Darnell-Rose has proven that the SC-482 E-Series Kingpin engineered swivel caster is a superior design in ergonomic performance compared to other low-cost alternatives like the Kingpinless swivel caster.
Compared to the traditional Kingpin swivel section (shown lower left), a Kingpinless swivel section is by far much simpler and cheaper. It is constructed of a top plate with a forged inner race, an outer race to which the legs are attached and a single row of ball bearings between the two pieces. This design eliminates the need for a kingpin, as the name Kingpinless implies.
Kingpin Swivel Section Kingpinless Swivel Section
All Darnell swivel casters are engineered and designed with a Kingpin using hardened steel ball bearings touching the upper and lower swivel raceway “on all four sides.” This protects the central Kingpin from shock loading for free swiveling under maximum loads.
All Rose swivel casters have Integrally Forged Kingpins. This Kingpin is forged with the upper raceway using SAE-1050 quality grade steel. This design allows for proper bearing adjustment whenever necessary. Designed to be virtually indestructible!
The advantages of the Rose Kingpin casters are as follows:
· Adjustments to the swivel head can be made to extend the life of the caster.
· Tightening of the nut under the Kingpin creates resistance in motion which is helpful when the caster is moving down an incline, or at a higher rate of speed (in excess of 3-5 mph)
· Control of “flutter” conditions when a swivel caster loses touch with the ground and correct orientation with the floor in higher speed applications or due to rough surfaces. When contact is made again, if the caster is not in the right direction can cause a lurching motion of the load, possibly resulting in a major mishap or even injury.
“Perceived” Kingpin Disadvantages are as follows:
Thrust loads are transmitted through the Kingpin making it a vulnerable failure point for the caster. Kingpin “may” become fatigued or distorted or even shear off. (This in fact has never happened with a Darnell or Rose Kingpin caster.)
The marketing behind the Kingpinless push into the caster world have claims of the following:
· With the Kingpin eliminated the chance for failure of the Kingpin is also eliminated. (Again, never has happened to a Darnell or Rose Kingpin caster.)
· Improved load impact resistance
· Higher Load Capacities
· Longer service life / less maintenance
· Swivels easier as the load is spread out over a larger area.
The Disadvantage of Kingpinless casters are:
· No adjustment to the swivel head can be made to account for wear over time / throw- away.
With all the above being considered by the staff at Darnell-Rose, we thought it would be “eye opening” to perform our own ergonomic load testing comparing the Rose “Integrally forged SC-482 E-Series Kingpin caster” against a well know competitors highly acclaimed Kingpinless ergonomic swivel caster, so we did just that!
Ergonomics Test July 20th, 2023
Darnell-Rose is challenging the industry perception that Kingpinless casters swivel easier and are more ergonomic than the traditional Kingpin versions with the Darnell-Rose E-series wheel.
With that said, we set up our own comparison test by purchasing (4) well known Kingpinless swivel casters (rated at 1200 lbs. each) online that are marketed as being:
· Prevents user injuries by reducing required push/pull force – and improving ergonomics.
· Are strong and durable.
· Reduce maintenance downtime due to caster failure.
· Carry substantial weight loads.
· Offer optimal performance in Towline applications.
We compared them to a similar size and load capacity of a traditional Kingpin version manufactured by Rose Caster. In this case study, the swivel caster rig chosen was the Rose- SC-482 using the 8” E-Series ergonomic wheel.
Test conditions
Test Apparatus:
A steel frame base measuring 4’ long x 2’ wide with (4) casters mounted to each corner. A welded tow eye was fabricated to the center of the 2’ wide cart and a chain was affixed through the tow eye and attached to a Mark-10 Model M3-200 Force Guage.
A 4’ long x 2’ wide pallet with (3) 55-gallon drums filled with metal components (with additional weights added) were evenly distributed on the pallet. The weight of the loaded pallet was verified with a high-resolution digital scale and weighed 3,004 lbs.
Test Conditions:
All ergonomic tests were conducted on a level and dry smooth concrete floor that was swept clear of any debris, with a room temperature at 85 degrees F. The wheels used were in a new condition to start the initial test on the Kingpinless casters.
Tests:
Three tests were performed for each of the (2) sets of casters to compare the ergonomic performance at load ratings of 720 lbs., 1550 lbs., and 3000 lbs.
Test Parameters: recorded the maximum pull force required to move the cart with Front wheels in line with the cart (parallel) and the lead following, and the Rear wheels positioned at 90-degree angles. Each test was conducted 5 times with less than 2 minutes between each move. The results were averaged for each test.
Test Results: Test Summary – Observations:
The Rose SC-482 E-Series Kingpin caster outperformed the Kingpinless Apex Wheel caster by 19% (720 lbs.), 15% (1550 lbs.), and 19% (3000 lbs.) when the Rear casters were positioned at 90 degrees before starting the Pull Force Test.
Conclusion:
This test has confirmed based on the data and facts noted above that the Rose SC-482 E-Series traditional Kingpin casters are more ergonomic than the Kingpinless version under a loaded condition, and debunks the market perception that Kingpinless casters swivel easier and are more ergonomic
For copies of the above test data, please contact your Darnell-Rose representative.
In fact, we are so confident that our Darnell-Rose E-Series casters will outperform the competition and have a longer life span, we offer the following:
Lifetime guarantee:
All Darnell-Rose Kingpin casters Guarantee:
Darnell-Rose guarantees the original purchaser of Darnell-Rose manufactured swivel casters a lifetime warranty against the Kingpin bending, breaking, or failing under normal use and abuse. All Kingpin casters shown to be bent, broken, or failed due to defects in materials or workmanship over the life of the caster will be replaced without charge for materials or labor (excludes cost of freight to and from Darnell-Rose manufacturing facility.)