What are the requirements for medical casters used in operating rooms?

Core Requirements for Medical Casters in Operating Rooms
As a medical setting with high cleanliness and safety requirements, operating rooms require casters that meet four core criteria: safety protection, cleanliness and antibacterial properties, stable control, and durability and adaptability. Specific requirements are as follows:

1. Safety Protection: Eliminate potential risks
Precision Braking: A dual braking system with "full brake + directional lock" is required. This system simultaneously locks the wheel's rolling and steering position during braking, preventing intraoperative displacement of surgical equipment (such as surgical carts and instrument tables). Braking response must be instantaneous and stable, with no loosening or shifting.
Load Capacity: Depending on the type of equipment (e.g., small instrument carts, medium-sized anesthesia carts, heavy-duty operating tables), the load capacity must range from 50-500 kg. The wheel structure must also undergo impact testing to prevent deformation from long-term load-bearing and causing the equipment to tilt. Anti-collision design: The wheel frame edges must be rounded and blunted to prevent scraping against walls, equipment, or medical personnel during movement in cramped operating rooms. For demanding environments, silent cushioning rubber rings may be installed to reduce collision noise and impact.

2. Cleanliness and Antibacterial: Suitable for sterile environments

Antibacterial materials: The wheel body and frame must be made of materials that can withstand high-temperature sterilization (such as medical-grade PP, TPU, and 304 stainless steel). The surface must have an antibacterial coating (such as a silver ion antibacterial layer) that complies with the "Biological Evaluation of Medical Devices" standards to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Easy-cleaning structure: No blind spots – The wheel axle and bearings must be sealed and dustproof to prevent the accumulation of blood stains and medical solutions. The wheel body's smooth surface, free of textured grooves, can be directly wiped with alcohol or chlorine-containing disinfectants, and disinfection will not cause corrosion or discoloration. Low-pollution properties: Rubber materials that easily shed must not be used (to prevent particle loss). Wheel frame welds must be smooth and burr-free to prevent fiber and dust adhesion, meeting ISO 14644-1 Class 5 cleanliness standards for operating rooms.

3. Stable Control: Adaptable to intraoperative needs

Quiet and Smooth: Utilizing precision ball bearings, the push noise level must be ≤45 decibels (to avoid disrupting surgical procedures and communication between medical staff). On common operating room surfaces such as tile and epoxy floors, the push resistance must be ≤5N, allowing a single person to easily push a fully loaded device.

Flexible Steering: The universal wheels must offer a smooth 360° steering angle, and the steering shaft must have adjustable damping. This ensures stable steering at low speeds (to avoid sudden swaying) and smooth steering during high-speed transport, adapting to the "short-distance, high-frequency steering" requirements of the operating room. Anti-Tangle Design: The gap between the wheel and the frame must be ≤2mm, and a protective cover must be installed to prevent hair and thread from becoming entangled in the wheel axle during surgery, potentially affecting the caster's operation.

Durability and Adaptability: Suitable for Frequent Use

Corrosion Resistance: The caster can withstand common operating room chemical environments (such as iodine, hydrogen peroxide, and disinfectant alcohol), without cracking or swelling after long-term exposure. It also has a certain temperature resistance (-20°C to 80°C), making it suitable for low-temperature disinfection and high-temperature sterilization.

Wear Resistance: The wheel body must have a Shore hardness of 75-85D (balancing wear resistance and floor protection). Under normal use, the wheel surface wear should be ≤0.5mm/10,000 rotations. The metal parts of the wheel frame must be chrome-plated or passivated to prevent rust and oxidation. Universal adaptability: The axle diameter and installation height must comply with general medical equipment standards (e.g., 12mm/16mm diameter, 100-150mm installation height). This ensures compatibility with surgical carts and instrument tables of different brands, facilitating future replacement and maintenance.