When you buy a handwheel, you should carefully choose the material. You perhaps know that handwheels are wheel-shaped mechanical components, usually operated through manual turning.
The steering wheel of a car is the best analogy to a handwheel. You need to grip a handwheel and turn it to the side.
There are many uses of handwheels in industrial applications, such as opening and closing a valve or adjusting a machine.
Handwheel Materials
Usually, handwheels are made of various materials. So, depending on your use, you need to choose the right material for your handwheels.
You will get handwheels made of the following materials:
Aluminum
It is one of the most prefered materials for handwheels. The preference is due to the different advantages.
One of the advantages is the lighter weight–handwheels made of aluminum weigh less than handwheels made of most other materials.
In addition, the material is corrosion-resistant and immune to rust. As such, aluminum is an excellent choice of material for a handwheel.
Plastic
Many businesses prefer handwheels made of plastic. Due to its lightweight, corrosion-free, and rust-resistant properties, the preference for plastic as a material for handwheels is increasing.
In addition, plastic is resistant to solvents, oils, greases, and other harsh chemicals.
But, there is a downside too. Plastic is weaker and less durable than other materials. Usually, plastic handwheels are used to control a valve.
Duroplastic
Duroplastic is modified plastic. So, it is different from traditional plastic. But, given the properties, Duroplastic is a perfect material for handwheels.
Duroplastic is a type of reinforced plastic. Meaning it is a traditional plastic bound with nylon or glass fibers. And this strengthens the plastic.
So, handwheels made of Duroplast are stronger and more durable.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is an iron alloy with corrosion-inhibiting properties, mostly iron, with roughly 11 per cent chromium.
Due to its remarkable properties, stainless steel has become a popular handwheel material.
When stainless steel gets exposed to Oxygen, it develops a layer of chromium oxide to protect against corrosion.
Handwheels made of stainless steel are stronger than those made of aluminum, plastic, Duroplastic, and many other materials.
Cast Iron
Cast iron is another preferred material for handwheels. It is an iron alloy consisting of at least 2 per cent carbon.
There is a downside to the cast iron material. Cast iron is prone to corrosion, although it is stronger than stainless steel.
Handwheels made of cast iron are used to adjust machines due to their strength.
Industrial Magnets
Like handwheels, industrial magnets are vital elements for the mechanical engineering industry.
Magnets make industria; applications simpler to implement.
If the need arises for hanging something, industrial magnets become handy. For example, the magnets find applications, such as sticking something on the wall or holding together two ends of a piece of metal.
There are different varieties of industrial magnets in terms of sizes and shapes. So, there are small, large, and long magnets.
Besides, some magnets come in the form of tape.
You will see industrial magnets serving significant purposes in the mechanical engineering industry.
You will see usages of industrial magnets in construction sites, oil rigging, coal mining, etc.
Again, you should regard industrial magnets as equivalent to household magnets, although both variants have the pull feature.
Industrial magnets are different from household variants in terms of their strength. The strength of industrial magnets is more than household magnets.
Conclusion
Whether you purchase handwheels or industrial magnets, you should choose the supplier wisely. The quality of the products depends on the quality of the supplier. Therefore, you should ensure that you select a trusted and reliable supplier. And you should assess your prospective supplier for their quality and reliability.
