Towing the line

Tugger and trailer operations are incredibly efficient.  They allow a facility to reduce their requirements for forklifts, reduce cross aisle traffic, protect pallet rack and add a level of safety.  We like the idea, so much so, that a few years ago we wrote a white paper on this very subject.  However, towed trailers move at much higher speeds, typically under heavier loads, than a cart that is hand pushed. 

The capacity requirement is easily met by increasing the diameter of the wheel, sometimes the tread width too.  But, that's simple enough.  The real tricky part is that higher speed.  The average person walks at about 2 to 3 miles per hour, and that's a pretty good pace.  A tugger can easily do 7 miles per hour.  This creates a whole new set of problems for the caster. Typically, we recommend using a heavy duty rig, kingpinless or otherwise, in our 60, 65, 75, or 76 series.  The wheels should be slightly resilient, thus providing some grip against the floor.   Most important, the right bearing needs to be used.  Roller bearings will fail at 7 miles per hour, without even really trying.  The preferred bearing is a tapered roller bearing, sometimes referred to as a thrust bearing.

Tapered bearings come with their own problems, though.  They are hard to push and pull, requiring a large amount of force to start the cart rolling.  If carts are to be moved by tugger and by employees, you can use a precision ball bearing in the towing operation. 

The best thing to do is call on the experts at Conveyer & Caster - Equipment for Industry. Our staff is well versed in the complexities and solutions for towing applications.  Let us know how we can help.