your Needs
While there are many stainless steel series offered by Colson, the D4 Series Defender casters may be just what you need. D4 Series casters offer a two-inch tread width, long lasting performance, and capacity options up to 1250lbs. each. The double stainless steel ball bearing raceways allow for an easy swivel. Choose the brake and swivel lock configurations you need for the swivel caster models in this series. Wheel diameters range from four to eight inches, and the thicker ¾” kingpin lasts up to two times longer than other casters which typically have ⅝” kingpin constructions.
In comparison, standard casters like models from Colson’s 4 Series line are often made with a zinc plated finish. While attractive, zinc cannot withstand the same level of harsh operating conditions that stainless steel can. As mentioned above, the kingpin construction is smaller in the 4 Series than the D4 Series causing it to wear through more quickly. For 4 Series casters with roller bearings there is a plastic seal/ retainer washer which affects durability compared to stainless steel models.
While zinc plated casters are not built to withstand the same harsh conditions as stainless steel over time, there are many benefits to 4 Series casters. These casters are built to withstand high temperatures, extreme cold, oil, and grease. Like the stainless steel options, these casters are ideal on a variety of floor surfaces like concrete and smooth steel. It has the same superior shock absorption as its counterpart material as well as various swivel caster configurations.
D4 Series Defender Stainless Steel Caster Benefits:
- Corrosion resistant
- Ideal for wet environments
- Easy to clean
- Little to no maintenance
- 304 Grade steel finishes for a polished and pleasing look
- Offers superior shock absorption
- Ideal for food, medical, and hospitality applications
4 Series (Zinc Plated Finish) Caster Benefits:
- Withstands high temperatures up to 500° F
- Withstands extreme cold temperatures as low as -45° F
- Ideal for operating conditions requiring grease, oil, and mild chemicals
- Offers superior shock absorption
- Ideal for food, medical, and hospitality applications
- Ideal on concrete and smooth steel floor surfaces
The Difference Between Stainless Steel Casters vs. Standard Casters
When it’s time to select the right casters for your application, consider the environment you’ll be operating in, the load requirements you’ll need, the floor surfaces you’ll be primarily rolling on, and your maintenance capabilities.
Both stainless steel and zinc plated casters are high performing and highly reliable, no matter what your application needs are. The main determination between these two materials is your operating environment. Stainless steel casters like the D4 Defender series are ideal for wet environments and harsh chemicals or caustic solutions. If you’ll be exposing your casters to corrosive chemicals, choose stainless steel. If exposure to corrosion isn’t a huge factor, standard caster types may be the better option for your needs. High durability, large load capacities, and superior shock absorption are all primary reasons to choose the standard zinc finish.
Browse C.P. Lauman’s selection of Colson’s light, medium, and heavy duty caster series to see which casters are right for your application. Reach out to a caster specialist for assistance with your selection by emailing sales@cplauman.com, or, request your quote directly after browsing our selection of casters.
View the D4 Series Defender Stainless Steel Casters From Colson
View the 4 Series Casters From Colson
