M22 Brake Pin Optimization

Since its introduction, the M22 two-piece medical caster has garnered significant acclaim from our clients and continues to demonstrate robust market performance.

Recently, some customers have expressed the need for enhanced impact resistance in our products, particularly for the 2-inch and 2.5-inch models. They expect that even after braking and being subjected to a certain degree of impact, the braking function should remain unaffected. After studying customer usage scenarios, our product engineers identified that the brake pin is the most vulnerable component under stress. In response, we have replaced the plastic brake pin with an iron version and produced prototypes for testing.

The testing procedure was conducted as follows: four units were mounted onto a test cart at a 90-degree angle with their brakes engaged. The cart was then loaded with counterweights corresponding to the product’s rated load capacity. A horizontal pulling force was applied until the braking mechanism of the bracket failed, resulting in the rotation of the bracket.

Testing results demonstrated a significant improvement in durability. Products equipped with the original plastic brake pin experienced deformation and a failure of the braking mechanism when the horizontal pulling force reached only 36% of the rated load capacity, causing the bracket to rotate. It is important to note that the pass/fail criterion specified in the EN 12530:1998 standard for manual transport equipment castors is ≥20%.

In stark contrast, products fitted with the new iron brake pin exhibited superior performance. When the pulling force reached 44% of the rated load, the bracket did not rotate. Instead, the entire test cart itself began to slide laterally. This indicates that under braking conditions, even if the cart is impacted and displaced, our product remains fully functional and undamaged.

In conclusion, these tests successfully validate that switching to an iron brake pin provides a robust and effective product optimization, fully meeting our customers' requirements for enhanced impact resistance.