valley breaks wire rope for sale

Example: Severe crown wire breaks on a 10-strand overhead crane wire rope. Crown breaks originate at the OUTSIDE of the rope at the contact point between rope and sheave/drum.

Remove the rope from service even if you find a SINGLE individual wire break which originates from inside of the rope. These so called VALLEY breaks have shown to be the cause for unexpected complete rope failures.

These 3 picture show what happens when you connect a left-lay rope to a right-lay rope, as done with this boom pendant extension. Both ropes are opening up to the point where the strands are nearly parallel to each other; they completely untwisted themselves and developed excessive wire breaks.

The result of such non-tensioning of the layers are looping of individual wires, completely crushed strands, total deterioration of a non-rotating rope due to gross neglect of inspection procedure.

NOTE: For a more indepth discussion on wire rope discard and inspection we suggest to attend our “Wire Rope” and “SlingMax® Rigger’s Mortis Seminar”. Call 1.800.457.9997 for details and dates.

Like all industrial equipment, aircraft cables and wire ropes wear while in service, and will require replacement. Though the cycle life of each cable varies based on construction and application, factors such as load and pulley condition can actually reduce this lifespan by triggering wire breaks. Not all wire breaks look the same, and understanding these differences can help detect issues in your system before they damage additional cables, or put human lives in danger. Here is a quick guide to help you understand where wire breaks occur (crowns vs. valleys), and three common examples of wire breaks (tension, fatigue, and abrasion).

Wire breaks typically occur in two different locations on the outside of wire rope or aircraft cable. The first location is on the crowns of the strands, which are the highest points with the most surface area exposure. The second location is the valleys, or the spaces between the strands. Though crown breaks typically result from normal wear and tear, valley breaks are more suspicious and may indicate issues with the pulley system or wire rope itself.

Wires that have been worn to a knife-edge thinness are characteristic of abrasion breaks. Abrasion can occur from a number of different sources, but sheaves are the most common. Remember to check sheaves for signs of wear, damage, or deformity and replace as necessary.

If you notice one end of a broken wire is cupped, and the other end resembles a cone, your wire rope likely experienced a tension break. Tension breaks result from excessive loading, causing the wires to stretch beyond their limits until they snap. Once one wire break appears, others will continue to occur if the cable is not addressed.

Fatigue damage is usually represented by zig-zag breaks with square ends. Like abrasion breaks, fatigue breaks can be triggered by a broad range of factors, including incorrect pulley size and excessive vibration. Check for worn pulleys and slack in the system to prevent issues from exacerbating.

Once you have replaced your damaged pulleys, or removed sharp obstructions in your system, begin your quote for brand new wire rope at https://strandcore.com/contact/. Our wire rope craftsmen can help you select the ideal wire rope for your application, and oftentimes provide a better solution for your existing setup. Browse our selection ofwire rope and aircraft cableonline, and do not hesitate to contact our sales team at sales@sanlo.com if you have any questions.

Figure 43. A wire broken under a tensile load that exceeds its strength is recognized by the “cup and cone” configuration at the fracture point (a). The necking down of the wire at this point shows that failure occurred while the wire retained its ductility. Shear-tensile fracture (b) occurs in wire subjected to a combination of transverse and axial loads. Fatigue breaks are usually characterized by squared-off ends perpendicular to the wire either straight across or Z-shaped (c&d).

As specialist for manufacturing quality steel wire ropes over 20 years, our company can supply strong, durable and reliable ropes that capable to minimize your downtime and maximize cost effectiveness. Decades of experience we owned make us know clearly the work you do and capable to provide professional guidance.

We select the best steel or stainless steel as raw material for wire rope manufacturing. Our products are manufactured under strict quality managements and test before they leave the factory.

Our engineers can provide professional advice about picking up optimal steel wire ropes for their application, installation guidance to ensure maximum return in their wire rope system.

If you are going to pick up steel wire ropes that suit your project perfectly, you must have an ideal about the construction about them. Our company can supply bright wire rope, galvanized wire rope, stainless steel wire rope, compacted wire rope, rotation resistant wire ropes, mining wire rope, elevator wire rope, crane wire rope and gas & oilfield wire ropes. Here are some details to solve the problem that may puzzle you whether you are browsing the web or picking up steel wire ropes.

Bright steel wire ropes mean no surface treatment is applied to the rope. Therefore, they have the lower price among these three wire ropes. Generally, they are fully lubricated to protect the rope from rust and corrosion.

Galvanized steel wire ropes feature compressed zinc coating for providing excellent corrosion resistance. With higher break strength yet lower price than stainless steel, galvanized steel wire ropes are widely used in general engineering applications such as winches and security ropes.

Stainless steel wire ropes, made of quality 304, 305, 316 steels, are the most corrosive type for marine environments and other places subjected to salt water spray. Meanwhile, bright and shiny appearance can be maintained for years rather than dull as galvanized steel wire ropes.

Steel wire ropes are composed of multiple strands of individual wires that surrounding a wire or fiber center to form a combination with excellent fatigue and abrasion resistance. These wires and strands are wound in different directions to from different lay types as follows:

Beside above lay types, alternative lay ropes which combine regular lay and lang lay together and ideal for boom hoist and winch lines, can also be supplied as your request.

Two main methods about seizing steel wire ropes in conjunction with soft or annealing wire or strands to protect cut ends of the ropes form loosening.

All wire ropes will wear out eventually and gradually lose work capability throughout their service life. That"s why periodic inspections are critical. Applicable industry standards such as ASME B30.2 for overhead and gantry cranes or federal regulations such as OSHA refer to specific inspection criteria for varied applications.

You should thoroughly inspect all wire ropes at regular intervals. The longer it has been in service or, the more severe the service, the more thoroughly and frequently it should be inspected. Be sure to maintain records of each inspection.

Inspections should be carried out by a person who has learned through specialized training or practical experience of what to look for and who knows how to judge the importance of any abnormal conditions they may discover. It is the inspector"s responsibility to obtain and follow the proper inspection criteria for each application inspected.

Figure 1is what happens when a wire breaks under tensile load exceeding its strength. It"s typically recognized by the "cup and cone" appearance at the point of failure. The necking down of the wire at the point of failure to form the cup and cone indicates failure has occurred while the wire retained its ductility (the ability to change form without breaking).

Figure 2is a wire with a clear fatigue break. It is identified by the square end perpendicular to the wire. This break was produced by a torsion machine that"s used to measure the ductility. This break is similar to wire failures in the field caused by fatigue.

Figure 3 is a wire rope that has been subjected to repeated bending over sheaves under typical loads. This fatigue results in breaks in individual wires - these breaks are square and usually in the crown of the strands.

Figure 4 is an example of fatigue failure of a wire rope subjected to heavy loads over small sheaves. The breaks in the valleys of the strands are caused by "strand nicking." There may be crown breaks, too.

Figure 5 is a single strand removed from a wire rope subjected to "strand nicking." This condition is a result of adjacent strands rubbing against one another. While this is normal in a rope"s operation, the nicking can be accentuated by high loads, small sheaves or loss of core support. The ultimate result will be individual wire breaks in the valleys of the strands.

The actual diameter of a wire rope is the diameter of a circumscribed circle that will enclose all the strands. It’s the largest cross-sectional measurement as shown here. You should make the measurement carefully with calipers.

The rope diameter should be measured on receipt for conformity with the specification. British Standard (B.S. 302:1987, standard steel wire rope, Part 1. Clause 5.1) allow for a tolerance of - 1% to 4 % of the nominal rope diameter.

The generally accepted method of measuring rope diameter for compliance with the standard is to use a caliper with jaws broad enough to cover not less than two adjacent stands. The measurement must be taken on a straight portion of rope at two points at least 1 meter apart. At each point two diameters at right angles should be measured. The average of the four measurement is the actual diameter.

After the rope has made the first few cycles under low load, the rope diameter should be measured at several points. The average value of all the measurements at each point must be recorded and will form the basis of comparison for all future measurements.

The measurements of the rope diameter an essential part of all inspections and examinations. It ensures the maximum diameter reduction does not exceed the recommended figure. As stated in 5.2 British standard 6570 recommends that a wire rope should be discarded when the diameter of the rope is reduced to 90% of the nominal diameter.

A comparison of the measured data with the recorded previous values can detect an abnormal rate of reduction in diameter. Coupled with assessment of previous rope examination data, the probable date of rope renewal can be predicted.

If we examine the cross-section of a six-stand wire rope, we will find that measuring the thickness of the rope over the crowns (Fig-a) will produce a higher value than measuring it over the valleys (Fig-b). The actual diameter of the rope is defined as the diameter of the circumscribing circle.

When using a conventional caliper, wire rope with an even number of outer strands (four-, six, eight-, and multi strand) ropes must be measured from crown to crown. The advantage of a proper wire rope caliper with measuring plates is that even if the measurement is carried out "incorrectly", adjacent crowns are always included, so that the actual diameter is determined at any section. (Fig-c)

Measuring the diameter of wire rope with an uneven number of outer strands (three, five, seven, or nine-strand ropes) is more complicated: a crown on the one side of the wire rope always has a valley as a counterpart on the other side of the wire rope. A conventional caliper, therefore, has to be applied diagonally to the axis of the rope, so that at any time a crown adjacent to a valley is covered. Again a wire rope caliper with measuring plate is definitely to be preferred as it always includes strands crowns.

In all cases during periodic examinations where the measurements are to be recorded, the rope should be measured as already described. Where the roundness is being checked to detect potential faults, two diameters, one at right angles to the other can be taken and noted in the records. The entry into the records might read rope diameter : 20.4/20.5mm.

After a rope has been fitted to the appliance, its length cannot be measured again accurately, with out a great deal of trouble. The purpose of measuring the length of lay is to detect any increase in the rope length which may have been caused by corrosion, core deterioration or rope rotation (unlaying). With n new rope the wire and strands should be allowed to settle into their permanent position. Six or seven lifting cycles with a light to medium load are recommended before measuring error, the measurement should be made over four lays and the length divided by four lays and the length divided by four to find the average lay length.

On eight strand ropes the eight, sixteen, twenty-four and thirty-second strands must be marked. Using a straight length of the rope and with the rope under no load, first mark any strand on the crown with a piece of chalk; this strand now become"" crown zero"". Excluding this strands, count the next eight strands and mark the eight strand with chalk. Exclude the eight strand and repeat the procedures further two times. The measured length between the outer chalk marks is then divided by four to give the lay length.

As a rough check on the overall accuracy of the chalk marking, the length of lay for eight strand ropes is approximately between 6.25 and 6.5 x the diameter of the rope e.g. using a lay length of 6.5 x rope diameter, four lay length of a 32mm diameter rope will be 32mm x 6.5 x 4=832mm.

An alternate method of measuring the rope lay is to secure the free end of the roll of adding machine paper to the rope with adhesive tape. The paper is rolled out over the rope and simultaneously the wax pencil is drawn over the paper, providing a clear print of the outer wires of the rope. The finished print can be field for comparison with later measurements.

A third method is to wrap typing carbon papers round the rope under the roll of paper. By rubbing along the paper with a piece of cardboard, the carbon marking on the underside of the paper can be confined to the tops of the strand crowns.

Wire ropes are designed to be extremely strong and durable to safely lift and secure heavy items. Wire ropes are commonly used with overhead lifting and rigging equipment to hoist loads – so when things go wrong, it can be extremely dangerous.

Wire rope hazards have caused hundreds of injuries and even fatalities on construction sites. According toone report, more than 60 people were killed over 15 years due to a wire rope breaking.

When wire rope is handled or stored incorrectly, it can tremendously increase the likelihood of a safety hazard. Some of the most common safety issues with this piece of industrial equipment include broken strands, corrosion, crushed wires, or fatigue that causes the rope to slip, stretch, or snap.

At Elite Sales, we have fulfilled lots of orders forwire ropesto replace broken or damaged equipment. So, take our advice with these tips to reduce wire rope hazards through proper handling.

OSHA requires that all overhead lifting and rigging equipment be carefully inspected before use. Certified crane operators are typically responsible for this task – but all workers interacting with wire ropes should know how to conduct an inspection.

First, the wire rope should be visually inspected to note any of the most common signs of wear and tear. This includes crown or valley breaks in the exterior strands or any kinks in the wire rope.

Any visible rusting, loose wires, kinking, or damaged fitting should be noted immediately. The wire rope should be replaced or repaired before it is used, as even a few broken wires could compromise its strength and durability.

Dryness or dust forming on the wire rope is an indication that hasn’t been recently lubricated. This can cause the wire rope to break far more easily, so this must be taken into consideration during the inspection as well.

Wire ropes are commonly damaged when they are being moved as the strands can get caught, broken, or bent. Correctwire rope installation and handlingare crucial for extending the life and use of this equipment. So, all employees who handle wire ropes should receive adequate training for proper handling.

Special care should be taken when the wire rope is unreeled or uncoiled. The strands can easily get kinked or crushed during this process. The best practice is to pull the wire rope in a straight line off of the reel or mount it on a revolving stand to ensure that the rope does not look or kink.

All wire ropes should be routinely re-lubricated as well. This helps to reduce wear from friction and movement and also protects the wires from corrosion.

Additionally, all handlers should be aware of practices that can damage wire ropes and avoid them at all costs. For instance, battening down the wire rope sling to secure it can crush and break the strands. This is unfortunately a fairly common practice on construction sites – so supervisors should strictly enforce correct handling.

Wire rope can get damaged during storage, too. All wire ropes must be completely dried and stored in a cool, temperature-controlled space. It is also best to avoid stacked coiled wire rope directly on the ground and instead stack it on cement or metal.

As an industrial hardware supplier, we understand that it is not just the way that these materials are handled – but also the quality of the equipment that lowers safety risk.  Cheap wire rope will rust or wear down quickly, which increases the likelihood of it breaking.

First, be sure that you only purchase wire rope made with improved plow steel (IPS), extra improved plow steel (EIPS), or even extra-extra improved plow steel (EEIPS). This means that the wire rope is made of stronger steel than mild plow steel (MPS).

You should always double-check that you are using the correct wire rope for your application. There are many different styles, constructions, and patterns available which are optimized for certain uses.

For example, some are designed to berotation resistantwhich is best for overhead lifting. The central core of the wire rope is also an important factor to consider. A fiber core is best for applications where elasticity and stretch are needed – but it is not ideal for high heat or heavy loads. Wire strand cores on the other hand are best when additional stability is needed for securement.

Working with a trusted and experienced industrial wire rope supplier can be extremely beneficial here. Not only will this give you access to a wide range of wire rope options, but you can receive advice and guidance from professionals.

Here at Elite Sales, we’ve worked with construction companies and industrial manufacturers for years to provide top-rated equipment. We carry a great selection of wire rope in many styles, lengths, diameters, and constructions to meet nearly all applications. Plus, our team of experts is just a phone call away.

Reducing the risk of wire rope hazards on the job site needs to be a top priority. Any mistakes with wire rope installation, transportation, or storage can lead to major safety issues. One of the easiest ways to do this is enforcing proper handling of top-quality wire rope equipment throughout the organization.

If you are looking to purchase high-quality wire rope for your business, be sure to check out our selection. Elite Sales is proud to carry top-rated industrial hardware. Our team is available to answer any questions and direct you to the exact types you need for any application.

Wire rope is a collection of metal strands that have been twisted and wound to form the shape of a helix with the purpose of supporting and lifting heavy loads and performing tasks that are too rigorous for standard wire. On shipping docks, rigging, and load bearing equipment, wire rope is attached to swivels, shackles, or hooks to lift a load in a controlled, even, and efficient manner.

The uses for wire rope include adding support to suspension bridges, lifting elevators, and serving as additional reinforcement for towers. The design of wire rope, with its multiple strands wrapped around a stable core, provides strength, flexibility, and ease of handling for applications that have bending stress.

Individual designs of wire rope involve different materials, wire, and strand configurations as a means for supporting and assisting in the completion of lifting or supportive applications.

The term wire rope encompasses a wide range of mechanical tools that are made to perform heavy and extreme lifting jobs. Wire rope is a complicated and complex tool with multiple moving parts capable of moving in unison. A 6 by 25 wire rope has 150 outer strands that move as one in an intricate pattern supported by a flexible core.

An essential part of the design of wire rope is the required clearance between the strands to give each stand the freedom to move and adjust when the rope bends. It is this unique feature that differentiates wire rope from solid wire and other forms of cable.

The basic element of wire rope is wire that is used to configure, shape, and form the rope. Typically, steel, stainless steel, and galvanized wires are the first choice with aluminum, nickel alloy, bronze, copper, and titanium being second possibilities. The choice of wire is dependent on the type of work the wire is going to be used to perform with strength, flexibility, and abrasion resistance being the major determining factors.

Stainless steel wire rope has all of the basic qualities of galvanized and general wire rope with the added benefits of corrosion and rust resistance; this makes it the ideal choice for harsh and stressful conditions.

Steel wire rope is classified as general purpose wire rope and comes in a wide variety of sizes, diameters, and strengths. It is the most common type of wire rope and is used for several industrial, manufacturing, and construction applications.

Before going further into the discussion of how wire rope is made, it is important to understand the numbers used to describe each type. All wire ropes have a core around which wires are wound. The various styles of cores vary according to the construction and design of the requirements of the wire rope that is being produced.

Wire rope is classified by the number of strands it has as well as the number of wires in each strand. The most common classification is a seven wire rope that has one strand in the center and six around its circumference. This type of wire rope is lightweight with a very simple construction. The majority of wire ropes are more complex and intricate with multiple intertwining strands and wires.

What must be understood about wire rope is that it has a complicated configuration. It is actually wires wrapped around wires to form bundles that are wrapped around other bundles. In the case of a seven wire wire rope, the core has bundles of wires wound around it; this can be seen in the image below.

The first step in wire rope creation is the production of wire strands where wires are wound around a single core wire. The number of wires included in the strand is dependent on the specified strength, flexibility, and size requirements of the rope. Once the strand is completed, it is straightened before being moved to wire rope construction.

Like wire ropes, strands have different patterns; patterns are the arrangements of the wires and their diameters. Though most strands have a core, there are strand patterns that have three or four wires without a core that are referred to as centerless strands. The design of each strand pattern is meant to enhance the strength of the wire rope and improve its performance.

For a multiple layer strand, the layers of wire are placed over one another in successive order. The placement of the wires on top of each other must be such that they fit smoothly and evenly.

The Warrington pattern is like the multiple layer pattern with one variation. Like the multiple layer pattern, the inner wires and the core are the same and have the same diameter. The difference is in the outer layer, which has wires of alternating sizes of large and small with larger diameter wires laying in the valleys of the inner wires.

All of the wires of a filler pattern are the same size. What makes this pattern unique is the insertion of small wires in the valleys of the inner wires to fill the gap between the inner and outer layer.

The flattened strand pattern is also known as the triangular strand, which can be triangular or oval. Three round wires form the core. The outer flattened surface has a greater sectional metallic area; this makes this pattern stronger and longer lasting.

The core of a wire rope runs through the center of the rope and can be composed of a variety of materials, which include synthetic fibers, natural fibers, a single strand, or another wire rope. The core supports the wound strands, helps maintain their position, is an effective lubricant carrier, and provides support.

Wire ropes with fiber cores are restricted to light loads and are not used in severe, harsh, or stressful conditions. Polypropylene and nylon are types of synthetic fiber cores and can be used in conditions where there is exposure to chemicals.

Cores made of wire are classified as independent wire cores. The core of a wire rope with a wire core is actually a wire rope with another wire rope serving as the core, as can be seen in the diagram below. These types of wire ropes are used where the rope will be exposed to exceptional resistance and crushing.

A strand, or wire strand core, is exactly like the rest of the strands of the wire rope with wires of the same diameter and size as the other strands.

The choice of core and creation of the strands are the simplest yet most essential parts of wire rope construction. Wire rope lays, the method used to wind the strands, is more complex and involves several choices.

Lay is a term used to describe three of the main characteristics of wire rope: direction, relationship, and linear distance. The strands can be wrapped around the core going right or left. Right or left refers to the direction of the strands wrapped around the core and the wires within the strands. The linear distance is how far a strand moves when it is making a revolution around the core.

In a regular lay, the wires and strands spiral in opposite directions. With a right hand regular lay, the wires spiral to the left and the strands to the right. In the left hand regular lay, the wires spiral to the right and the strands to the left. This type of lay is easy to handle but wears out quickly because the crown wires are in contact with the bearing surface.

In the Lang, or Albert, lay, the wires and strands spiral in the same direction with right hand lay being the most common. The wires in a Lang lay appear to run parallel to the center line of the rope. The difficulty with Lang lay wire ropes is handling since they tend to kink, twist, and crush.

Wire rope is an exceptionally strong tool that has been configured and designed to withstand the stress placed upon it through rigorous and continual use. In most applications, wire rope has to endure extreme stress and strain. It is for these reasons that coatings have been developed to protect wire rope from abrasions, corrosion, UV rays, and harmful and damaging chemicals.

Three main types of coatings are used to protect wire rope: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene, and nylon. Of the three types, PVC is the most popular.

In cases where there are severe and hazardous working conditions, polypropylene is the recommended choice since it is capable of protecting wire rope against corrosion and chemical leaching. Additionally, it is resistant to impact damage and abrasion. Polypropylene is a tough, rigid, and crystalline thermoplastic that is made from a propene monomer and is resilient as well as inexpensive.

Braided wires are electrical conductors made up of small wires that are braided together to form a round tubular braid. The braiding and configuration of braided wire makes them very sturdy such that they do not break when flexed or bent. Braided wires are widely used as conductors, are commonly made from copper due to copper"s exceptional conductivity, and can be bare or coated depending on the application.

Braided wire can be round and tubular or flat. Round tubular braids fit in most spaces where flat braided wire will not. Flat braided wire begins as round braided wire which is flattened on a capstan. They are exceptionally strong and designed for medical and aircraft applications.

Metals used to make wire rope are various grades of stainless steel, bright steel, and galvanized steel. Though the majority of wire rope manufacturers use these three metals, other metals such as copper, aluminum, bronze, and monel are also used on a limited basis.

The most important aspect of wire rope is the wire and the metal from which it is made. The strength and resilience of wire rope is highly dependent on the quality of metal used to make it, and these are essential factors to be considered when purchasing it.

Bright steel wire does not have a coating and is rotation resistant, (designed to not rotate when lifting a load). It is drawn from hot rolled rods that are put through a die to match its specific dimensional tolerances, mechanical properties, and finish. Bright wire is used as a single line in conditions that require a rope that will resist cabling.

Galvanized steel has a zinc coating for corrosion resistance and has the same strength and durability as bright steel. Environmental conditions determine the use of galvanized steel. In mildly severe and slightly harsh conditions, galvanized steel wire is an economical replacement for stainless steel.

In the manufacturing process, galvanized wire goes through the process of galvanization, a method of coating steel wire with a protective and rust resistant metal. Galvanized wire is exceptionally strong, rust resistant, and flexible enough to meet the needs of a variety of applications.

Wire rope made from copper is mostly used for electrical applications due to its exceptional electrical characteristics. The benefits of copper wire rope are its durability, flexibility, and resilience compared to standard copper wire. The strength of copper wire rope is seen in its use in applications where there are vibrations and shaking.

The wire rope lubrication process begins during its fabrication and continues during its use. Lubrication of wire rope is designed to lower the amount of friction it endures and provide corrosion protection. Continued lubrication increases the lifespan of wire rope by preventing it from drying up, rusting, and breaking.

The types of lubricants for wire rope are penetrating or coating with coatings covering and sealing the outside of the rope. Penetrating lubricants go deep into the rope and seep into the core where they evaporate to form a thick coating or film.

The application of the lubricant is dependent on the type of core. Fiber cores absorb the lubricant and serve as a reservoir that retains the lubricant for an extended period of time. With metal cores, the lubricant is applied as the wire is twisted into strands to give complete saturation and coverage of the wires.

There are several types of greases that are used as wire rope lubricating agents and are made up of oil, a thickener, and additives. The essential components are the base oil and additives, which influence the behavior of the grease. The thickener holds the base oil and additives together. The amount of base oil in a grease is between 70% and 95% with an additive of 10%.

The additive in grease enhances the positive properties of the oil and suppresses the negative properties. Common additives are oxidation and rust inhibitors as well as pressure, wear, and friction reducing agents.

Of the many choices for lubricants, vegetable oil is the easiest to use and penetrates the deepest. The design of the additives for vegetable oils gives them the necessary qualities required to penetrate deep into a wire rope. The exceptional penetration provides protection against wear and corrosion. Since vegetable oil is a fluid, it helps in washing the wire rope to remove external abrasive contaminants.

Wire rope is widely used in machines, structures, and varied lifting applications. Its type, size, and requirements are determined by how it will be used. Regardless of its use, wire rope guarantees exceptional strength and provides high quality and excellent performance.

The lifting of heavy loads for centuries involved the use of hemp rope or chains, neither of which was a guaranteed or substantial method. Early in the 18th Century, between 1824 and 1838, Wilhelm Albert, a German mining engineer, combined the twisting of hemp and strength of chains to create today‘s wire rope.

The most common use of wire rope is as a part of a crane hoist wherein it is attached to the hook of the hoist and wrapped around a grooved drum. The tensile strength and durability of wire rope makes an ideal tool for lifting and keeping loads secure. Though it is used in several industries, it is very popular for production environments wherein materials need to be lifted quickly and efficiently.

In addition to its many lifting applications, the strength and stability of wire rope is useful in other applications, especially in the aerospace industry. Pedals, levers, and connectors in the cockpit of an aircraft are connected with wire rope. The wires provide for the passage of power between systems and mechanisms; this allows control of the aircraft. Wire rope is used to control propeller pitch, cowl flaps, and the throttle. It also assists in lowering and minimizing vibrations.

Tires are reinforced with wire rope to increase their durability and strength. All automotive production environments make use of wire ropes for supplying materials, moving heaving loads, and positioning equipment. Wire rope can be found in the production of steering wheels, cables, exhausts, springs, sunroofs, doors, and seating components.

As surprising as it may seem, the place that wire rope has the greatest use is in the home, where its strength, long life, endurance, and resilience provide guaranteed protection and performance. The main reason wire ropes are so popular for home use is cost.

Inexpensive, easy to obtain, easy to install, and easy to maintain, wire ropes provide an additional method for performing home repairs and structural support. Their excellent flexibility and sturdiness combined with their invisibility has made wire rope an ideal solution to several home maintenance issues. It is used to support staircases, fences, decks, and hang plants.

The search and production of crude oil has relied on wire ropes for centuries to lift drill bits, insert shafts, and support oil rigs on land and the water. When equipment, machinery, and tools have to be lowered into the depths of the earth and sea, wire ropes are the tool that the oil industry relies on to do the job.

Many of the tasks of oil production require tools that are capable of enduring severe and harsh conditions. Wire ropes have to withstand enormous pressure, extraordinary stress, and a wide range of temperatures. The use of wire rope includes maintaining oil rig stability and moorings for offshore rigs.

Wire rope has long been a standard component for the transportation industry, from the cable cars of San Francisco to the lift chairs for ski resorts. For many years, cable cars have relied on heavy duty cables (wire ropes) to be pulled by a central motor from multiple locations. It is a method of transportation that has existed for centuries.

In Europe, funiculars use cables that hang from a support to move cars up and down a mountain with cables moving in opposite directions. The word funicular is from the French word funiculaire, meaning railway by cable. The terms wire rope and cable are used interchangeably when discussed by professionals. The first part of funicular, or funiculaire, is from the Latin word "funis," meaning rope.

The major use for wire ropes in the food and beverage industries is as a means for lifting and moving heavy loads. Wine barrels and containers full of ingredients are lifted and placed through use of cranes and wire ropes. They are also part of conveyor systems that move products from one station to another.

From the beginnings of amusement rides up to the present, wire ropes have been an essential part of attraction construction and safety. They pull cars on roller coasters, hold cabins that swing, and move carriages through haunted houses. The main concern of amusement parks is safety. The strength, stability, and guaranteed performance of wire ropes ensures that people who attend amusement parks will have a good time and stay safe.

The rigging used to complete the stunts in modern movies depends on wire rope for safety. Much like in amusement rides, wire ropes protect performers from injury and harm as they hang above a scene or carry out an impossible move.

The live theater industry uses wire ropes to raise and lower curtains, support overhead rigging, and hold backdrops and scenery pieces. During a production, rapid and efficient movement is a necessity that is facilitated by the use of wire ropes.

Wire rope is a tool that we tend to envision as indestructible, unable to succumb to any form of damage. Though it is exceptionally sturdy and strong as well as capable of enduring constant use, it is just as susceptible to breakdown as any other tool.

To avoid serious harm and damage, wire ropes should be scheduled for regular inspections. There are situations that can damage or break a wire rope; these should be understood prior to the problem arising.

Guide rollers have the potential to damage and cause abrasions on wire rope if they become rough and uneven. Of the various elements of a crane and lift, guide rollers have the greatest contact with the mechanism‘s wire rope. Regular inspection of guide rollers will ensure they are not damaging the rope or causing abrasions.

Bending is normally a regular part of wire rope usage; this occurs repetitively as the rope passes through a sheave. As a wire rope traverses the sheave, it is continually bent and develops cracks or breaks. The cracking and breaking are exacerbated by movement on and off the groove of the drum. Normally, the breakage happens on the surface and is visible. Once it appears, it accelerates to the core of the rope.

A bird cage is caused by a sudden release of tension and a rebound of the rope. This type of break requires that the rope be replaced since the place of the break will not return to its normal condition.

Wire ropes are multi-layered; this makes them flexible and torque balanced. The layering inside and outside creates flexibility and wear resistance. Relative motion between the wires causes wear over time, which leads to internal breakage. The detection of these breaks can be indicated by an electromagnetic inspection that calculates the diameter of the rope.

Kinked wire rope is caused by pulling a loop on a slack line during installation or operation; this causes a distortion in the strands and wires. This is a serious condition that necessitates rope replacement.

Corrosion damage is the most difficult cause of wire rope damage to identify, which makes it the most dangerous. The main reason for corrosion is poor lubrication that can be seen in the pitted surface of the rope.

The types of damage and problems listed here are only a small portion of the problems that can be caused if a wire rope is not regularly lubricated and inspected. Various regulatory agencies require that wire ropes be inspected weekly or monthly and provide a list of factors to examine.

As with any type of heavy duty equipment, wire rope is required to adhere to a set of regulations or standards that monitor and control its use for safety and quality reasons. The two organizations that provide guidelines for wire rope use are the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

All wire rope manufacturers and users closely follow the standards and guidelines established by OSHA and ASME. In the majority of cases, they will identify the specific standards they are following in regard to their products.

OSHA‘s regulations regarding wire rope fall under sections 1910, 1915, and 1926, with the majority of the stipulations listed in 1926 under material handling, storage, use, and disposal.

"Running rope in service shall be visually inspected daily, unless a qualified person determines it should be performed more frequently. The visual inspection shall consist of observation of all rope that can reasonably be expected to be in use during the day‘s operations. The inspector should focus on discovering gross damage that may be an immediate hazard."

"The inspection frequency shall be based on such factors as rope life on the particular installation or similar installations, severity of environment, percentage of capacity lifts, frequency rates of operation, and exposure to shock loads. Inspections need not be at equal calendar intervals and should be more frequent as the rope approaches the end of its useful life. Close visual inspection of the entire rope length shall be made to evaluate inspection and removal criteria."

ASTM A1023 covers the requirements for steel wire ropes with specifications for various grades and constructions from ¼ in. (6 mm) to 31/2 in. (89 mm) manufactured from uncoated or metallic coated wire. Included are cord products from 1/32 in. (0.8 mm) to 3/8 in. (10 mm) made from metallic coated wire.

United States Federal Spec RR W 410 covers wire ropes and wire seizing strands but does not include all types, classes, constructions, and sizes of wire rope and strands that are available. The purpose of Spec RR W 410 is to cover more common types, classes, constructions, and sizes suitable for federal government use.

Wire rope and wire seizing strand covered by United States Federal Spec RR W 410 are intended for use in general hauling, hoisting, lifting, transporting, well drilling, in passenger and freight elevators, and for marine mooring, towing, trawling, and similar work, none of which are for use with aircraft.

API 9A lists the minimum standards required for use of wire rope for the petroleum and natural gas industries. The types of applications include tubing lines, rod hanger lines, sand lines, cable-tool drilling and clean out lines, cable tool casing lines, rotary drilling lines, winch lines, horse head pumping unit lines, torpedo lines, mast-raising lines, guideline tensioner lines, riser tensioner lines, and mooring and anchor lines. Well serving wire ropes such as lifting slings and well measuring are also included in API 9A.

Wire rope is a collection of metal strands that have been twisted and wound to form the shape of a helix with the purpose of supporting and lifting heavy loads and performing tasks that are too rigorous for standard wire.

Individual designs of wire rope involve different materials, wire, and strand configurations as a means for supporting and assisting in the completion of a lifting or supportive task.