wire rope lubricant specification free sample

Wire rope forms an important part of many machines and structures. It is comprised of continuous wire strands wound around a central core. There are many kinds of wire rope designed for different applications. Most of them are steel wires made into strands wound with each other. The core can be made of steel, rope or even plastics.

Wire ropes (cables) are identified by several parameters including size, grade of steel used, whether or not it is preformed, by its lay, the number of strands and the number of wires in each strand.

A typical strand and wire designation is 6x19. This denotes a rope made up of six strands with 19 wires in each strand. Different strand sizes and arrangements allow for varying degrees of rope flexibility and resistance to crushing and abrasion. Small wires are better suited to being bent sharply over small sheaves (pulleys). Large outer wires are preferred when the cable will be rubbed or dragged through abrasives.

There are three types of cores. An independent wire rope core (IWRC) is normally a 6x7 wire rope with a 1x7 wire strand core resulting in a 7x7 wire rope. IWRCs have a higher tensile and bending breaking strength than a fiber core rope and a high resistance to crushing and deformation.

A wire strand core (WSC) rope has a single wire strand as its core instead of a multistrand wire rope core. WSC ropes are high strength and are mostly used as static or standing ropes.

Wire ropes also have fiber cores. Fiber core ropes were traditionally made with sisal rope, but may also use plastic materials. The fiber core ropes have less strength than steel core ropes. Fiber core ropes are quite flexible and are used in many overhead crane applications.

The lay of a wire rope is the direction that the wire strands and the strands in the cable twist. There are four common lays: right lay, left lay, regular lay and lang lay. In a right lay rope the strands twist to the right as it winds away from the observer. A left lay twists to the left. A regular lay rope has the wires in the strands twisted in the opposite direction from the strands of the cable. In a lang lay rope, the twist of the strands and the wires in the strands are both twisted the same way. Lang lay ropes are said to have better fatigue resistance due to the flatter exposure of the wires.

Wire ropes are made mostly from high carbon steel for strength, versatility, resilience and availability and for cost consideration. Wire ropes can be uncoated or galvanized. Several grades of steel are used and are described in Table 1.

Steel cable wire is stiff and springy. In nonpreformed rope construction, broken or cut wires will straighten and stick out of the rope as a burr, posing a safety hazard. A preformed cable is made of wires that are shaped so that they lie naturally in their position in the strand, preventing the wires from protruding and potentially causing injury. Preformed wire ropes also have better fatigue resistance than nonpreformed ropes and are ideal for working over small sheaves and around sharp angles.

Lubricating wire ropes is a difficult proposition, regardless of the construction and composition. Ropes with fiber cores are somewhat easier to lubricate than those made exclusively from steel materials. For this reason, it is important to carefully consider the issue of field relubrication when selecting rope for an application.

There are two types of wire rope lubricants, penetrating and coating. Penetrating lubricants contain a petroleum solvent that carries the lubricant into the core of the wire rope then evaporates, leaving behind a heavy lubricating film to protect and lubricate each strand (Figure 2). Coating lubricants penetrate slightly, sealing the outside of the cable from moisture and reducing wear and fretting corrosion from contact with external bodies.

Both types of wire rope lubricants are used. But because most wire ropes fail from the inside, it is important to make sure that the center core receives sufficient lubricant. A combination approach in which a penetrating lubricant is used to saturate the core, followed with a coating to seal and protect the outer surface, is recommended. Wire rope lubricants can be petrolatum, asphaltic, grease, petroleum oils or vegetable oil-based (Figure 3).

Petrolatum compounds, with the proper additives, provide excellent corrosion and water resistance. In addition, petrolatum compounds are translucent, allowing the technician to perform visible inspection. Petrolatum lubricants can drip off at higher temperatures but maintain their consistency well under cold temperature conditions.

Various types of greases are used for wire rope lubrication. These are the coating types that penetrate partially but usually do not saturate the rope core. Common grease thickeners include sodium, lithium, lithium complex and aluminum complex soaps. Greases used for this application generally have a soft semifluid consistency. They coat and achieve partial penetration if applied with pressure lubricators.

Petroleum and vegetable oils penetrate best and are the easiest to apply because proper additive design of these penetrating types gives them excellent wear and corrosion resistance. The fluid property of oil type lubricants helps to wash the rope to remove abrasive external contaminants.

Wire ropes are lubricated during the manufacturing process. If the rope has a fiber core center, the fiber will be lubricated with a mineral oil or petrolatum type lubricant. The core will absorb the lubricant and function as a reservoir for prolonged lubrication while in service.

If the rope has a steel core, the lubricant (both oil and grease type) is pumped in a stream just ahead of the die that twists the wires into a strand. This allows complete coverage of all wires.

After the cable is put into service, relubrication is required due to loss of the original lubricant from loading, bending and stretching of the cable. The fiber core cables dry out over time due to heat from evaporation, and often absorb moisture. Field relubrication is necessary to minimize corrosion, protect and preserve the rope core and wires, and thus extend the service life of the wire rope.

If a cable is dirty or has accumulated layers of hardened lubricant or other contaminants, it must be cleaned with a wire brush and petroleum solvent, compressed air or steam cleaner before relubrication. The wire rope must then be dried and lubricated immediately to prevent rusting. Field lubricants can be applied by spray, brush, dip, drip or pressure boot. Lubricants are best applied at a drum or sheave where the rope strands have a tendency to separate slightly due to bending to facilitate maximum penetration to the core. If a pressure boot application is used, the lubricant is applied to the rope under slight tension in a straight condition. Excessive lubricant application should be avoided to prevent safety hazards.

Some key performance attributes to look for in a wire rope lubricant are wear resistance and corrosion prevention. Some useful performance benchmarks include high four-ball EP test values, such as a weld point (ASTM D2783) of above 350 kg and a load wear index of above 50. For corrosion protection, look for wire rope lubricants with salt spray (ASTM B117) resistance values above 60 hours and humidity cabinet (ASTM D1748) values of more than 60 days. Most manufacturers provide this type of data on product data sheets.

Cable life cycle and performance are influenced by several factors, including type of operation, care and environment. Cables can be damaged by worn sheaves, improper winding and splicing practices, and improper storage. High stress loading, shock loading, jerking heavy loads or rapid acceleration or deceleration (speed of the cable stopping and starting) will accelerate the wear rate.

Corrosion can cause shortened rope life due to metal loss, pitting and stress risers from pitting. If a machine is to be shut down for an extended period, the cables should be removed, cleaned, lubricated and properly stored. In service, corrosion and oxidation are caused by fumes, acids, salt brines, sulfur, gases, salt air, humidity and are accelerated by elevated temperatures. Proper and adequate lubricant application in the field can reduce corrosive attack of the cable.

Abrasive wear occurs on the inside and outside of wire ropes. Individual strands inside the rope move and rub against one another during normal operation, creating internal two-body abrasive wear. The outside of the cable accumulates dirt and contaminants from sheaves and drums. This causes three-body abrasive wear, which erodes the outer wires and strands. Abrasive wear usually reduces rope diameter and can result in core failure and internal wire breakage. Penetrating wire rope lubricants reduce abrasive wear inside the rope and also wash off the external surfaces to remove contaminants and dirt.

Many types of machines and structures use wire ropes, including draglines, cranes, elevators, shovels, drilling rigs, suspension bridges and cable-stayed towers. Each application has specific needs for the type and size of wire rope required. All wire ropes, regardless of the application, will perform at a higher level, last longer and provide greater user benefits when properly maintained.

Lubrication Engineers, Inc. has found through years of field experience, that longer wire rope life can be obtained through the use of penetrating lubricants, either alone or when used in conjunction with a coating lubricant. Practical experience at a South African mine suggests that life cycles may be doubled with this approach. At one mine site, the replacement rate for four 44-mm ropes was extended from an average 18.5 months to 43 months. At another mine, life cycles of four 43-mm x 2073 meter ropes were extended from an average 8 months to 12 months.

In another study involving 5-ton and 10-ton overhead cranes in the United States that used 3/8-inch and 5/8-inch diameter ropes, the average life of the ropes was doubled. The authors attribute this increased performance to the ability of the penetrating lubricant to displace water and contaminants while replacing them with oil, which reduces the wear and corrosion occurring throughout the rope. A good spray with penetrating wire rope lubricant effectively acts as an oil change for wire ropes.

In these examples, the savings in wire rope replacement costs (downtime, labor and capital costs) were substantial and dwarfed the cost of the lubricants. Companies who have realized the importance of proper wire rope lubrication have gained a huge advantage over those who purchase the lowest priced lubricant, or no lubricant at all, while replacing ropes on a much more frequent basis.

Steel wire ropes are widely used in many applications such as crane, tower crane, surface and underground mining, excavation,logging of any type of terrain, tramway, elevator, oil and gas, drilling, marine and electrical constructions.. The selection of a rope must consider the strength, fatigue and abrasion resistance, crushing resistance, resistance to metal loss and deformation

EN12385-2 Steel wire ropes – Safety – Definitions, designation and classification provides a detailed explanation of all the terms and abbreviations used when describing a wire rope and its components. Below are a few of the most common abbreviations;

Steel wire ropes are specified in terms of a Nominal Rope Diameter and when produced have a manufacturing diameter tolerance, this tolerance can vary depending upon customer requirements and specifications and is often dictated by the diameter of grooving within sheaves and drums in which the wire rope will be expected to operate. If no diameter tolerance is specified, the general diameter tolerance is, Nominal Diameter +0% to +5% as specified within various International Rope Standards (EN12385-4, API-9A, ISO 2408). However, please note other diameter tolerances may be applied to ‘small’ diameter ropes and ropes used for specific applications/industries e.g. Mining, Aerials, Elevators, etc.

When designing any rope operated equipment, designers should consider the relevant National and/or International Standards which refer to acceptable sheave and drum diameters based upon the application, industry, etc. The diameter of sheaves and drums together with the tension, are normally associated with overall service life of the rope and in ‘simple terms’ the larger the diameter the longer the service life, although consideration should also be given to the anticipated modes of rope deterioration which will also significantly affect the service life. Typically, the diameter of sheaves and drums for crane applications are 16 to 28 times the nominal rope diameter.

Wire ropes are generally subjected to a visual examination and specifically for crane ropes these is an International Standard ISO 4309 “Cranes – Wire ropes – Care and maintenance, inspection and discard” which provides guidance on the inspection of wire ropes and provide the discard criteria. The document also includes information on the Magnetic testing of roper in service / Non-Destructive Examination and how this can assist the competent person in combination with his visual examination, determine the overall condition of the rope. All wire ropes should be inspected on a routine basis by a competent person to ensure that they remain is a good condition whilst in service and removed from service before they become dangerous. However, this standard is used for offering guidance for ropes operating in other systems where no specific discard criteria are given for that application, industry or country in which the rope is operating.

Please note, wire ropes can cause death and/or serious injury if not correctly handles, operated and maintained to good condition and care should always be taken when work with or close to wire ropes.

A new rope can easily be damaged if the pulley wheel groove is too tight, this will in effect pinch the rope probably causing a wave (spiral) deformity in your new rope.

If left unchecked in a steel pulley, parallel, linear fatigue wire breaks will be found where the contact pressures have become too high, due to a pinch affect.

The Lang’s construction, due to the wires running across the axis of the rope is the same direction as the strand, provides a greater length of wire on the exterior surface of the rope and hence since there is an increased surface area there is an increased area of steel to wear away before a broken wire occurs, therefore offering greater wear resistance. Therefore, applications where the rope is operating over larger number of support rollers and/or sheaves, the Lang’s lay rope may be of benefit.

The direction of the wires within the Lang’s lay construction also reduces the level of mechanical damage and rope interference, which takes place between adjacent wraps of rope within the crossover zones during multi-layer spooling of wire rope.

It is important to state that, single layer strand and parallel laid, rope constructions, manufactured in Lang’s lay, MUST NOT be used with one end free to rotate. Since the wires and the strands as twisted in the same direction, if the rope is free to rotate the wires and the strands will untwist tighter and seriously affect the integrity and breaking strength of the rope.

Wire ropes may be considered as machines, each with approximately 200 to 300 individual wires, which move independently to each over whenever ropes operate around sheaves or spool on or off winch drums, therefore ensuring ropes are lubricated internally will minimise the level of friction between the individual wires and optimise the ropes bend fatigue performance. Lubricant internally and externally will protect the ropes from corrosion and this applies equally to both un-galvanised/bright ropes and galvanised rope. Although the zinc on the surface of the individual wires of a galvanised rope will protect the wires from corrosion, once the zinc has sacrificed itself (oxidised) to protect the steel, the wires are then susceptible to corrosion. The longer the zinc can be protected by the lubricant the longer the zinc remains to offer protection to the steel. However there are applications where internal or external lubricant on the rope may not be advisable, anywhere the lubricant could drop off the rope and contaminate products (paper, food, etc.) in the vicinity of the rope or where the lubricant on the exterior of the rope may be contaminated with debris in the atmosphere (grit, sand, etc.). In this application, it must be accepted that ‘dry’ ropes will have a significantly reduced service life.

Ropes may be lubricated in-service with either oil or grease, both products offering slightly different benefits. Oils may be applied from a portable spray unit and although the ropes may require being re-lubricated more frequently, since it is relatively easy and cleaning to apply, operators are more likely to re-lubricate the ropes in service. The thin oil may penetrate the rope and surface coat the exterior of the rope with a thin film of lubricant, which also allows for relatively easy routine visual inspection of the rope. Alternatively, rope may be lubricated with a soft bearing type grease; the grease may be applied using a suitable pressure greasing system (Masto, Viper, etc.) to ensure uniform coating of grease along the total length of the rope passing through the greasing system, although the level and colour of grease may make visual inspection difficult. It is important that any oil or grease used to lubricate ropes in service is compatible with the lubricant applied to the rope during manufacturing and Bridon-Bekaert offer a range of wire rope lubricants specially formulated to be suitable for most environments and operations, including ECO VGP 2013 compliant (Bio-degradable, Non-toxic & Non-accumulative) products.

For ropes operating above ambient temperature consideration must be given to the effects the operating temperature may have on the wire rope. For guidance, unless otherwise stated, the maximum operating temperatures are provided in the International Standards e.g. EN 12385-3. However searches of these standards by Bridon-Bekaert indicate that the quoted temperatures within the standards have remained constant for a significant period of time, having been developed when rope constructions and usage centred around common 6-stranded rope constructions. With the introduction of more complex rope constructions incorporating higher tensile grade wires, synthetic lubricants and polymers, Bridon-Bekaert’s experiences indicate that reconsideration of the maximum operating temperatures is required. For high performance ropes incorporating synthetic lubricants and polymers Bridon-Bekaert recommend a maximum operating temperature of 100 degrees C. Excessive bleed out of lubricant from the rope may occur depending upon the rope operating temperature and the type/composition of the lubricant and frequent re-lubrication may be required.

Certain applications (Heave compensation systems, etc.) can generate high operating temperatures and for these and any application or where ropes are stored above ambient temperature, Bridon-Bekaert would be please to discuss this subject further.

Also due the smoothness of the circumference of these rope designs, they reduce wear at the cross over contact points as the rope wraps over itself as it is wound onto the drum.

An Ordinary lay rope is where the individual wires in the outer strands are spun / twisted together in the opposite direction to the direction the outer strands are twisted around the core, which results in the individual wires running along the axis of the rope. A Lang’s lay rope is where the individual wires in the outer stands are twisted in the same direction as the outer strands are twisted around the core, which results in the individual wires running across the rope in the same direction as the strands.

It is important to state that a left hand lay rope and a right hand lay rope MUST never be joined together unless the jointing mechanism is prevented from rotating, otherwise the rope will be allowed to un-twist together, which may have a significant effect on the integrity of the ropes, and could result in failure of the rope. There are two particular situations/arrangements where a left hand and/or right hand rope combination may be considered beneficial;

To prevent rotation of load – Twin rope operating systems (Overhead hoists, Grabbing systems, Container handling cranes, etc.) are generally designed to utilise one left hand rope and one right hand lay rope. When lifting a load both ropes will be subjected to an axial load and will try to un-twist, but since the ropes have been spun in different directions during manufacture one rope will trying to un-twist in one direction whilst the other rope will try to un-twist in the opposite direction, the two ropes therefore acting against each other to prevent/minimise rotation of the load.

When spooling a rope – Tension is generally applied to ropes whilst they are being spooled on to a winch drum and this tension will try to rotate / untwist the rope and therefore it is preferable to have the rope rotating up against the previous wrap of rope to minimise ‘gapping’ between the adjacent wrap of rope particularly on the bottom layer. Therefore, to achieve this, depending if the rope is anchored on the left or right hand side of the drum or the rope is being spooled under-wound or over-wound will determine if, a left or right hand lay rope should be utilised.

Rotation Resistant ropes are normally used to lift or suspend a load without the load rotating (example, hoist ropes used on Offshore, Mobile and Tower cranes, etc.) and are constructed by spinning the inner part of the rope in one direction and the outer part of the rope in the opposite direction. When an axial load is then applied to the rope the inner part will try to untwist in one direction and the outer part will try to untwist in the opposite direction, with the two parts of the rope reacting against each other. Rotation Resistant ropes are normally of a multi-strand construction and constructed of 2-layers of strands with the inner layer spun in the opposite direction to the outer layer and of 3-layers of strands with the inner two layers spun in the opposite direction to the outer layer. Three and four stranded rope constructions may also be considered as rotation resistant, but having only three or four strands, the ropes do not exhibit such a smooth exterior profile and may prove to be more difficult to spool, particularly when multi-layer spooled.

Wire rope does not have a defined shelf-live, provided the rope has been stored and maintained to ensure that the rope has not been allowed to deteriorate. To ensure that ropes remain in good condition, it is considered good practice to ensure the ropes are stored off the ground in a well-ventilated environment, protected from the sun, rain, sand/grit/dirt, chemicals or any other forms of contamination. Depending upon the environment the lubricant on the rope will tend to migrate to the bottom of the reel and dry out during storage. It is therefore good practice to rotate reels to prevent the lubricant migrating out of the rope on to the floor and to re-lubricate the ropes during storage by simple spraying a thin oil on to the surface of the rope to prevent the steel wires from corroding and/or zinc coating on the wires from oxidising (white rust). Whilst wire ropes are in storage they should be routinely inspected to ensure they have not been accidentally damaged, that all identification and certification remains in place and that the ropes remain fit for use. Rope being taken from storage on a ‘first in – first out’ basis, to minimise the length of time in storage.

A distinction is made between the nominal rope diameter and the effective rope diameter. The nominal wire rope diameter is an agreed theoretical value for the diameter of the smallest circle circumscribing the outer strands.

The effective rope diameter, also called actual rope diameter, is the diameter of the smallest circle enclosing all outer strands, as measured on the rope itself. The tolerance range for the effective rope diameter is specified in related national and international standards. According to EN 12385-4 it is between -0{a889db705b9dbdba2a8d0dbcfc2b631547dc85af52ef75a70f044d2486ae0f02} and +5{a889db705b9dbdba2a8d0dbcfc2b631547dc85af52ef75a70f044d2486ae0f02} (for nominal rope diameters ≥ 8mm)

This means that the effective rope diameter upon delivery must neither be smaller nor bigger than 5{a889db705b9dbdba2a8d0dbcfc2b631547dc85af52ef75a70f044d2486ae0f02} than the nominal rope diameter. The tolerance range is often higher for smaller ropes like 3mm to 7mm nominal diameter. In the Oil and Gas industry, which is firmly based on US regulations, a tolerance range from -1{a889db705b9dbdba2a8d0dbcfc2b631547dc85af52ef75a70f044d2486ae0f02} to 4{a889db705b9dbdba2a8d0dbcfc2b631547dc85af52ef75a70f044d2486ae0f02} is applied. The effective rope diameter changes depending on the load applied. Therefore the effective rope diameter should in critical cases be measured on a rope that is loaded with 5{a889db705b9dbdba2a8d0dbcfc2b631547dc85af52ef75a70f044d2486ae0f02} of the calculated breaking strength. verope® produces standard tolerances of +2{a889db705b9dbdba2a8d0dbcfc2b631547dc85af52ef75a70f044d2486ae0f02} to +4{a889db705b9dbdba2a8d0dbcfc2b631547dc85af52ef75a70f044d2486ae0f02} and special tolerances upon request.

By the design of a wire rope, one understands the formation principle according to which the elements of the wire rope (the wires and the strands) are arranged relative to each other. The designation of a fiber core is FC, for an independent steel wire rope core it is IWRC. As an example all round strand ropes of the 6×19 Warrington design with a fiber core have the construction 6 x [1-6-(6-6)] – FC.

The fill factor of a rope is defined as the ratio of the metallic cross section of the rope (or a simplified calculation of the sum of the single wire cross sections) related to the nominal rope diameter. The fill factor specifies which amount of space the wires and strands take in the rope (figure 16).

The fill factors of the most common ropes are between 0,46 and 0,75. This means, that the amount of steel in the rope volume is about 46{a889db705b9dbdba2a8d0dbcfc2b631547dc85af52ef75a70f044d2486ae0f02} to 75{a889db705b9dbdba2a8d0dbcfc2b631547dc85af52ef75a70f044d2486ae0f02}. Wire ropes with a wire rope core have higher fill factors than ropes with a fiber core.

Usually fill factors of wire ropes with a fibre core (FC) decrease with an increasing number of outer strands. A rope of the design 6×25 Filler-FC has a fill factor of 0,50, a rope of the design 8×25 Filler-FC has only a fill factor of 0,445.

Usually fill factors of wire ropes with a wire rope core increase with an increasing number of outer strands. A rope of the design 6×25 Filler-IWRC has a fill factor of 0,58 and a rope of the design 8×25 Filler-IWRC has a fill factor of 0,587.

Two lay types are to be considered: Regular or ordinary lay and lang’s lay. In regular lay ropes, the lay direction of the wires in the strands is opposite to the lay direction of the strands in the rope. We distinguish between right hand ordinary lay RHOL (right hand strand, left hand rope, zS) (figure 17) and left hand ordinary lay LHOL (left hand strand, right hand rope, sZ) (figure 18). In lang’s lay ropes, the lay direction of the wires in the strands is equal to the strands in the rope. We distinguish between left hand lang’s lay LHLL (left hand strand, left hand rope, sS) (figure 19) and right hand lang’s lay RHLL (right hand strand, right hand rope, zZ) (figure 20).

In the stranding process the initially straight wires are forced into a helical or double-helical form. Therefore, the wires in a rope are always under tension, even in an unloaded rope. Such a rope must be sealed very tightly left and right of the joint before cutting the rope because otherwise the free ends of the wires will spring open. By using a “preforming tool”, the wires and strands can be heavily plastically deformed during the stranding, so are laying nearly without tension in the rope, the rope now is preformed. The ropemakers consider such ropes to be “dead”. Preformed ropes can be cut much easier, also secured by seizings of course, than nonpreformed ropes.

Usually wire ropes have either a fiber core (FC) or a steel/wire core. The steel/wire core can be a strand (WC) or a small rope, named as independent wire rope core (IWRC). The IWRC can be made in a separate operation or during the closing operation of the wire rope (PWRC). The wire core can also have a plastic coating (EPIWRC). Cores made of compacted strands have the additional designation (K). An independent wire core made of compacted strands is therefore called IWRC (K). A rope closed in a single operation and made out of compacted strands both in the core and the outer strands is called PWRC (K).

wire ropes and their free rope end rotate to a greater or lesser extent around its longitudinal axis under the influence of tension. Wire ropes having a core lay direction opposite to the lay direction of the outer strands and 3- or 4-strand regular lay wire ropes rotate considerably less than wire ropes with the same lay direction of the wire core and the outer strands and wire ropes with fiber cores. According to VDI 2358, a wire rope is semi rotation-resistant when: “the wire rope which turns around its longitudinal axis when subjected to unguided load and/or hardly transmits a torque to the attachment at the end in the event of guided rope ends.”

According to ISO 21669 and DIN EN 12385-3: “a rope is considered to be semi rotation resistant if it rotates at least once and at most four times around its axis at a length of 1000 x d under a load of 20 {a889db705b9dbdba2a8d0dbcfc2b631547dc85af52ef75a70f044d2486ae0f02} of the minimum breaking force. In terms of rotation angle, the defined limits are between 360° and 1440°.”

According to the regulation of VDI 2358, a wire rope is rotation-resistant, when: “the wire rope, which hardly turns around its longitudinal axis when subjected to unguided load and/or hardly transmits a torque to the attachment at the end in the event of guided rope ends.”

The wire rope lubricant has two major tasks: it should protect the rope from corrosion and minimize the friction between the rope elements themselves and between the rope and the sheave or the drum. A reduction of the friction reduces the actuating power and minimizes the wear of the rope, the sheaves and the drums. We differentiate between wax-based lubricants and oil-based lubricants. While wax-based lubricants offer a better handling of the ropes, the oil-based lubricants advantage is a better closing of the lubrication film due to the gravitational force of the oil. The quality of the wire rope lubricant has a great impact on the fatigue resistance of a wire rope (figure 22).

Proper lubrication of your wire rope, chain and cable can safely extend its operational life regardless of application. Cranes, elevators, shovels, drilling rigs, suspension bridges and draglines are some of the many applications that use wire rope, chain or cable to perform work such as pulling, dragging or hoisting. These applications often are exposed to harsh environmental conditions, including extreme weather. Lubrication Engineers can help your wire rope, chain and cable last longer and operate safely by implementing a lubricant reliability program and recommending the right lubricants for the job.

Most wire ropes are lubricated during the manufacturing process, but this lubricant will not last the entire life of the rope. When looking for a lubricant to relubricate your wire rope, choose one that contains no acids or alkalis, possesses the adhesive strength to stay on the rope, can penetrate between wires and strands, has high fluid film strength, resists oxidation and remains pliable. It is important to remember that most wire ropes fail from the inside out. Corroded rope can be a safety hazard, as there is no way to determine its remaining strength and life. Proper lubrication will help prevent deterioration of wire rope due to rust and corrosion.

Because most wire ropes fail from the inside, it is critical to ensure the center core receives sufficient lubricant. LE recommends a combined regimen in which a penetrating lubricant is used to saturate the core, followed by a coating lubricant to seal and protect the outer surface. LE offers several penetrating and coating type wire rope lubricants to suit your specific needs.

Penetrating lubricants contain an evaporative solvent that facilitates migration of the lubricant into the core of the wire rope, then evaporates, leaving behind a heavy lubricating film that protects and lubricates each strand.

Wirelife Almasol Coating Grease (451-453) is a soft, semifluid calcium-based grease designed to coat wire rope as well as moving chain and cable parts to ensure long life and smooth, quiet operation. Its tacky, water-resistant characteristics enable it to adhere strongly to rapidly moving parts, seal out damaging moisture, protect against premature wear and shield metal against corrosive attack.

Typical Applications: Wire rope, chain links, pins, bushings, cable sheave bushings, cables, open and closed silent and roller chains, and small, slow-turning gearboxes that require a semifluid lubricant

Wirelife Almasol Coating Lubricant (2002) is a fluid wire rope lubricant that provides a tough outer coating to seal and protect against fretting corrosion, wear and rust – even under extreme load and moisture. It seals and protects better than any product available. When used in conjunction with Wirelife Monolec Penetrating Lubricant, maximum protection and wear reduction is achieved.

Wirelife Almasol Syn Coating Lubricant (2022) is an extremely tacky, nonasphaltic synthetic lubricant with exceptionally high film strength. Perfect for extreme environments and conditions, it is the ultimate outer surface protector for wire rope and cable and comes from the same advanced technology that LE developed to protect large open gears in the mining and quarry industries. It derives its high load-carrying capacity from its synergistic blend of an extreme pressure additive and Almasol, LE’s exclusive wear-reducing additive.

Wirelife Monolec Penetrating Lubricant (2001) has excellent corrosion resistance and high load-carrying (EP) properties. It penetrates to the core of wire ropes, whether they are running or stationary. It is also excellent as a penetrating lubricant for chains of all sizes and works well in a variety of other industrial applications. When used in conjunction with Wirelife Almasol Coating Lubricant, maximum protection and wear reduction is achieved.

It contains a petroleum solvent to enhance its ability to penetrate. The solvent evaporates, leaving behind a film of heavy-bodied lubricant that protects and lubricates each strand and resists leakage from the wire rope core. Available in bulk sizes or in an aerosol version.

Typical Applications: All stationary or moving wire ropes or cables under heavy loads; chains of all sizes; mining and construction applications such as standing and running lines, draglines, cranes and derricks; marine applications such as cranes, hoists and drilling rigs; any other application that requires excellent rust protection for steel parts.

Designed for marine environments and other applications where environmental concerns require the use of a very low toxicity wire rope and chain lubricant, LE’s Wirelife Low Tox Penetrating Lubricant (2011) has excellent load-carrying capability and provides outstanding protection against rust, while having the lowest possible toxic effect on the environment.

Earthwise EAL Wire Rope Grease (3353) is recommended for use in applications on or near the waterways. It is an EAL and meets the specifications required by the EPA’s Vessel General Permit (VGP). It is readily biodegradable, exhibits minimal aquatic toxicity and will not accumulate in the cells of fish and other aquatic life forms. It is a soft, semifluid formulation designed to coat wire rope as well as moving chain and cable parts to ensure long life and smooth, quiet operation. Its semi-tacky, water-resistant characteristics enable it to adhere to the application and seal out damaging moisture and protect against rust formation.

Typical Applications: Applications near or around waterways including: Wire rope; chain links, pins and bushings; cable sheave bushings, bearings and strands; open and closed silent and roller chains. Ideal for use in automatic lubrication systems.

LE is happy to offer industrial lubricant and reliability recommendations for a variety of applications, and to provide product-specific data on all of our items to help you make the right decision. To learn more about our wire rope lubricants, wire rope lubricators as well as our other enhanced lubricants and lubricant reliability products, please