Design, Engineering, and Testing

Shepherd Caster Corporation has been a leader of innovative new products and mobility solutions to the marketplace for over 50 years. Our technologies have greatly changed over the past 50 years, but our experience and drive to provide the most innovative solutions to the market remains the core of Shepherd. We strive to utilize the latest in design, manufacturing, and testing technologies – resulting in the highest quality product and value for our customers. Whether you are looking at developing a new caster concept or just looking to modify an existing item to work with your design, we have the engineering experience and technology to bring your concept from a working design to a finished product.

Designing

3D Solid model with FEA analysis

Stereolithography rapid prototyping of new caster horn

Our experienced design engineers begin any new concept or product modification with a SolidWorks 3D design. After the design has been finalized, the design undergoes a complete Finite Element Analysis (FEA) that evaluates the design for any potential failure points. After the FEA approval, we then proceed into rapid prototyping. With plastic printing (stereolithography) capabilities, rapid prototyping can be completed without the need for any tooling and can be done very quickly. This great technology allows us to quickly produce samples that our customers can actually hold and mount to their unit, ensuring it is exactly what they desire before any tooling is even cut loose.

Testing

After production tools have been produced for the new design, off-tool samples are then subjected to a host of in-house testing. As a proud member of the Institute of Caster and Wheel Manufacturers (ICWM), and a member on the ICWM testing board, we pride ourselves in our testing accomplishments and capabilities. Our in-house testing capabilities comprise of the following capabilities:

• Life time durability testing
• Impact testing
• Static load testing
• Brake durability and efficiency testing
• Rollability testing
• Hardness and durometer testing
• Comparative testing

New caster undergoing ICWM durability testing

Caster undergoing high compression static load test