Ideal-Stop Caster Brake

As an example of this, Case New Holland (CNH) Grand Island protected their employees and equipment, while also transforming an important section of their operations. This was all accomplished, not with a caster, but with a caster brake, the Ideal-Stop.

Caster Problems for Case New Holland

The problem for CNH began in a specific part of their operations that used carts to transport equipment. These carts were transferred a substantial distance on a trailer from facility to facility. Because of this, the carts needed to be secure while being loaded on and off the trailer and while being transported.

The first solution that CNH had tried was floor locks. These floor locks offered CNH's employees the freedom to apply the brake whenever or wherever they needed. The problem was the positioning and quality of the floor locks. These brakes would break easily at various times, mainly due to forklifts and the general weight of the carts. The real danger was that the damage and loss of functionality was gradual, so no one knew when the floor lock brakes would fail, but they failed often and never at a convenient time.

If a worker wasn’t aware of this damage and breakage, they would be at a real risk of injury, loss of product, and damage to equipment. So, there was real insecurity when it came to this system.

CNH countered their failing brakes by using two solutions: a bar across the carts during transport and plastic blocks that went under the wheels while loading and unloading. The problem with this setup is that CNH had to employ two separate measures to get even an acceptable level of stability. At the same time, the blocks under the wheels were nowhere near as secure as they could have been, had the carts been secured with a reliable brake. All of these risks caused CNH to look for a better solution.

Caster Solutions for Case New Holland

Cliff, a team lead in CNH’s logistics pillar in World Class Manufacturing, was able to work with Caster Connection to solve the issues he and his team were experiencing. This included, Roxanne, an important part of their team, who was responsible for loading the casters in and unloading the carts from the trailers.

Together, we installed the Ideal-Stop caster brake. This extremely durable and versatile caster brake is able to rotate without moving the brake engage mechanism. The braking mechanism is fixed in one position and is extremely durable. At the same time, the brake virtually never fails, even when you only install it on one of your four wheels.

The brake was installed on enough carts to notice a night-and-day difference. Now, Roxanne could load her carts and simply step onto the braking mechanism. After the install, there was no need to use the blocks or the bars they had once employed, whenever she or anyone else used the new cart setup. She was safe and able to be as productive as possible with the upgraded carts.

Imagine how differently individual workers like Roxanne and managers like Cliff could perform at their jobs and how they would feel about the work they would do. There would be no anxiety or loathing with each and every cart they loaded onto the trailer.

This was the positive effect our partners at CNH experienced. Roxanne was safe from harm, Cliff was confident in the operations process and happy his workers were safe. The effect of this change simply radiated throughout the chain of command and at each level of responsibility, which allowed upper management the freedom to concentrate on other deficiencies in operations. 1,000s of our clients have replicated the results experienced at CNH, and helping our clients stay safe and confident in their jobs is why we do what we do.

Industrial facilities move thousands of pounds of weight each hour. This is really a serious matter. No one wants thousands of pounds rolling down a trailer and hitting into anyone or anything. Even a small amount of drift can cause serious damage or injury. Ideal-Stop caster brakes are arguably the most versatile brake in existence, and CNH was able to empower themselves with these incredible brakes. All we did was give them the education and tools they needed to concentrate on their daily operations and focus on any other issues they might be experiencing. If you’d like the confidence that CNH gained in their operations by protecting their employees, product, and equipment, click here to contact us so that we can find a solution to your unique problem as a team.