Not all industrial knobs are the same. You can find them in a variety of styles, such as plastic lobed. Also known as star knobs, they feature a unique design that distinguishes them from other types of industrial knobs. Here’s everything you need to know about plastic lobed knobs.
What Are Plastic Lobed Knobs?
Plastic lobed knobs are industrial control knobs that feature a plastic construction with a lobed shape. They featured a star-like “lobed” shape similar to that of many leaves. There are lobed leaves with short branch-like divisions. Plastic lobed knobs feature similar types of branch-like divisions.
How Plastic Lobed Knobs Differ From Other Types of Industrial Knobs
The main difference between plastic lobed knobs and other types of industrial knobs lies in their shape. All plastic lobed knobs feature a lobed shape. Other types of industrial knobs feature a different shape, such as circular or disc.
Plastic lobed knobs are also made of plastic. They aren’t just made of generic plastic, though. Many of them are made of a special type of high-strength plastic, such as glass-reinforced technopolymer.
Benefits of Plastic Lobed Knobs
If you’re looking to buy industrial control knobs for your workplace, you can’t go wrong with plastic lobed knobs. They are ergonomic and comfortable to use. With their multiple branch-like divisions, they are easy to grip. You grip a plastic lobed knob with a single hand, after which you can turn it. Other types of industrial control knobs may lack this ergonomic shape.
You can also choose plastic lobed knobs in different lobed shapes. There are three-lobed, four-lobed and five-lobed plastic knobs, for example. Three-lobed plastic knobs feature three branch-like divisions, whereas four- and five-lobed plastic knobs feature four and five branch-like divisions, respectively.
In addition to different shapes, you can find plastic lobed knobs in different sizes. Some of them have a larger wheel diameter than others. A large wheel diameter results in a bigger gripping surface that many people prefer.
While they are made primarily of high-strength plastic, plastic lobed knobs typically feature other materials in their construction. The stud or insert, for instance, is usually made of metal. All plastic lobed knobs feature a stud or insert. Studs are threaded rods, and inserts are threaded holes. They are used to connect plastic lobed knobs to machines and equipment. To preserve the integrity of the threads, studs and inserts are typically made of metal, such as carbon steel, stainless steel or brass.