Pneumatic wheels are great for many material handling needs. They help move large loads and are shock resistant. When faced with a less than completely flat flooring surface, they help compensate for the less than ideal terrain. They are also exceedingly quiet and can be useful in a variety of environments where this is a valued asset. Due to their soft rubber tread and design, the pneumatic caster and wheel combination delivers a smooth moving experience as well.
Douglas Equipment is an extremely experienced leader in the caster and material handling equipment business. We make sure the products we sell and create our some of the highest quality on the market. We also make sure that our products are highly affordable as well. We have been in business in South Florida since 1955. We tend to focus on industries such as the hospitality, hotel, hospital, and restaurant industries, but we also make sure that we work with residential and small business clients as well. We know that everybody needs quality moving equipment and we don’t think large corporate accounts should be the only ones to benefit from our wide variety of products and knowledge. We ship everywhere in the United States and thanks to our South Florida location; we are able to quickly provide our products to the Caribbean and South American markets as well.
We sell a variety of high quality pneumatic wheels as well as some great alternatives to a completely pneumatic caster and wheel.
Pneumatic
What makes a wheel pneumatic? A pneumatic wheel is typically a tire filled either with air or foam that is then mounted to a metal hub.
There are many benefits to a pneumatic wheel. It is highly shock absorbent. That’s extremely helpful when moving over bumpy surfaces or dropping a load on to the moving platform. The pneumatic wheel can protect the moving equipment and the load from damage.
The pneumatic wheel is also very quiet. This makes it ideal for such places as hotels, restaurants, and hospitals where quiet is a very necessary part of the work place. With the rubber tread, the pneumatic wheel can provide exceptionally smooth and quiet transport for material as well as equipment.
Our P-12 Pneumatic Wheel is one such wheel. It is a rubber wheel with a metal hub that has a capacity of 350 lbs. This means that it will be perfect for hospitality industries due to its quiet operation. Thanks to the rubber that makes up the wheel, it also offers great floor protection. Unlike harder wheel materials like iron or steel, the rubber wheel will ensure that your flooring is not scuffed, scratched or otherwise marked.
The shock resistance of the wheel also makes this a great wheel for hand trucks and other moving platforms in warehouse environments, particularly if the flooring is uneven. The pneumatic rubber wheels will compensate for the unevenness and absorb shock that would damage the hand truck or the material on the hand truck. The pneumatic wheel is wide and tall as well which will provide better load stability and balance.
The metal hub of the pneumatic wheel is made of zinc and steel which means that it will be exceptionally resistant to moisture and some corrosive chemicals. The hub will also help provide stability for the wheel due to its durable construction.
Semi Pneumatic Wheels
Semi pneumatic wheels typically refer to wheels that are not filled with air or foam but are a thick tire comprised generally of rubber. Semi pneumatic wheels will still have a hub that they are mounted on like the pneumatic wheel.
While the semi pneumatic wheel may not prove to be as durable or shock absorbent as a pneumatic wheel, they offer some advantages. First and most obvious, if the wheel isn’t filled with air or foam, you don’t have to worry about the tire being punctured and the air or cushioning material leaking out, leaving you with a deflated wheel. This eliminates the risk of using pneumatic tires in a situation where the tire may be punctured leaving you and your load inconveniently stuck some distance away from your destination.
Secondly, semi pneumatic wheels tend to have a smaller foot print. Our R1 ¾ model is smaller than the standard pneumatic wheel size. This helps increase mobility, especially when cornering.
Additionally, just because the wheels are not as shock absorbent as pneumatic wheels doesn’t mean the semi pneumatic wheel can’t be shock resistant. Our semi pneumatic wheels can still function on such uneven surfaces as grass, and dirt.
Finally, our semi pneumatic wheels actually have the same load capacity as our pneumatic wheels. So, the above characteristics coupled with the similar load capacity and the rubber construction of the wheel, give you a wheel that is still quite rugged and durable. This wheel offers great floor protection and provides smooth and quiet operation. In other words, you may find that this wheel, with the exception of working on sand and gravel, provides what you need without the risk of deflation.
Customer Service You Can Trust
We’ve talked in great length about the pros and cons of semi pneumatic and pneumatic wheels. However, sometimes only talking with a trained expert can really settle the argument. We have a dedicated and hard working customer support staff that is ready to talk to you about our products. Maybe you want to describe the environment you work in and see if the pneumatic wheel is right for it. Or maybe you think the semi pneumatic wheel is the wheel you need, but you just aren’t completely sure. Either way, our staff is extremely knowledgeable about all of our products and they can guide you to the right selection, regardless of what you’re looking for. We’ll make sure you leave with the product that is right for you, and we’ll make sure it’s priced to be as affordable as possible. Contact us today and get the best caster and wheel combination for your work environment!
