How to determine if natural rubber supermarket trolley casters are suitable for a specific application?

How to determine if natural rubber supermarket trolley casters are suitable for a specific application
Natural rubber casters have significant performance limitations. A comprehensive assessment of the application's environmental conditions, usage intensity, and material characteristics is required. Compatibility can be verified in four steps:

1. Assess the temperature, humidity, and corrosiveness of the application environment.
Temperature adaptability: Natural rubber maintains its elasticity between -50°C and 80°C. If the application temperature is below -25°C (such as in deep freezers) or above 80°C (such as near heating equipment), it will become brittle or soften, making it unsuitable for use. It is initially suitable for use in ambient temperature areas (10°C to 30°C) and conventional refrigerated areas (0°C to 4°C). Humidity and Corrosion: If the scene is humid (such as in aquatic areas) or chemically exposed (such as oil in fresh produce areas, detergents in cleaning areas), verify whether protective measures are in place. Scenes without oil-repellent mats or where acidic residues or strong alkaline detergents are common on the floor can easily cause rubber swelling and cracking, making them unsuitable. Dry, chemical-free areas (such as snack and stationery areas) are suitable.

2. Verify the Scene's Floor Conditions and Friction Strength
Natural rubber has weak abrasion resistance, so special attention should be paid to the floor characteristics:

Floor Type: Only smooth surfaces such as tile and epoxy resin (surface flatness tolerance ≤ 2mm) are suitable. Rough cement floors and storage areas with gravel and sand will accelerate wheel wear and should be excluded.

Friction Frequency: If the scene requires frequent pushes (such as a main shopping cart, used over 50 times per day), even a smooth floor can easily wear away the surface due to accumulated friction, making it unsuitable. Scenes with medium to low frequency of use (such as temporary replenishment trucks, used ≤ 10 times per day) are suitable.

3. Determine the load requirements for the scenario.
The rated load capacity of a single natural rubber wheel is typically ≤50kg. The fully loaded weight of the cart must be calculated.
If the scenario requires transporting heavy items (e.g., boxes of beverages or rice, fully loaded over 150kg), the wheel surface will be deformed under long-term pressure, making it unsuitable.
For light-load scenarios (e.g., transporting small daily necessities or price tags, fully loaded ≤100kg), such as office material transfers or customer shopping, these wheels can meet the load requirements and are highly adaptable.

4. Consider the scenario's protective measures and maintenance capabilities.
If the scenario has minor adverse factors (e.g., occasional contact with light oil), but has adequate protective and maintenance measures, it can be suitable.
For example, in a snack area next to a fresh food area, although light oil may be present, daily caster cleaning and weekly inspections are recommended.
If the scenario lacks protective measures (e.g., no oil-resistant mats, inadequate cleaning), even if the basic conditions are suitable, the wheel's lifespan can be shortened due to corrosion, and therefore is not recommended.