Caster Concepts unveils industry’s first motor-powered caster

Integrating a battery-powered electric motor, the Drive Caster was showcased by Caster Concepts’ (Booth 5077) CEO Bill Dobbins in a press conference on Tuesday as the industry’s first motorized industrial caster.

“The caster totally eliminates the force required to move a cart for better ergonomics,” said Dobbins, noting that the device can easily be added to carts or racks as a retrofit. “With a flip of a switch, operators can effortlessly move heavy loads without manual pushing or pulling, reducing the risk of injury.”

The Drive Caster comes with either a 0.25- or 0.5-horsepower motor powerful enough to move loads up to 6,000 pounds at speeds up to 5 mph. “Adding a second Drive Caster doubles the load capacity and enables tank-style steering, where each caster pushes in opposite directions to turn,” explained Dobbins.

The casters can be outfitted with quick-change battery or with a power regeneration device that allows them to recharge when not in use. That’s particularly useful for tugged carts applications, he said: “When hitched to the cart train, the caster rises to disengage from the floor and recharge; when the cart is removed from the train, the caster engages, allowing a line-side worker to maneuver it more easily.”

Modex 2016 is scheduled to be held April 4-7, 2016 in Atlanta’s Georgia World Conference Center. The tradeshow will showcase the latest manufacturing, distribution and supply chain solutions in the material handling and logistics industry. Modern’s complete Modex coverage.