Why would I choose glass filled nylon?
Before we answer that, we need to know what nylon is. Nylon is a synthetic material that possesses high tensile strength. Doesn’t mark, takes impact and won’t chip, very hard, and works well in a variety of chemicals. Glass filled nylon is nylon filled with fiberglass to increase strength and ability.
A North American producer of quality glass filled nylon wheels has three important reasons to consider this type of material
- IMPACT AND CHIP RESISTANCE. You need a wheel that can take shock without breaking apart
- LIGHTWEIGHT BUT HAS CAPACITY. You’re moving a heavy load but don’t want a heavy wheel.
- WORKS WELL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. You’re using product in a variety of conditions.
There may not be a more “universal” wheel offered. Wide range of sizes from as small as 2” in diameter up to 10” overall. It’s a high heat solution and is one of our favorites in this environment. As you can see on our website, this choice is an economical one.
It’s not perfect. Nylon is hard so there could be noise. Also, softer wood floors might be at risk of damage but that only would be under max load.
Our next discussion is phenolic, one of the most common wheels in the market. As we talk about that wheel, remember this glass filled nylon as an alternate. The industry believes nylon will replace phenolic at some point. We’ll bounce that around next time.
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Which wheel?
Our website has seven categories of wheels. When you click on a wheel, you’ll see it’s subdivided into different types of choices under that heading. Example: Click the “rubber” category and you’ll see 8 types of rubber wheels. How do you select one? I know the application and how much capacity we need (see previous blog), but there are many wheels that could possibly work.
New wheels are introduced all the time. We talk with the people who make them so we can understand what the product does for you.
It’s time to discuss where these wheels are used. We’ll start with metal.
“Why would I choose a metal wheel?”
A foundry who specializes in metal wheels says this criteria is important:
- DURABILITY. You need a wheel that used in rigorous applications. It will stand up to bad floors or abuse. Dirt, oil, or metal chips won’t stay on wheel.
- WEIGHT. You need to move a lot of pounds.
- ENVIRONMENT. You need a wheel that can withstand extremes in temperatures.
As you can see under the metal wheel heading, we offer three types of metal wheels—cast iron, ductile iron, and forged steel.
CAST IRON. An economical choice that’s available in a wide range of diameters and capacities. It’s made from metal that is cast into its shape.
DUCTILE IRON. Also cast like cast iron, but can survive more concussion and abuse. Capacity per wheel is dramatically higher than cast iron.
FORGED STEEL. This wheel is heat treated and compressed into its size. This process creates a wheel with high capacities and very high tensile or strength.
Don’t use a metal wheel on floor that needs protection such as linoleum or terrazzo. There is no “resiliency” in metal so it would be a poor choice for products that need a cushioned ride. And take into account that metal is noisy.
Our next discussion will cover nylon glass filled wheels.
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