When searching the Internet for wire rope, it is not hard for a person to become overwhelmed when choosing materials, sizes, and rope structures. Taking time to shop for ideal ropes saves users money and time. It also drastically increases safety. For safety, you can also consider accessories like wire rope slings or other rigging supplies.
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There are five primary considerations that people should make when weighing factors that affect rope selections.
What strength-resistance to breaking is necessary for your applications? Your wire rope needs to be strong enough to handle the maximum potential load. Understanding what you are lifting will significantly determine which rope will work for you. Weak ropes are known to break, and ropes that are too strong add unnecessary weight and costs.
What resistance to fatigue bending do you need? Fatigue is caused as a result of ropes being repeatedly bending around sheaves and drums. If high fatigue is a factor, consider using a wire rope that is made of many small wires.
What resistance to vibrational fatigue does your application require? Energy gets absorbed at the tangent points or end fittings. Considering this element of application will allow ropes to work optimally for prolonged periods.
Do you need resistance to abrasion? Ropes that are constructed with many small wires are not ideal for resisting abrasion. Abrasion occurs as ropes are dragged over the ground or other hard surfaces. Consider ropes that have only a few and large wires.
Do you need crushing resistance? It is common for wire ropes to encounter crushing forces during normal daily operations. Ropes that cannot withstand crushing get distorted and flattened. When flattened or distorted, the ropes are considered permanently broken and require immediate replacement.
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Industrial wire rope is used for a multitude of applications. Smaller wire ropes are found on exercise equipment and wire fencing, while ticker rope styles are used for aerospace and aircraft construction and suspension bridge reinforcement. Further, wire ropes are utilized by countless industries, including the military, construction, warehousing, automotive, and engineering.
Singe the application and requirements for wire rope is so varied, industrial wire rope suppliers offer numerous specifications. Narrowing down through these options can be tricky if you are unsure of the exact requirements your application needs. These options can impact the use, durability, and strength of the wire ropes, and some types are specifically designed for unique functions.
Here are 6 of the key wire rope specifications that must be considered before purchasing:
One of the first wire rope specifications to narrow down is the material of the rope itself. While wire rope is generally made from steel, but it may also be made from iron, bronze, copper, and even titanium. Further, there are different types of steel grades and finishes available.
Most steel wire ropes are made from plow steel, which contains .5 to .95 percent carbon. Most wire ropes are available as either IPS (improved plow steel) or EIPS (extra improved plow steel). These improvements are based on the amount of carbon added in. So IPS are 10% stronger than traditional plow steel and EIPS is 10% stronger than IPS.
A steel grade measures the material’s strength and pliability. The higher the grade, the most weight the wire rope can sustain. Each level of grade is about 10% stronger than the next.
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The lowest grades for wire rope are mold plow and plow steel. These are often used for hauling and logging, but are not approved for overhead lifting applications. Industrial wire ropes are most commonly made from improved plow steel (IPS) or extra improved plow steel (EIPS).
Stainless steel wire ropes have an additional grading system that uses numbers to measure the amount of chromium added. 302-grade is an extremely tough type of stainless steel that is highly heat-resistant due to its high carbon content. 304 is highly versatile and corrosion resistant as it has chromium and nickel added. Grade 316 is considered the most commonly used type for wire ropes as it has a bit more flexibility with lower carbon content.
The next wire rope specification is the construction of the rope, meaning the number of strands woven together to form the rope. The general rule of thumb here is that the fewer strands in a rope, the stiffer it will be. So, when flexibility is necessary, you should opt for a wire rope with a higher strand count.
The number of strands and wires are written out as strand X wire count. A strand is made up of individual wires wrapped together, then each of the strands is woven together to form the rope. So, a 6 X 19 wire rope is made of 6 strands of 19 wires each.
Industrial wire ropes come in a large variety of strand counts, but the most common configurations are:
Industrial wire ropes can be made of different patterns and arrangements. This impacts the wire rope’s performance and flexibility, so different patterns may be better suited for certain applications.
There are five main categories of strand patterns:
The performance of a wire rope is the description of the lay or the direction the strands are wrapped in. This subtle difference can actually influence many factors, like the rope’s flexibility and fatigue resistance.
There are 3 types of lays for industrial wire ropes:
Next, you will need to narrow down the finishes for the wire ropes. A bright wire rope has no coating, so the steel is completely exposed. This is only recommended for applications where the rope will not be exposed to moisture or water, as the steel is not rust-proof.
Galvanized steel is coated in a thin layer of molten zinc. This provides a protective barrier for added durability and corrosion resistance. The zinc coating gives the rope a more matte appearance.
Stainless steel is naturally corrosion resistant and has a naturally shiny finish. Stainless steel is also the strongest and most durable, but also the most expensive.
Although wire ropes are incredibly durable, the steel will wear out faster if it is exposed to harsh elements. Constant friction and changing temperatures and humidity in the air can weaken the metal and lead to wires breaking or corroding.
Wire ropes may be lubricated to reduce friction and protect the rope from corrosion. This is optional, but it can be beneficial for certain uses. Wire rope lubricants can be made from minerals or oils and may be either thin and runny or thick and tacky.
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