Overview
Nylon guide wheels are lightweight, impact-resistant wheels used to guide, tension, and support belts, webs, and wire in material-handling and converting equipment. Cast and extruded nylon offers an excellent balance of toughness, wear resistance, and low friction, letting guide wheels run quietly against belts and rails without the weight or noise of steel or aluminum rollers.
ORRO Manufacturing machines guide wheels from cast nylon (PA6) and extruded nylon stock, turning the running surface and boring the bearing seat to tight concentricity. We can machine integral flanges, V-grooves, and crown profiles, and match the bore to the bearing or bushing used in your assembly.
Material Properties
| Property | Cast Nylon (PA6) |
|---|---|
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.13 - 1.16 |
| Tensile Strength (MPa) | 75 - 85 |
| Flexural Modulus (GPa) | 2.8 - 3.3 |
| Hardness (Rockwell R) | 110 - 120 |
| Max Continuous Temperature (°C) | 100 - 120 |
| Coefficient of Friction (vs. steel) | 0.20 - 0.30 |
| Water Absorption at Saturation (%) | 2.5 - 3.0 |
| Abrasion Resistance | Excellent |
Key Advantages
- High Impact Toughness: Absorbs shock loads that would dent or crack metal wheels.
- Low Friction and Quiet Running: Reduces belt wear and operating noise versus metal wheels.
- Lightweight: Roughly one-seventh the weight of steel, reducing inertia in moving assemblies.
- Excellent Wear Resistance: Outlasts many metals in abrasive, unlubricated sliding contact.
- Corrosion Resistance: Unaffected by moisture and most chemicals.
- Machinable to Fine Profiles: Crowned, flanged, and grooved profiles are cut to exact geometry.
Typical Applications
Conveyor and Belt Guiding
Guide and return wheels that keep belts tracking on conveyors, sorters, and packaging lines.
Wire, Cable, and Web Handling
Tension wheels and sheaves that guide wire, cable, film, and textile webs without marking.
Food and Pharmaceutical Handling
Clean, corrosion-resistant guide wheels for washdown conveyors and hygienic lines.
Machining Capabilities
| Parameter | Capability |
|---|---|
| Tolerance | ±0.05 mm (bore), ±0.1 mm (profile) |
| Surface Finish | Ra 1.6 - 3.2 μm |
| Size Range | 20 mm to 400 mm diameter |
| Key Processes | CNC turning, boring, grooving, milling |
Application Case
Conveyor guide wheel, cast nylon — A material-handling OEM needed quiet, wear-resistant guide wheels to replace steel rollers that were damaging belts and generating noise above 85 dB. ORRO machined 120 mm cast-nylon wheels with a crowned profile and a ±0.05 mm bearing bore, supplying 4,000 units in 15 days. The nylon wheels cut noise to 72 dB and more than doubled belt life.
