• Home
• Shop By Brand
• Hudson Bearings Ball Transfers

Hudson Bearings Ball Transfers

COMMON APPLICATIONS

Ball transfers solve a variety of material handling and motion control challenges, whether used in the traditional "ball up" position or as a caster in the "ball down" orientation. Ball transfers offer advantages to traditional casters, such as lower profiles and omnidirectional movement, often at a lower cost.

• Air Cargo, Robotics, Store Fixtures, Laser & Plasma Cutters
• Medical Devices, Shears & Military Logistics
• Die Handling, Caster Substitution, Glass & Metal Manufacturing

LOAD CAPACITY

• Equal load distribution over many ball transfers is seldom, if ever achieved. Load distribution is governed by the flatness, hardness, and smoothness of the load surface in contact with the balls, the ball transfer installation height variance, and system deflection.
• To avoid exceeding the rated capacity of any individual ball transfer unit, sufficient ball transfers should be provided to afford a safety factor of 3. This applies to "ball up" and "ball down" positioning.
• In addition, the force required to put a load in motion is reduced as the number of ball transfer units under a load is increased, thereby reducing the coefficient of friction.

• When calculating loads, the possibility of impact and unequal leveling should be considered. Self-leveling neoprene or rubber cushions placed under each unit can reduce these issues. We offer high-density neoprene cushions for several models of our ball transfers.

COMMON ARRANGEMENTS

Arrangement of the ball transfer units depends on the weight of the load, surface of the application, and under-surface of the conveyed load. Determine the number of units required to support the load based on the considerations stated above. Once the number of ball transfer units has been calculated, these units should be arranged symmetrically under the load. The minimum distance between ball transfers should be the length of the shortest dimension of the load divided by 2.5. This minimum spacing will support the conveyed article and prevent it from becoming unstable. We can assist you with mounting, loading, and space recommendations for your particular application.

HUDSON BALL TRANSFERS ARE MADE IN THE USA.