shock loading wire rope brands

Wire rope manufacturers produce their products in order to provide a high load capacity, versatile alternative to weaker ropes like manila rope or hemp rope. Wire rope products are used for a wide variety of motion transmission applications, among them: lifting, baling, tie down, hoisting, hauling, towing, mooring, anchoring, rigging, cargo control, guidance and counterbalance. They can also be used as railing, fencing and guardrailing.

Wire rope is a must-have for many heavy duty industrial applications. From mining to forestry to marine and beyond, there’s wire rope for almost every job. Some of the many industries in which wire rope is popular include: construction, agriculture, marine, industrial manufacturing, fitness, sports and recreation (plastic coated cables for outdoor playground equipment and sports equipment), electronics, theater (black powder coated cables for stage rigging), mining, gas and oil, transportation, security, healthcare and consumer goods.

Wire rope as we know it was invented just under 200 years ago, between 1831 and 1834. At that time, the goal was to create a rope strong enough to support work in the mines of the Harz Mountains. Invented by Wilhelm Albert, a German mining engineer, this wire rope consisted on four three-stranded wires. It was much stronger than older rope varieties, such as manila rope, hemp rope and metal chain rope.

While studying at Freiburg School of Mines, a man named L.D.B. Gordon visited the mines in the Harz Mountains, where he met Albert. After he left, Gordon wrote to his friend Robert Stirling Newall, urging him to create a machine for manufacturing wire ropes. Newall, of Dundee, Scotland, did just that, designing a wire rope machine that made wire ropes with four strands, consisting of four wires each. After Gordon returned to Dundee, he and Newall, along with Charles Liddell, formed R.S. Newall and Company. In 1840, Newall received a patent for “certain improvements in wire rope and the machinery for making such rope.”

In 1841, an American manufacturer named John A. Roebling began producing wire rope for suspension bridges. Soon after, another set of Americans, Josiah White and Erskine Hazard, started incorporating wire rope into coal mining and railroad projects, forming Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company (LC&N Co.). In 1848, wire rope from their wire rope factory in Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania provided the lift cables needed to complete the Ashley Planes Project. This project sought to improve the performance and appearance of the freight railroad that ran through Ashley, Pennsylvania, by adding lift cables. This increased tourism and increased the railroad’s coal capacity. Before, cars took almost four hours to return; after, they took less than 20 minutes.

Wire rope likewise changed the landscape (again) in Germany, in 1874, when an engineering firm called Adolf Bleichert & Co. used wire rope to build Bi-cable aerial tramways. These allowed them to mine the Ruhr Valley. Several years later, they also used wire rope to build tramways for the German Imperial Army and the Wehrmacht. These tramways were wildly successful, opening up roads in Germany and all over Europe and the USA.

Since the 1800s, manufacturers and engineers have found ways to improve wire rope, through stronger materials and material treatments, such as galvanization, and different rope configurations. Today, wire rope makes possible many heavy industrial processes. It has become a necessity of the modern world.

Strands are made by tightly twisting or braiding individual wire together. One strand could have anywhere between two and several dozen wire filaments depending on the necessary strength, flexibility, and weight capacity.

One of the most dynamic elements of wire cables is the inner core. The strands are wrapped around the core, and it can be made of different metals, fibers, or even impregnated fiber materials. For heavy applications, cores are often made of a different strand of wire called an independent wire rope core (IWRC). An IWRC has a considerable amount of flexibility and it is still very strong. In fact, at least 7.5% of the strength increase in a wire rope can be attributed to an IWRC.

While they sometimes use other metals, like aluminum, nickel, copper, titanium, and even bronze for some applications, manufacturers primarily produce wire rope from steel. This is because steel is very strong and stretchable. Among the most common types they use are: galvanized wire, bright wire, stainless steel and cold drawn steel.

Of the wire rope steels, cold drawn carbon steel wire is most popular, although stainless steel wire rope is sometimes employed as well. Stainless steel rope is most popular for its anti-corrosive properties. Bright wire rope, a type of ungalvanized steel wire rope, is also popular. For added strength and durability, galvanized steel wire rope/galvanized steel cables are a very popular choice. Galvanized aircraft cable, for example, is always a must in aerospace.

When choosing or designing a custom wire rope for your application, suppliers consider factors such as: the environment in which the rope will function, required rust resistance, required flexibility, temperature resistance, required breaking strength and wire rope diameter. To accommodate your needs, manufacturers can do special things like: make your rope rotation resistant, color code your rope, or add a corrosion resistant coating. For instance, sometimes they specially treat and coat a cable with plastic or some other compound for added protection. This is particularly important to prevent fraying if the wire rope is often in motion on a pulley.

Manufacturers and distributors identify the differences in wire cable by listing the number of strands and the amount of wires per strand so that anyone that orders understand the strength of the cable. Sometimes they are also categorized by their length or pitch. Common examples of this include: 6 x 19, 6 x 25, 19 x 7, 7 x 19, 7 x 7, 6 x 26 and 6 x 36.

More complex wire rope identification codes connote information like core type, weight limit and more. Any additional hardware like connectors, fasteners, pulleys and fittings are usually listed in the same area to show varying strengths and degrees of fray prevention.

Cable wire rope is a heavy-duty wire rope. To give it its high strength, manufacturers construct it using several individual filaments that are twisted in strands and helically wrapped around the core. A very common example of cable wire rope is steel cable.

Spiral rope is made up an assemblage of wires with round or curved strands. The assemblage features at least one outer layer cord pointed in the opposite direction of the wire. The big advantage of spiral ropes is the fact that they block moisture, water and pollutants from entering the interior of the rope.

Similarly, stranded rope steel wire is made up of an assemblage of spirally wound strands. Unlike spiral rope, though, its wire patterns have crisscrossing layers. These layers create an exceptionally strong rope. Stranded rope may have one of three core material types: wire rope, wire strand or fiber.

Wire rope chain, like all chains, is made up of a series of links. Because it is not solid, wire rope chain is quite flexible. At the same time, it is prone to mechanical failure.

Wire rope slings are made from improved plow wire steel, a strong steel wire that offers superior return loop slings and better security. The plow wire steel also shields rope at its connection points, which extends its working life. Wire rope slings, in general, provide their applications with increased safety, capacity and performance. Wire rope sling is a rope category that encompasses a wide range of sub-products, such as permaloc rope sling, permaloc bridle slings and endless slings. These and other wire rope slings may be accompanied by a wide variety of sling terminations, such as thimbles, chokers and hooks.

Wire rope offers its user many advantages. First, design of even distribution of weight among strands makes it ideal for lifting extremely heavy loads. Second, wire rope is extremely durable and, when matched properly to the application, can withstand great stress and elements like corrosion and abrasion. In addition, it is very versatile. Its many iterations and the ways in which the rope can treated means that users can get rope custom fit for virtually any application.

Depending on the type of wire rope with which you are working and your application, you may want to invest in different accessories. Among these accessories are: wire rope clips, steel carabiners, fittings, fasteners and connections.

To ensure that your wire rope quality remains high, you must regularly inspect them for wear and degradation. The right wire rope should be selected for a particular use. Watch out for performance-impacting damage like: rust, fraying and kinks. To make sure that they stay in tip-top shape, you should also clean and lubricate them as needed. Check for this need as a part of your regular inspection.

Rope care is about more than inspection. It’s also about making an effort to use and store them properly every time you use them. For example, never exceed your rope’s rated load and breaking strength. Doing so will not only cause the weakening of your cable, but it may even cause immediate breakage. In addition, always store your wire rope cable in a dry and warm area, away from those elements that could cause premature rusting or other damage. Finally, always carefully wind your wire rope when you’re done with it, so as to avoid kinks. If you follow all these tips and treat your wire rope assemblies well, they will reward you with a long and productive service life.

Always make sure that you purchase wire rope that matches your industry and regional standards. Some of the most widely referenced standards organizations for wire rope include: ISO, ASTM International and OSHA. Talk over your specifications and application with your wire rope supplier to figure out what’s best for you.

If you’re in the market for a wire rope or a wire rope assembly, the best way to know you’re getting something that will both perform well and be safe if by working with a vetted professional. Find one among the list we’ve provided on this page. Check out their profiles to get an idea of the services and products they offer. Pick out three or four to whom you’d like to speak, and reach out. Talk to them about your specifications, standard requirements and budget. Ask about lead times and delivery options. Once you’ve spoken with all of them, compare and contrast their answers. You’ll know you’ve found the one when you talk to a wire rope company that is willing to go above and beyond for your satisfaction.

A wire rope is a type of cable that includes several wire strands laced together to form a single wire. Generally, both the terms “wire” and “rope” are used interchangeably with “wire rope”; however, according to the technical definition, to be labeled a wire rope, the cable must have a thickness of at least 9.52 mm. As a versatile, high load capacity alternative to natural fiber ropes such as hemp and manila, wire rope provides motion transmission through nearly all angles, tie down, counterbalance, guidance, control, or lift.

Modern wire rope was invented by Wilhelm Albert, a German mining engineer, between 1831 and 1834. He developed them in order for work in the mines in the Harz Mountains. This rope replaced weaker natural fiber ropes, like hemp rope and manila rope, and weaker metal ropes, like chain rope.

Albert’s rope was constructed of four three-stranded wires. In 1840, a Scot named Robert Stirling Newall improved upon this model. A year later in the United States, American manufacturer John A. Roebling started producing wire rope, aimed at his vision of suspension bridges. From there, other interested Americans, such as Erskine Hazard and Josiah White, used wire rope in railroad and coal mining applications. They also applied their wire rope techniques to provide lift ropes for something called the Ashley Planes project, which allowed for better transportation and increased tourism in the area.

Approximately twenty-five years later, back in Germany in 1874, the engineering firm Adolf Bleichert & Co. was founded. They used wire rope to build bicable aerial tramways for mining the Ruhr Valley. Years later they built tramways for both the Wehrmacht and the German Imperial Army. Their wire rope systems spread all across Europe, and then migrated to the USA, concentrating at Trenton Iron Works in New Jersey.

Over the years, engineers and manufacturers have created materials of all kinds to make wire rope stronger. Such materials include stainless steel, plow steel, bright wire, galvanized steel, wire rope steel, electric wire, and more. Today, wire rope is a staple in most heavy industrial processes. Wherever heavy duty lifting is required, wire rope is there to facilitate.

Wire rope is strong, durable, and versatile. Even the heaviest industrial loads may be lifted with a well-made wire rope because the weight is distributed evenly among constituent strands.

There are three basic elements of which wire ropes are composed: wire filaments, strands, and cores. Manufacturers make wire rope by taking the filaments, twisting or braiding them together into strands, and then helically winding them around a core. Because of this multiple strand configuration, wire rope is also often referred to as stranded wire.

The first component, the filaments, are cold drawn rods of metal materials of varying, but relatively small diameter. The second component, the strands, can individually consist of as few as two or as many as several dozen filaments. The last component, the core, is the central element around which strands are wrapped; wire rope cores maintain a considerable amount of flexibility, while increasing strength by at least 7.5% over the strength of fiber core wire ropes.

The helical winding of the strands around the core is known as the lay. Ropes may be right hand lay, twisting strands clockwise, or they may be left hand lay, twisting strands counter-clockwise. In an ordinary lay, the individual strands are twisted in the opposite direction of the lay of the entire rope of strands to increase tension and to prevent the rope from coming unwound. Though this is most common Lang"s lay has both the strands and the rope twisted in the same direction while alternate lays, as the name suggests alternate between ordinary and Lang style lays. While alternative rope designs are available, the helical core design is often favored, as it allows a wire cable to hold a lot of weight while remaining ductile.

There are many design aspects that wire rope manufacturers consider when they are creating custom wire rope assemblies. These include: strand gauge (varies based on application strength, flexibility, and wear resistance requirements), wire rope fittings (for connecting other cables), lay, splices, and special coatings. Specially treated steel cable and plastic coated cables, for instance, are common to many application specific variations of wire rope such as push pull cable assemblies used in transferring motion between two points.

Suppliers typically identify wire cable by listing both the number of strands and the amount of wires per strand respectively, though stranded cable may alternatively be measured by their lay and length or pitch. For example, a door-retaining lanyard wire rope is identified by its 7 x 7 construction, and wire rope used for guying purposes is identified by its 1 x 19 construction. The most common types are 6 x 19, 6 x 25, 19 x 7, 7 x 7, 7 x 19, 6 x 26, and 6 x 36.

An ungalvanized steel wire rope variety. This uncoated wire rope can also be designed to resist spinning or rotating while holding a load; this is known as rotation resistant bright wire rope.

Also called a coiled wire rope, a coiled cable is a rope made from bundles of small metal wires, which are then twisted into a coil. Wire rope and cable can come in a huge variety of forms, but coiled cables specifically provide the benefits of easy storage and tidiness. Unlike other wire ropes, coiled cables do not require a spool for storage. Because it has been coiled, the cable will automatically retract into its spring-like shape when it is not in use, making it incredibly easy to handle.

A type of high strength rope, made of several individual filaments. These filaments are twisted into strands and helically wrapped around a core. One of the most common types of wire rope cable is steel cable.

Wire rope made not as one solid piece, but as a piece made up of a series of metal links. Wire rope chain is flexible and strong, but it is more prone to mechanical failure than wire rope.

Push pull cables and controls are a particular type of control cable designed for the positive and precise transmission of mechanical motion within a given system. Unlike their counterpart pull-pull cables, these wire rope assemblies offer multidirectional control. Additionally, their flexibility allows for easy routing, making them popular in a number of industrial and commercial applications.

Iron and steel are the two most common materials used in producing wire ropes. A steel wire is normally made from non-alloy carbon steel that offers a very high strength and can support extreme stretchable forces. For even more strength and durability, manufacturers can make stainless steel wire rope or galvanized steel wire rope. The latter two are good for applications like rigging and hoisting.

Technically, spiral ropes are curved or round strands with an assemblage of wires. This gathering of wires has at least one cord situated in the opposite direction of the wire in the outer layer of the rope. The most important trait of this rope is that all the wires included are round. The biggest benefit of this category of rope is that it does not allow the entrance of pollutants, water, or moisture.

Contain an assemblage of strands placed spirally around a core. Stranded rope steel wire patterns have different layers that cross each other to form an even stronger cable or rope. Stranded ropes contain one of three types of core: a fiber core, a wire strand core, or a wire rope core.

Provide an added level of security to a manufacturing production application. Wire rope slings are made from improved plow steel wire ropes that, apart from offering added security, also provide superior return loop slings. Plow steel wire ropes improve the life of a mechanism by shielding the rope at its connection points. The key objective of wire rope slings is to enhance the safety of an application while increasing its capacity and performance. Rope slings are also available in various sling termination options, such as hook type, chokers, and thimbles.

The eye in this rope sling is made using the Flemish Splice method. Just like a typical sling, a Permaloc rope sling improves safety and provides reverse strength meaning that the uprightness of the eye does not depend on the sleeves of the metal or alloy. Additionally, permaloc rope slings offer an abrasion resistance feature that makes them long lasting.

These slings have all the features that most other slings offer. However, compared to their counterparts, Permaloc bridle slings provide better load control, wire rope resistant crushing, robust hooks and links that work for a longer duration, and help save on maintenance requirements.

Manufacturers produce wire rope for many different reasons; from cranes to playground swings, wire ropes have something for everyone. Among the many applications of wire rope are hoisting, hauling, tie down, cargo control, baling, rigging, anchoring, mooring, and towing. They can also serve as fencing, guardrails, and cable railing, among other products.

Some of the industries that make use of wire rope include industrial manufacturing, construction, marine, gas and oil, mining, healthcare, consumer goods, and transportation. Others include the fitness industry, which uses plastic coated cable products in weight machines, the theater industry, which uses black powder coated cables for stage rigging, the recreation industry, which uses plastic coated cables for outdoor playground equipment, and the electronics industry, which uses miniature wire rope for many types of electronic equipment and communications devices.

Wire ropes are typically made from cold drawn steel wire, stainless steel wire, or galvanized wire. They may also be made from a wide variety of less popular metals, including aluminum, nickel alloy, bronze, copper, and titanium. However, nearly all wire ropes, including control cables, are made from strands of cold drawn carbon steel wires. Stainless steel rope and cables are subbed in for highly corrosive environments. Galvanized cables and galvanized wire rope are popular for their increased strength and durability; these qualities are important to specialized ropes like galvanized aircraft cable.

A core may be composed of metal, fiber or impregnated fiber materials depending on the intended application. Cores may also be another strand of wire called an independent wire rope core (IWRC).

Wire rope, depending on its application, is subject to many standard requirements. Among the most common of these are the standards detailed by OSHA, ASTM International, and ISO. Per your application and industry, you’ll likely have others you need to consider. To get a full list, talk to your service provider.

To determine the safety factor, which is a margin of security against risks, the first step involves knowing the type of load that the rope will be subjected to. The load must consider the shock loads and blowing wind effects. The safety factor is characterized in ratios; typical are 4:1 and 5:1. If a ratio is 5:1, then the tensile strength of a wire rope must be five times of the load it will be subjected to. In some applications, the ratios can go up to 10:1.

By weighing all these factors carefully, the wire rope that you will buy will be safe to use and last considerably. For the best advice and guidance, though, don’t go it alone! Find a great wire rope supplier that you can trust. You’ll know you’ve found the right supplier for you when you talk to one that can not only fulfill your requirements, but shows that they are excited to go the extra mile for you. For a company like this, browse the list near the top of the page.

As the cables play an integral role in the safety of many operations and structures, careful analysis of a wire rope and all of its capabilities and features is vital. Important qualities and physical specifications you must consider include wire rope diameter, breaking strength, resistance to corrosion, difficulty of flattening or crushing, bendability, and average lifespan.

Each of the aforementioned considerations should be compatible with the specific application for which the rope is intended as well as the environment in which such operations are undertaken. Temperature and corrosive environments often require specially coated wire ropes with increased durability.

When you use your industrial wire rope, the first thing to remember is to not exceed your rope’s rated load and breaking strength. If you do not stay within these parameters, you risk causing your rope to weaken or even break.

Rust, kinks, fraying and even carefully performed splicing will all have an impact on the performance of wire ropes. To maintain the integrity of your wire rope assembly, you need to inspect them regularly and clean and lubricate them as needed. In addition, you need to store them out of the wet and cold as much as possible. Also wrap them up properly, so they are not kinked.

A high-carbon steel having a tensile strength of approximately 260,000 psi that is roughly fifteen percent stronger than Plow Steel. Most commercial wires are made from IPS.

A low carbon steel wire of approximately 10,000 psi, which is pliable and capable of repeated stresses from bending around small sheaves. This grade is effective for tillers, guys and sash ropes.

The manner in which the wires are helically wound to form rope. Lay refers specifically to the direction of the helical path of the strands in a wire rope; for example, if the helix of the strands are like the threads of a right-hand screw, the lay is known as a right lay, or right-hand, but if the strands go to the left, it is a left lay, or left-hand.

A classification of wire rope according to its breaking strength. The rank of grades according to increasing breaking strengths is as follows: Iron, Traction, Mild Plow Steel, Plow Steel, Improved Steel, Extra Improved Steel.

The act of fastening a termination to a wire rope through physical deformation of the termination about the rope via a hydraulic press or hammering. The strength is one hundred percent of the wire rope rating.

A grade of rope material that has a tensile strength range of 180,000 to 190,000 psi. Traction steel has great resistance to bending fatigue with a minimum of abrasive force on sheaves and drums, which contributes to its long use in elevators, from which the steel gets its name.

It is composed of wire strands that are braided together. Wire braid is similar to stranded wire. The difference between the two is the fact that stranded wire features strands that are bundled together, rather than braided.

Essential parts of cable assemblies, wire rope assemblies and wire rope slings that assist spliced or swaged rope ends in connecting to other cables and keeping cables and rope from unraveling.

A wire rope cable assembly is a metallic rope consisting of bundles of twisted, spiraled, or bonded wires. While the terms wire rope and cable are often used interchangeably, cables are typically designated as smaller diameter wire ropes, specifically wire ropes with a diameter less than 3/8 inch. Therefore, wire rope cable assemblies are typically utilized for lighter duty applications.

Or cable assemblies, are cables which are composed of many spiraled bundles of wire. These cables are used to support hanging objects, connect objects, pull or lift objects, secure items, and much more.

Wire rope wholesalers can sell an extensive range of wire rope and wire rope accessories at a very affordable rate as well as in bulk. Many of the additional wire rope equipment that wire rope wholesalers provide include: swivel eye pulleys, eye nuts, eye bolts, slip hooks, spring hooks, heavy duty clips, clevis hooks, turnbuckle hooks, anchor shackle pins, s hooks, rigging blocks, and much more. Wire rope fittings will generally improve the versatility of the wire and also prevent fraying.

ISO 9001 & AS 9120 certified 8(m)WOSB certified custom manufacturer of corrossion resistant galvanized aircraft stainless steel metal safety cable and wire braid materials include braided cords with wire center for aeronautical, aerospace, halyard, helicopter lead line, sailboat, rigging, hoisting, automotive applications and more. Wire rope products are available in 1x7 strand through 6x36 strand for aircraft cable, non rotating and non flexible applications. Custom coatings and finishes available for aerospace, automotive, safety applications. Also offers custom braids in specialty colors, finishes, and materials such as aramid, ceramic, Dyneema®, fiberglass, Kevlar®, linen, Nomex®, plasma, Spectra®, tarred, marlin, Technora™, Twaron®, and Vectran™. Galvanized aircraft wire ropes and cables available in 302/304, 305, and 316 stainless steel and zinc-coated carbon steel materials. Offers non-flexible types in 1 x 7 and 1 x 19 strand models. Suitable for aeronautical, logging, hoisting, aircraft control, and winching applications.

For customers who require peak rope performance levels in mission critical applications, Casar manufactures and supplies highly-engineered ropes that exceed industry standards while providing record-setting service life.

Our proprietary and innovative German-engineered rope designs deliver the highest levels of performance and safety, superior breaking strength values, the highest bending fatigue resistance, superior crushing resistance, and the best rotational resistance characteristics for high lifts.We have decades of global experience and on-site engineering support in the crane, OEM and underground mining sectors.

CASAR has an extensive range of products available and we can customize to your application.Our wire rope specialists will assist customers in design, selection, installation and operation to improve rope performance and maximize service life.

Ladle and foundry cranes transport hot liquid steel in environments with extremely high temperatures. This puts tremendous stress on the crane and consequently also on the high performance steel wire rope that serves as the hoist rope. Fast and safe work processes require steel wire ropes that are developed to meet the highest standards. Teufelberger-Redaelli"s portfolio includes 8 and 9- strand high performance steel wire ropes that deliver impressive reliability and longevity on cranes from manufacturers such as Danielle, Taiyuan Heavy (TZ), and Dalian Heavy (DCWDI).

Teufelberger-Redaelli"s high performance steel wire ropes for ladle and foundry cranes in steel mills ensure the efficiency of steel mill operations. Custom-tailored rope end terminations and rope installation devices such as the "Pull-Eye" complete our steel wire ropes to meet specific customer needs. PLASTFILL®, the plastic impregnated steel core, ensures the perfect lubrication of the core of hoist ropes for ladle and foundry cranes throughout their entire life span, even in high temperature environments. Depending on customer needs, Teufelberger-Redaelli ropes are available as galvanized or bright versions.

Shock loading can occur in any situation where the load on the crane suddenly increases. The crane and accessories are designed to take up the weight of loads gradually and steadily. They are not designed to withstand sudden increases or decreases in the apparent weight of the load.  Some examples of how shock loading can occur are shown below.

Operators and equipment owners should be aware of the causes and potential dangers of shock loading. Because the equipment is being used in a way that it is not designed for, shock loading can lead to damaging the equipment, the facility, or injuring personnel. Understanding the causes of shock loading will help to prepare operators to safely and accurately operate the equipment.

Skilled operators are a company"s first defense against shock loading. Lifting and lowering should always be done in slow speed until all slack has been taken out of the wire rope and any below the hook devices. Additionally, operators should be aware of their surroundings, making sure that the load they are lifting is not likely to snag on other pieces of machinery or the building itself. When lifting or lowering the load, operators should be careful to make sure the load is not bouncing as they operate the hoist. Additionally, operators should ensure that their loads are secure and well balanced.

Beyond operator training and best practices, features such as the HoistMonitor®assist operators in preventing shock loads. The HoistMonitor ensures that starting and stopping is initiated in slow speed, which helps prevent a jumping motion of the load. Sudden load supervision, also a standard feature of the HoistMonitor, prevents the hoist from continuing the hoisting motion when a load increase is suddenly detected, like if the load snagged on another item.

Even with experienced crane operators, it can be challenging to lift a load without incurring stress to the crane, the load or the building’s structure. That’s because, before a load lifts off the ground, the rigging gear is loose and any upward hoisting would first move the rigging gear, not the load. Once the rigging gear is taut and the load is engaged, however, the hoist must be operated very slowly so as not to jerk the load into the air. Excess speed during the critical time of lifting the load off the ground can “shock” the crane system, causing high stress.

Konecranes has the answer: Shock Load Protection. With Shock Load Protection, the hoist drive monitors the load. If it is picked up too fast, the hoisting speed is automatically reduced until the load is in the air. This protects the crane, lifting load and the whole building from extra stress. This, in turn, provides lower maintenance costs for the crane and maximizes cycle times by reducing hoisting speed only during the critical moment of lift off.

Shock Load Protection is designed for smooth load pickups and works to prevent shocks to the load and the crane, extending the lifetime of the crane’s steel structure and mechanical parts. Shock Load Prevention is a feature of Konecranes Variable Frequency Drives for hoist control, and it works to eliminate shock loads automatically. With this automated feature, the operator can focus on controlling the load, monitoring his or her environment and ensuring that the load remains secure. Without the operator needing to purposely slow down operation as the hoist is raised, the crane can operate efficiently, speeding up operation while decreasing the mechanical wear and tear on the overhead crane.

Shock Load Protection is available for overhead cranes with, or with the capability of having, Variable Frequency Drives. Contact a Konecranes Representative to see if Shock Load Protection or any of our other Smart Features, can help your business.

Before we address shock loading let us take the time to understand the difference between static and dynamic forces. Static force is stationary. Static force usually refers to an object not in motion. Whereas dynamic force refers to an object that has unequal forces acting upon it. Rapid acceleration in lifting and rapid deceleration in lowering of a small or large load can result in what is often referred to as dynamic load.

Remember Newton"s second law? F = ma Force equals mass times acceleration. Acceleration refers to a change in the rate of velocity. Assuming we are referring to the same mass (size of the object), we see that the force exerted on an object is proportional to the acceleration it is given. This is the basis of the phenomena known as shock loading.

Generally speaking shock force or shock loading occurs when an operator takes up sling slack rapidly or suddenly releases the load creating a sudden jerk. Both rapid acceleration and deceleration of a load can create a shock force that far exceeds the working load limit of the wire rope. Always remember that the sudden release of a load can cause internal and external damage to a wire rope. Why is the safe working load limit of rigging slings and crane lines significantly lower than their minimum breaking strength? A safety factor must always exist. Remember that minimum breaking strengths are stated for static, straight lifts or pulls.

The four pictures in this post clearly illustrate what shock force or shock loading will do to a wire rope. Note the one strand has become unraveled from the other strands in forming the wire rope. Look closer and you will note broken wires at different points of the strand. Remember a series of individual wires make up each strand on a wire rope.

Buying new crane ropes is a detailed and thorough process. While it may be time-consuming, wire rope replacement prioritizes safety for your workers, minimizes downtime on a jobsite, maximizes the lifespan of the crane and avoids the costly and time-consuming process of getting correct rope onsite and respooling your crane.

Sometimes, it can seem like the wire rope buying process is overly complicated. This is done on purpose to avoid as many issues as possible when the new rope is installed. The reason for that is so buyers avoid putting the wrong types of ropes on cranes and unnecessarily increasing the risk of injuries to workers or damage to loads being lifted. The processes are to make sure to prevent that added risk and put the correct rope on the correct machine, per Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) specifications.

Wire rope specialists ask these questions to understand your circumstances and what your needs are. With this information, they are better prepared to get the absolute correct rope.

Most of the time, the customer should have access to their crane’s operations manual that will show what rope diameter and length is specified. The customer may have to measure or come up with his own calculations on length. The crane manufacturer is going to make a specific drum for that specific type of wire rope.

The rope has to be specific to the lagging of the drum for that machine, which is why there are multiple variations for each size of wire rope because each kind is specific to the type of crane, and it shouldn’t be substituted. Mazzella will only install the rope that is the correct brand and tolerance on a particular crane.

Ordering the correct crane rope will prevent crane rope damage. The wrong rope could cause damage to the equipment, and at worst, boom failure. On the less severe side, you will have bad performance or it might not work at all. You could have twist and/or spooling issues. That could lead to the crane failing altogether, which creates downtime as you wait for the correct wire rope to be ordered/delivered and installed.

Many crane owners are working for somebody else when they’re doing jobs, so if the rope doesn’t work, they’re paying for work that is not getting done and falling behind schedule.

On the more severe side, you could total your crane and/or irreparably damage the load being lifted if you use the wrong wire rope. In the worst-case scenario, using the incorrect rope could result in severe injury and/or the loss of life.

Sometimes, customers assume that there’s a one-size-fits-all replacement, that if it’s a non-rotating rope, it should work on every application. There’s a lot of misinformation on what will work and what won’t work. With our experience and access to all brands of wire rope, Mazzella guarantees we can get you the right rope for your cranes. If Mazzella isn’t comfortable with the project, we won’t supply the wire rope.

If the wrong wire rope is ordered and delivered, it could be hours or days before the correct rope is on location. Especially with a lot of the larger cranes, manufacturers are shipping model-specific ropes all over the country, and depending on location and money, that could cause delays on your jobsite.

With our large inventory of rope, Mazzella can have a new spool of wire on a truck and out for delivery in a matter of hours. Avoid the pitfalls of ordering the wrong crane rope and you’ll have a new spool of wire rope on its way. Once the order process is done, what can your company do to prepare for delivery and installation?

It is a good idea to give management the proper notice of when the installer will be on-site, have the necessary technicians on-site to help the installer with the rope replacement and make sure the installer/technicians have a clear working space.

Also, Mazzella recommends you measure your sheaves with a sheave gauge. A sheave gauge will help you measure the wear of the root, the amount of wear on the groove wall and the diameter of the wire rope.

After ordering the correct rope and having the requisite space and approval for installation, how long will it take to remove and replace the old rope when the technician, assistants and supplies arrive onsite? For some small cranes, the timeframe could be as little as 45 minutes, but for larger cranes, removing the old rope and installing the new one could be a several-hour process.

There’s a lot of factors that go into a successful crane rope installation. The most important thing is the quicker your supplier responds to your order and gets a rope on location, the quicker that rope gets installed properly, saving time and money. Downtime is the key, and it could cost companies tens of thousands of dollars per day if their crane(s) are inoperable.

Once a new crane rope is installed, a break-in period or tension period is recommended to make sure everything is performing correctly, and help you avoid shock-loading the newly installed wire rope. The break-in period is recommended because installation and spooling equipment are not going to put adequate tension on the rope. A break-in period consists of putting a low percentage of the working load limit weight on the rope for several lift cycles, and running the blocks up to the boom length (working height) and back down. For the most specific guidelines on the breaking-in process for your new wire rope, refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

If a brand-new wire rope on a crane is not broken in properly before lifting a large load, it potentially could damage the rope and render useless the equipment that was just installed on your machine.

When Mazzella fulfills a crane ropes order, it is not just about the sale and the bottom line. While we’re in the business of selling crane ropes, we’re also in the business of building relationships and trust. We are committed to making sure you get the correct products for the right applications.

Crane rope issues don’t just happen 9-to-5 during the normal work week. They happen Friday nights, holidays, weekends and early mornings. They’re always on the clock, and it is just about being honest with the customer and letting them know, they type of rope that is required. That honesty and trust is of utmost importance for the safety of your workers and the proper maintenance of your cranes.

Mazzella has one of the largest crane ropes inventories in the United States. The company provides wire rope assemblies and manufactures bridge cables, crane cables, steel mill cables and thousands of OEM assemblies in sizes from ¼ to 3-inch diameter and 9 to 52 millimeter diameter, domestic and non-domestic and in stock and ready for same or next-day shipment.

When choosing the right type of Wire Rope, you need to consider a number of factors to ensure optimal performance and safety, as well as extend the life of the rope. For example, there are 7 characteristics of wire rope, design characteristics to help you select the wire rope to give you the optimum safety and service life for your wire rope:Strength

No one wire rope will have all of these attributes. In fact, when a wire rope ranks high in one particular category, it typically scores lower in another category. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful when making an assessment about wire rope. Ultimately, you want select one that sacrifices the least important benefits as opposed to the most important ones.

Considering strength, note the potential workload. Will you experience dynamic loads caused by abrupt acceleration, shock loads, sudden stops, dead weight, and high speeds.

Vibration fatigue is caused by anything that can send a shockwave through the rope. Because this energy must be absorbed and since absorption takes place at different points along the rope, choose the right product based on the shockwave type. When a wire rope is repeatedly bent, it begins to fatigue to the point of eventual failure preceded by telltale broken wires. For that reason, consider the diameter of the rope wires, smaller wires tend to give longer bending fatigue life. Fatigue can also be reduced by using larger diameter sheaves and drums.

With crushing, external pressure applied to the rope, causing distortion to the cross-section. At that point, the rope can no longer move and adjust as it should. Larger outer wires and strand & rope compacting make for a more crush resistant, stable wire rope.

Think about resistance to metal loss and deformation when selecting a wire rope. Of the conditions deemed destructive to wire rope, this is the very common. Although this often happens at the sheaves and drums, it can also occur when the rope rubs against itself or an object. Eventually, the rope wears, making it inoperable and unsafe. Larger outside wires and compaction of rope or strands will last longer than smaller, non-compacted wire ropes & strands when resisting metal loss and deformation.

A wire rope used as a crane hoist line, single part or multi part, where rotation resistance is important, there are many rotation resistant wire ropes to choose from. Ranking from the least Resistant to Rotation, 19x7 or 19x19. If these don’t satisfy your rotation issue, 35x7 class wire ropes are the most Rotation Resistant commonly available and should solve most any Rotation problems.

Should your application require the wire rope to go around some relatively small sheaves and drums, you will need a wire rope that is more bendable. Not flexible, bendable. A wire rope with small outer diameter wire will be more bendable than one with larger outer wire.

Standard Bright wire ropes are not very resistant to corrosion. The only protection that they have is a fairly thin layer of lubricant/corrosion preventative to keep them from corroding. If additional protection is required, you can first try heavy, often applied lubrication. Next to reduce corrosion, Drawn Galvanized wire rope is available in most sizes and constructions. Drawn Galvanizing allows the wire rope be equal in strength to a Non Galvanized wire rope of the same construction and diameter. Should greater corrosion resistance be required, Stainless Steel wire rope is available, at a lower strength for equal size and construction. Most common choice is Type 302/304 SS. For additional Corrosion Resistance consider Type 316 Stainless Steel. For extreme conditions other exotics are available in limited sizes – Monel & Inconel are two.

Sometimes, it can seem like the buying process is overly complicated, and Mazzella does that on purpose to avoid as many issues as possible when the new rope is installed.

The reason for that is so our customers avoid putting the wrong types of ropes on cranes and unnecessarily increasing the risk of injuries to workers or damage to loads being lifted. The processes that we go through are to make sure we prevent that added risk and put the correct rope on the correct machine, per Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) specifications.

Mazzella wire ropes specialists ask these questions to understand your circumstances and what your needs are. With this information, Mazzella will be better prepared to get the correct rope to match your company’s needs.

Most of the time, the customer should have access to an operations manual in their crane that will show what rope diameter and length is specified for that machine and that configuration. The customer may have to measure or come up with his own calculations on length.

The rope has to be specific to the lagging of the drum for that machine, which is why there are multiple variations for each size of wire rope because each kind is specific to the type of crane, and it shouldn’t be substituted. Mazzella will only install the rope that is the correct brand and tolerance on a particular crane.

On the less severe side, you’re just going to have bad performance, or it might not work at all. You could have twist and/or spooling issues. That could lead to the crane failing altogether, which creates downtime as you wait for the correct wire rope to be ordered/delivered, and then, installed.

Many people who own cranes are working for somebody else when they’re doing jobs, so if the rope doesn’t work, they’re paying for work that is not getting done, and then, falling behind schedule.

Sometimes, customers assume that there’s a one-size-fits-all replacement, that if it’s a non-rotating rope, it should work on every application. There’s a lot of misinformation on what will work and what won’t work.

With our experience and access to all brands of wire rope, Mazzella guarantees we can get you the right rope for your cranes. If Mazzella isn’t comfortable with the project, we won’t supply the wire rope.

If the wrong wire rope is ordered and delivered, it could be hours or days before the correct rope is on location. Especially with a lot of the larger cranes, manufacturers are shipping model-specific ropes all over the country, and depending on location and money, that could add time to the replacement process and cause delays on your worksite.

With our large inventory of rope and commitment to 24-hour service, Mazzella can have a new spool of wire on a truck and out for delivery to you in a matter of hours.

Say you and your company avoid the pitfalls of ordering the wrong crane rope and have a new spool of wire rope on its way. Once the order process is done, what can your company do to prepare for delivery and installation?

Also, Mazzella recommends you measure your sheaves with a sheave gauge. A sheave gauge will help you measure the wear of the root, the amount of wear on the groove wall and the diameter of the wire rope.

Okay, so after you order the correct rope and have the requisite space and approval for installation, how long will it take to remove and replace the old rope when the technician, assistants, and supplies arrive on-site?

For some small cranes, the timeframe could be as little as 45 minutes, but for larger cranes, removing the old rope and installing the new one could be a several-hour process.The application

There’s a lot of factors that go into a successful crane ropes installation. The most important thing is the quicker your supplier responds to your order and gets a rope on location, the quicker that rope gets installed properly, which saves you time and money.

Once a new crane rope is installed, a break-in period or tension period is recommended to make sure everything is performing correctly, and help you avoid shock-loading the newly installed wire rope.

The break-in period is recommended because installation and spooling equipment are not going to put adequate tension on the rope. A break-in period consists of putting a low percentage of the working load limit weight on the rope for several lift cycles, and running the blocks up to the boom length (working height) and back down.

If a brand-new wire rope on a crane is not broken in properly before lifting a large load, it potentially could damage the rope and render useless the equipment that was just installed on your machine.

While we’re in the business of selling crane ropes, we’re also in the business of building relationships and trust. We’ll always work with and serve you, and are committed to making sure you get the correct products for the right applications.

Crane rope issues don’t happen just 9-to-5, Monday through Friday. They happen Friday nights, holidays, weekends, early mornings. They’re always on the clock, and it’s just about being honest with the customer and letting them know, ‘this is the rope you need.’

We have one of the largest crane ropes inventories in the United States…ready for immediate delivery! We provide wire rope assemblies, and manufacture bridge cables, crane cables, steel mill cables, and thousands of OEM assemblies:In sizes from ¼” to 3” diameter and 9mm to 52mm diameter

We stock a large inventory of high-performance wire ropes available for immediate delivery. We stock our various high-performance ropes at our many locations in sizes from 1/4” to 3” diameter and 9 mm to 52 mm diameter.

Are you planning your next overhead lifting project and unsure about the best type of lifting sling to use? Or, maybe you’re not getting the service life you would expect out of the slings that you’re currently using? Alloy chain slings, wire rope slings, synthetic slings, and metal mesh slings can all be used to safely and efficiently lift, move, and position a load.

At Mazzella, we provide ideal lifting solutions—offering all styles of lifting slings, rigging hardware, wire rope, overhead cranes and hoists, and engineered lifting devices. Our goal for this article is to help you understand the basics of overhead lifting slings and provide you with the advantages and disadvantages of each type so you can make an informed decision and select the best lifting sling for your particular application.

Wire rope is a preferred lifting device for many reasons. Its unique design consists of multiple steel wires that form individual strands laid in a helical pattern around a fiber or steel core. This structure provides strength, flexibility, and the ability to handle bending stresses.

Wire rope slings are popular in construction, automotive, oil and gas, and general manufacturing industries where a variety of heavy loads and rugged conditions exist. They’re also very popular in steel mills and forging facilities where the durability of the rope is really put to the test.

Different configurations of the material, wire, and strand structure will provide different benefits for the specific lifting application—including abrasion resistance, strength, flexibility, and fatigue resistance. Wire rope slings have a lower initial cost than alloy chain, while remaining fairly lightweight in design.

Wire rope slings are available in single-leg or multi-leg assemblies and can be used in a variety of hitches including vertical, choker, and basket hitches. The Design Factor for wire rope slings is a 5:1 ratio, meaning the breaking strength of the sling is five times higher than the rated Working Load Limit (W.L.L). Per the Wire Rope Users Manual, a design factor is necessary to allow for conditions such as wear, abrasion, damage, and variations in loads which are not readily apparent. Although wire rope slings have a design factor, the user should never exceed the rated Working Load Limit.

Chain slings are preferred in high-temperature applications and for lifting heavy-duty loads. Their strength and durability allow them to be used in foundries, steel mills, heavy machine shops, and any other environment where repetitive lifts or harsh conditions would damage or destroy a wire rope sling or synthetic nylon or polyester sling. If any damage does occur on a chain sling, they are completely repairable and can be load tested-and re-certified after the repair.

Unlike standard roundslings, Twin-Path® roundslings utilize two paths of K-Spec®load-bearing fibers. The Twin-Path® patented design provides the rigger with two connections between the hook and the load for redundant back-up protection. They also feature other technologies like a Check-Fast® inspection system and an External Warning Indicator (EWI) that can provide visual indications of overloading, UV damage and degradation, or damage to the internal core fibers.

Although synthetic rope slings have been in use for over sixty years, the advancement of high-performance fibers has recently improved the perception of using rope slings for overhead lifting applications. These high-performance fibers are characterized by their light weight, strength, flexibility, and versatility. Not only are they becoming more widely-accepted, but are preferred in certain lifting applications in the construction, shipyard, and offshore and deepwater industries. Because there are various types of synthetic rope material, it’s critical to know the specific fiber that a rope is made from to help understand its environmental characteristics.

Diameter to diameter, a synthetic rope sling is approximately 1/8 the weight of a steel wire rope sling with similar specifications, and compared to chain slings, they offer even more significant weight-savings.

Another major benefit of synthetic rope slings, is that if a break or failure occurs, there is no whipping motion of the sling or projectiles that could injure nearby workers. When a steel rope or chain breaks, the reaction is often violent and explosive and can potentially injure workers or damage nearby equipment.

Synthetic rope slings are more prone to damage from abrasion or cutting when lifting loads with sharp corners or edges. Additional edge protection and abrasion protection is available, but can add significant costs to the slings to try and equal the durability and resistance that more traditional steel slings offer.

Depending on the type of fiber, some newer technology synthetic ropes can be used outdoors in harsh elements (UV exposure, rain, snow, freezing temperatures), in chemically-active environments, and are neutrally-buoyant so they can be used in freshwater or saltwater environments. Consult the sling manufacturer or a Qualified person to confirm how a specific sling material may react to sunlight, UV, or chemicals.

Disadvantages of Using Synthetic Rope SlingsSynthetic rope is not as durable as steel slings in that they will experience cutting, fraying, and abrasion if used to lift loads with sharp edges

Some synthetic rope sling material may be susceptible to chemically active environments or exposure to sunlight or UV light. Consult the sling manufacturer or a Qualified person to confirm how a specific sling material may react to sunlight, UV, or chemicals.

Metal mesh slings are made from high-tensile carbon, alloy, or stainless steel wire mesh and are used primarily in metalworking and other industries where the loads can be hot, abrasive, or have the tendency to cut through softer synthetic slings. They’re resistant to corrosion and they’re designed to last in demanding and rugged operating environments.

Metal mesh slings are flexible and have a wide bearing surface that can be used to firmly grip an irregular load without extensive stretching and can be used in vertical, basket, or choker hitches. They’re extremely resistant to abrasion and cutting, however if there is evidence of even one broken wire in the sling, the entire sling needs to be removed from service. The Design Factor for wire rope slings is a 5:1 ratio, meaning the breaking strength of the sling is five times higher than the rated Working Load Limit. Although metal mesh slings have a design factor, the user should never exceed the rated Working Load Limit.

As you can see, there are many different options when it comes to selecting the proper lifting sling for the job at hand. Many factors should be considered to ensure that the lifting sling you select will provide consistent performance over many safe and reliable lifts:Strength and rated capacity of the sling

E. E. Karachiwala & Co. have specialised in supplying multi stranded ungalvanised and galvanised steel wire rope since 1911. We stock from 0.5mm up to 103mm in various constructions including 1X19, 7X7,6X19, 7X19, 6X36, 8X19, 8X26, 18x7, 19X7 and 35X7 with both Fibre Core and Steel Cores. In addition to these conventional steel wire ropes we can offer special wire ropes from high quality manufacturers.

Most wire ropes operate in demanding conditions and must resist crushing, bending fatigue and abrasion. We recognise that it is vital that all of our wire ropes need to perform to the highest levels to maximise service life therefore increasing productivity for the end user. With our technical experience we have worked hard with our partners to ensure that all material is manufactured to the very best standards in the steel wire rope industry.

Each steel wire rope can be supplied fully assembled complete with end terminals such as a thimble eyes, swaged ends and wedge sockets as well as many other solutions. These cable assemblies are manufactured in house by our team of engineers complete to your specifications.