It is known that the industrial sector presents different types of harsh environments, hot or cold, for specific production needs, such as spaces adjacent to ceramic furnaces, ovens, melting furnaces, cold rooms or environments related to the cold chain.

In these environments, also industrial wheels for trolleys or other handling means must be appropriate in order to ensure high performance levels both at high and low temperatures.

Technical features of high temperature wheels

How must an industrial wheel be constructed and tested to prevent dangerous failures in case of high temperatures? Which indicators are used to test a wheel under development?

To answer these questions, we include some examples of wheels proposed by Tellure Rôta, a leading company in the field of industrial wheels. 

Materials used for high temperature wheels

First of all, please note that the high temperature wheels proposed by Tellure Rôta are manufactured with specific materials, resistant to extreme temperatures.

Thermosetting resin solid wheels of series 67 are manufactured by the compression moulding of a mixture of phenol resins, appropriately charged with inert material and completely asbestos-free, and then dried in oven.  

The wheels of series 72GS feature a silicone rubber coating specific for high temperatures and produced by a vulcanisation process. 

Solid wheels of series 68FV are manufactured by the injection moulding of polyamide 6 charged with glass fibre in order to increase temperature resistance.

Accessories for industrial wheels suitable for high temperatures

It would be limiting to only indicate wheels suitable to be used in harsh environments, since they represent just one of the several components used for trolley handling.

The three series of wheels mentioned above are combined with specific ball bearings and brackets with grease specifically designed for high temperatures.

The testing process of products includes a test at high temperatures carried out thanks to furnaces and specific equipment, such as those present at the laboratory TR Lab -Test & Research of Tellure Rôta.

Variation of wheel loading capacity according to temperatures

A focus on loading capacity. In the case of a 4-wheel trolley, the loading capacity is calculated as follows:

Capacity = (solid load weight + trolley tare weight)/3

Capacity = (liquid load weight + trolley tare weight)/2

In addition to this data, please remember that:

the loading capacity of industrial wheels in harsh environments and with manual or mechanical handling operations changes according to the temperature.

The diagram below includes the indications provided by Tellure Rota on the different types of wheels: 

For more information, please see the link to the specific article on high-temperature industrial wheels, namely on those suitable for harsh environments (hot or cold). 

Conclusions

When choosing the appropriate industrial wheels for harsh environments, it is recommendable, besides analysing manufacturing materials and relevant brackets in advance, to pay the utmost attention to the loading capacity, considering the temperatures that can affect this data under normal conditions.