Super-elastic grey rubber runs noticeably quieter than solid rubber or nylon, rolls with very low effort and cushions thresholds and joints.
The standard wheel for medical carts, laboratory equipment, hotel trolleys and any indoor environment where noise is a complaint.
Specifications
- Super-elastic grey rubber, non-marking
- Very low rolling resistance despite soft tread
- Precision quiet bearings as standard
- Loads from 40 to 300 kg per caster
Typical materials
Super-elastic rubber on steel / PP / aluminium core
| Wheel material | Typical hardness | Floor protection | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cast polyurethane (PU) | Shore A 92–95 | Very good: non-marking compounds | AGV/AMR, trolleys on painted or epoxy floors, heavy duty |
| Injected PU | Shore A 90–95 | Good | Cost-sensitive medium duty, light equipment |
| Cast nylon (PA6) | Shore D 70+ | Fair: hard tread | High load, dry indoor logistics, washdown |
| Glass-filled nylon | Shore D 75+ | Fair | Higher loads and temperatures than PA6 |
| Solid rubber | Shore A 65–75 | Good | Shock absorption, outdoor thresholds, economy |
| Super-elastic rubber | Shore A 55–65 | Excellent | Quiet running: medical, hotel, laboratory |
| Phenolic resin | — | Fair | Baking lines and ovens up to +280 °C |
| Forged steel | — | None: needs steel plate or heavy concrete | Extreme loads, heat, harsh floors |
| Stainless (wheel/bracket) | — | Good | Food, pharma, washdown, corrosive areas |
Finishes
Zinc-plated or stainless brackets
| Bracket finish | What it does | Specify it when |
|---|---|---|
| Zinc plating (blue/white) | Baseline corrosion protection | Standard dry indoor use |
| Chrome plating | Hard, decorative, easy to clean | Visible / cleanroom-adjacent equipment |
| Powder coating | Custom color, good corrosion resistance | Brand colors, outdoor-adjacent use |
| Stainless steel 304 | No plating to fail | Washdown, food, medical |
| Stainless steel 316 | Resists chlorides | Salt, brine, marine air, harsh cleaning chemicals |
Testing
Noise and roll-resistance compared per compound batch
| Selection factor | Rule of thumb | Effect on performance |
|---|---|---|
| Load sizing | Total load ÷ 3 (not ÷ 4) | On uneven floors only three wheels carry the cart |
| Wheel diameter | Bigger rolls easier | Larger wheels cut push force and bridge gaps |
| Tread hardness | Softer = quieter, harder = easier rolling | Pick the softest tread that carries the load |
| Bearing choice | Precision ball for manual pushing, roller for heavy loads | Bearings dominate rolling resistance at high load |
| Swivel vs rigid | 2 swivel + 2 rigid is the standard cart setup | All-swivel carts wander; all-rigid carts cannot steer |
| Floor condition | Rough floors need bigger wheels and softer treads | Small hard wheels on bad floors destroy both |
Ordering, Lead Times & MOQ
Standard catalog items in small quantities; custom MOQ depends on tooling.
Standard lead time 15-30 days; samples faster.
Business models: OEM manufacturing, ODM design, private labelling, standard catalog sales, replacement parts supply.
Related products
Capability commitments on this page are owner-confirmed (2026-09-29).