All modern hospitals need wheeled casts for carrying immobile patients. Although caster wheels aren’t directly associated with medical procedures, they are exceedingly important. You don’t want a caster wheel to fail when transporting a patient to the operating table. Additionally, stability and comfort are also crucial factors in certain scenarios.
Medical caster wheels are different from standard industrial caster wheels in terms of quality. They are durable, smooth rolling, and have a very low failure rate. Since people’s lives depend on these wheels, they need more reliability than regular caster wheels.
These wheels don’t need to withstand the weight threshold of industrial heavy caster wheels. The size of the medical caster wheels also tends to be on the average side. Recently plastic medical caster wheels have become very popular due to their versatility, so we will discuss that in this article.
Why Use Plastic Medical Caster Wheels?
Caster wheels need to meet specific requirements before you can use them in a medical setting. Industrial caster wheels, therefore, differ quite a bit from medical wheels. You can see such differences in design, shape, features, and even the material.
Metal caster wheels, composite caster wheels, and rubber caster wheels each have their unique pros and cons, and so do the plastic caster wheels. Plastic caster wheels have a moderate load limit, sterile exterior, and other qualities, making them an excellent choice for hospital use.
Plastic medical caster wheels generally have a more streamlined design than industrial ones. They use heavy-duty bearings and a convenient braking system for better mobility and maneuverability. Comfort and reliability are essential in high-end medical caster wheels, which often take a back seat when it comes to industrial caster wheels.
Qualities To Look For In Plastic Medical Caster Wheels
The medical field is highly sensitive, and all medical equipment needs to meet some standard before you can supply it to hospitals. Caster wheels may be a less noticeable aspect of hospital supply, but it is nonetheless an important one. Here are some qualities you need to keep an eye out for when buying medical caster wheels:
1. Adaptive load capacity
Load capacity is the first thing you must check when buying a caster wheel for any purpose, whether industrial or domestic. Getting an inadequate weight capacity on your wheel can cause issues with performance and potentially lead to accidents. On the other hand, you could end up overpaying for specs you don’t actually need.
Caster wheels used in a hospital have to adapt to different weight types. Take the stretchers used for carrying patients, for example. People have varying weight levels, so those wheels need to adapt to the changing load level. Wheels on IV poles and other medical carts also have different weight requirements.
Plastic Caster Wheels are great for such situations because these wheels have outstanding weight capacity and can perform exceptionally well under such conditions.
2. Performance Consistency
Medical caster wheels need to be highly durable but not at the same level as industrial caster wheels. These wheels needn’t the raw strength of high-grade industrial caster wheels but rather consistency in performance.
Medical wheels need to work at all times. Any fault in medical caster wheels can cause disruptions in sensitive medical procedures. As such, having performance consistency is far more important than outward robustness.
Plastic medical caster wheels may be lightweight and seem fragile but they are very durable. Plastic is also easier to manipulate during manufacturing, so these wheels are excellent ergonomics that ensure consistently good performance.
3. Maneuverability
The medical environment is very hectic and puts a lot of stress on the caster wheels. Emergency situations can also demand high levels of mobility from caster wheels. Good maneuverability and control will allow the hospital staff to move through corridors and narrow spaces with comparative ease. That’s why maneuverability is so crucial for medical casters.
Hospital caster wheels also need good stability. Otherwise, the ride can become quite uncomfortable for the patient. Considering that caster wheels in a medical environment need excellent technical specifications to tackle the aforementioned issues.
Having twin-wheel plastic casters is a great way to reach such specifications. Twin-wheel casters do not pivot on themselves like the single-wheel casters do. The two wheels offer better turning capacity and are generally easier to handle.
The Advantages of Using Plastic Caster Wheels
So far we discussed why plastic medical caster wheels are great for the medical environment and the specs you need for such an environment. Now let’s look at some of the benefits of plastic caster wheels:
1. Maintenance and Hygiene
Plastic caster wheels do not require dedicated maintenance and are relatively easier to attach and remove from equipment. They are also lightweight, so it is easier to carry. They are rust-free, corrosion-resistant, and do not accumulate debris like nylon caster wheels.
One of the biggest pros of plastic caster wheels is their hygiene. Such plastic caster wheels have ergonomic designs that are easy to clean and maintain. You can also sterilize them efficiently and effectively compared to materials like rubber and nylon, which could be harder to clean when worn down.
2. Low Noise level
Hospitals and healthcare facilities are sound-sensitive places because loud sounds can irritate patients. Low-quality caster wheels produce a lot of noise when rolling on hard surfaces. Even premium caster wheels can make a lot of noise if they’re made of hard material. Such noise can harm the focus of the healthcare provider or even cause stress among the patients.
Plastic caster wheels do not have such problems. The ergonomic design and cutting-edge manufacturing process ensure that these wheels are as silent as possible. Such wheels produce minimal noise and help preserve the medical facility’s calm and serene atmosphere. Lowered noise levels can also reduce the stress level in sensitive patients.
3. Surface Protection
The problem with hard, industrial-grade caster wheels is that they often tend to scratch and damage certain floors. This is undoubtedly bad for a hospital because a damaged floor surface will make subsequent movements more inconvenient.
Hospital staff frequently clean hospital floors for hygiene reasons, making the floor somewhat slippery. Some hard wheels don’t manage to grip the floor if the floor is too smooth and just slide over it. That can reduce the lifespan of the wheel itself. Such is often seen with nylon wheels.
Plastic medical caster wheels are a different story entirely. These wheels have excellent grip on smooth surfaces and do not slide on such surfaces. Such quality ensures that both your floor and the caster wheel stay damage-free.
4. Cost
Plastic medical caster wheels are relatively cheaper compared to other industrial-grade caster wheels. Much of the cost reduction has to do with the material. Plastic is inherently a cheaper material than metal, rubber, and nylon. So the final cost of the plastic wheels is often less than other materials, even if the manufacturing quality is the same.
Plastic caster wheels are also much easier to source because the building material is always available to most manufacturers.
Conclusion
To reiterate, plastic caster wheels greatly improve the quality of life in a medical environment. These wheels are durable and consistently perform reliably, which are must-have features for any medical equipment. They are also easy to use and maintain. As such, plastic medical caster wheels are becoming increasingly popular in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
We at Qianyue Caster offer a wide selection of medical-grade caster wheels. Our wheels are ideal for healthcare facilities of any sort, so feel free to check us out.