8th Jun 2022

Selecting the right material for your airport trolley is critical if you want to get the absolute most out of them. The most important factor to consider when selecting a material is the environment they will be used in, helping to ensure a long life and limited need for repairs or replacements. We offer a range of materials to suit differing environments and budgets.

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Stainless Steel Airport Trolley Chassis

Stainless Steel Airport Trolley

Stainless Steel by far the most expensive option, but there are really good reasons why stainless is so popular for airport trolleys all around the world. Steel itself is notoriously sturdy, making it ideal for strong and durable trolleys. The non corrosive properties of stainless steel means that your fleet of baggage carts will look as good after 5 years as they did on day one. Besides the usual wind and rain, at seaside airports the salt in the air around the coasts adds an additional corrosive agent into the equation. Add the fact of abrasive sand in the air, with additional heat and humidity, a regular mild steel will start to fall apart. Stainless steel has the ability to resist these problems, making it an ideal choice for ports and waterside airports alike.

Advantages and Disadvantages of an Aluminium Luggage Trolley Chassis

Aluminium Airport Trolley

While an Aluminium Alloy Chassis also provides exceptional anticorrosive benefits, we also we get a great light weight frame. This lighter chassis makes operation of the carts feel so much better for the operator, making them far favourable for when you want an easy and hassle-free trip to and from baggage handling. Compared to stainless steel, Aluminium Alloy tends to have a duller grey look, and over a period of time will start to collect a salty residue over the material, caused by the environment desperately trying to corrode the base material. Along with being lighter than stainless, Aluminium is also weaker, and holes for screws and bearings are more susceptible to wear over time. While the trolleys are usually cheaper than Stainless Steel, they will require more maintenance.

Advantages and Disadvantages of an Electro or Chrome Plated Baggage Cart Chassis

Electro Plated Airport Trolley

To create an Electro or Chrome Plated Chassis, the standard S275 Mild steel is bathed in acid with electrodes attached, pellets of zinc are placed into the bath, as the zinc dissolves, which then attach to the electrolysed mild steel leaving a corrosion resistant bright zinc coat. This is a wonderfully cheap way of making standard dull steel look better while also providing far better anti-corrosion properties, as the zinc coat will not rust. Despite being hard wearing, it is still a coating. This means that if the zinc is chipped or subjected to heavy scratching, the base mild steel will be exposed, allowing it to begin the process of rusting. Electro or Chrome plated frames are ideal for seaside or humid environments but will not cope with abuse, so are best used for lighter loads. A drawback of Zinc plating is its environmental impact, as the chemical process creates unwanted by-products.