CUSTOMIZED SOLUTIONS
Casters play an indispensable role in global manufacturing and logistics systems. Whether used in medical equipment, industrial carts, warehouse shelving, or automated production lines, casters directly impact the safety, stability, and operational efficiency of these devices. With the increasing flow of international trade, technical standards and specifications for casters across different countries and regions are becoming increasingly unified, but certain differences still exist. This article will provide a detailed analysis of international standards and specifications to help companies better understand and apply them, thereby enhancing product competitiveness.
For wholesale or purchase of casters, please contact Giessen Casters at Giessencasters@gmail.com or visit https://www.giessencasters.com.
With the advancement of industrialization, casters must not only bear heavy loads but also meet multiple requirements, including wear resistance, slip resistance, low noise levels, and chemical resistance. To ensure global product interchangeability and compatibility, organizations such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have successively issued relevant standards.
Common international standards include:
ISO 22883 - General Requirements for Industrial Casters
ISO 22884 - Technical Specification for Casters for Medical Equipment
EN 12527-12533 - European Standards for Caster Testing and Application
ANSI ICWM - American Industrial Caster Manufacturers Association Standards
JIS D 5450 - Japanese Industrial Standard Caster Specification
The load capacity of casters is one of the key criteria for caster selection and is generally categorized as follows:
Light Duty Casters: Load capacity ≤ 150kg, used for furniture and office equipment.
Medium-Duty Casters: Capacity 150–500 kg, commonly used in carts and supermarket equipment.
Heavy-Duty Casters: Capacity 500–2000 kg, used in warehousing and industrial machinery.
Extra Heavy-Duty Casters: Capacity ≥ 2000 kg, mostly used in port, aviation, and military transport equipment.
Different caster materials are suitable for different environments:
| Material | Features | Applications |
| Polyurethane (PU) | Wear-resistant, quiet, and floor-protecting | Medical equipment and shopping carts |
| Rubber | Anti-slip and good cushioning | Warehousing and light industry |
| Nylon | Corrosion-resistant and impact-resistant | Food and chemical industries |
| Cast iron/steel | High strength and high-temperature resistance | Heavy machinery and metallurgy industries |
When designing their products, caster suppliers typically recommend materials based on the specific needs of their customers' industries. For example, the nylon casters provided by Giessen Caster Supplier meet the EN 12527 standard for chemical resistance and are widely used in food processing plants.
Dimensional Tolerance: Ensures that casters from different brands are interchangeable in the global market.
Durability Testing: Minimum 10,000 operating cycles ensure long-term stability.
Impact Resistance: The caster must withstand drops or sudden impacts without breaking.
Rotational Flexibility: Specifies the maximum rotational torque and sliding friction coefficient to ensure flexible movement.
European standards focus more on specific usage scenarios:
EN 12527: Furniture Casters
EN 12528: Light Equipment Casters
EN 12529: Office Chair Casters
EN 12532: Heavy-Duty Industrial Casters
EN 12533: Medical Casters
European standard testing items include rolling resistance, steering torque, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and more, and specify laboratory testing methods.
Place greater emphasis on safety certification and load capacity labeling;
Special provisions exist for braking functions and seismic resistance;
Clearly require maximum load and manufacturer information to be marked on the label.
Casters must undergo rigorous testing before leaving the factory to ensure they meet international standards.
The caster is mounted on testing equipment and repeatedly operated tens of thousands of times under the rated load to inspect for deformation, cracking, or loosening.
A friction wheel device simulates long-term rolling motion to measure wear rate and rolling resistance.
High and Low Temperature Cycle Test: Evaluates caster performance stability in environments ranging from -20°C to +80°C;
Salt Spray Test: Tests the corrosion resistance of metal parts;
Chemical Reagent Immersion Test: Simulates a chemical environment.
Medical and office casters, in particular, must maintain noise levels within the decibel range specified by international standards to avoid disrupting the operating environment.
Medical casters: Required to comply with ISO 22884 and EN 12533, emphasizing quietness, anti-entanglement, and corrosion resistance.
Industrial casters: Focus on load capacity, wear resistance, and impact resistance, and are generally compliant with ISO 22883 and EN 12532. Office and furniture casters: They must be aesthetically pleasing, lightweight, and quiet, primarily referring to EN 12527 and EN 12529.
Warehouse and logistics casters: They must withstand heavy use, typically with a rated lifespan of ≥ 20,000 cycles, and must comply with ANSI ICWM standards.
In practical applications, caster suppliers are not only product manufacturers but also implementers and promoters of standards.
Suppliers must strictly adhere to international standards for production.
During product testing, complete quality inspection reports (COC, RoHS, REACH) must be provided.
In international trade, casters that comply with certifications such as CE and UL are more competitive.
| Standard | Application Scope | Load Test Requirements | Environmental Testing | Features |
| ISO 22883 | Industrial Casters | ≥ 10,000 cycles | High and low temperature, salt spray | Highly versatile |
| ISO 22884 | Medical Casters | ≥ 8,000 cycles | Noise-reducing, corrosion-resistant | Emphasis on quietness |
| EN 12532 | Heavy-duty Casters | ≥ 20,000 cycles | Wear-resistant, vibration-resistant | Applicable to the European market |
International standards and specifications not only guarantee caster quality but also serve as a passport for caster suppliers to enter the global market. For buyers, choosing casters that meet ISO, EN, or ANSI standards can significantly reduce risks and improve equipment efficiency.
For more information on wholesale and purchasing casters, please contact:
Email: Giessencasters@gmail.com
Official Website: https://www.giessencasters.com
