overhead crane wire rope inspection manufacturer

Wire ropes undergo constant stress and wear through daily use. So, wire rope requires monthly inspection in accordance with this section to reduce the risk of failure and potential resulting injury or property damage. In addition, this section covers criteria to use in determining when to replace rope, and requires inspection of rope on equipment that has been idle for a month or more, before the rope and equipment can be returned to service.

A thorough inspection of all ropes shall be made at least once a month and a certification record which included the date of inspection, the signature of the person who performed the inspection and an identifier for the ropes which were inspected shall be kept on file where readily available to appointed personnel. Any deterioration, resulting in appreciable loss of original strength, shall be carefully observed and determination made as to whether further use of the rope would constitute a safety hazard. Some of the conditions that could result in an appreciable loss of strength are the following:

All rope which has been idle for a period of a month or more due to shutdown or storage of a crane on which it is installed shall be given a thorough inspection before it is used. This inspection shall be for all types of deterioration and shall be performed by an appointed person whose approval shall be required for further use of the rope. A certification record shall be available for inspection which includes the date of inspection, the signature of the person who performed the inspection and an identifier for the rope which was inspected.

Wear and damage to wire rope can’t always be seen on the surface. Konecranes RopeQ Magnetic Rope Inspection pairs visual inspection with non-destructive testing to detect internal broken wires that may escape detection through traditional inspection methods.

Wire rope inspection is a vital part of the maintenance process for any construction or crane company because the safety of your workers and security / undamaged delivery of loads lifted by this equipment are of utmost importance.

“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.”

“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.”

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.

A competent person must begin a visual inspection prior to each shift the equipment is used, which must be completed before or during that shift. The inspection must consist of observation of wire ropes (running and standing) that are likely to be in use during the shift for apparent deficiencies, including those listed in paragraph (a)(2) of this section. Untwisting (opening) of wire rope or booming down is not required as part of this inspection.

Significant distortion of the wire rope structure such as kinking, crushing, unstranding, birdcaging, signs of core failure or steel core protrusion between the outer strands.

In running wire ropes: Six randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay or three broken wires in one strand in one rope lay, where a rope lay is the length along the rope in which one strand makes a complete revolution around the rope.

In rotation resistant ropes: Two randomly distributed broken wires in six rope diameters or four randomly distributed broken wires in 30 rope diameters.

In pendants or standing wire ropes: More than two broken wires in one rope lay located in rope beyond end connections and/or more than one broken wire in a rope lay located at an end connection.

If a deficiency in Category I (see paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section) is identified, an immediate determination must be made by the competent person as to whether the deficiency constitutes a safety hazard. If the deficiency is determined to constitute a safety hazard, operations involving use of the wire rope in question must be prohibited until:

If the deficiency is localized, the problem is corrected by severing the wire rope in two; the undamaged portion may continue to be used. Joining lengths of wire rope by splicing is prohibited. If a rope is shortened under this paragraph, the employer must ensure that the drum will still have two wraps of wire when the load and/or boom is in its lowest position.

If a deficiency in Category II (see paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section) is identified, operations involving use of the wire rope in question must be prohibited until:

The employer complies with the wire rope manufacturer"s established criterion for removal from service or a different criterion that the wire rope manufacturer has approved in writing for that specific wire rope (see § 1926.1417),

If the deficiency is localized, the problem is corrected by severing the wire rope in two; the undamaged portion may continue to be used. Joining lengths of wire rope by splicing is prohibited. If a rope is shortened under this paragraph, the employer must ensure that the drum will still have two wraps of wire when the load and/or boom is in its lowest position.

If the deficiency (other than power line contact) is localized, the problem is corrected by severing the wire rope in two; the undamaged portion may continue to be used. Joining lengths of wire rope by splicing is prohibited. Repair of wire rope that contacted an energized power line is also prohibited. If a rope is shortened under this paragraph, the employer must ensure that the drum will still have two wraps of wire when the load and/or boom is in its lowest position.

Where a wire rope is required to be removed from service under this section, either the equipment (as a whole) or the hoist with that wire rope must be tagged-out, in accordance with § 1926.1417(f)(1), until the wire rope is repaired or replaced.

The inspection must include any deficiencies that the qualified person who conducts the annual inspection determines under paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section must be monitored.

Wire ropes on equipment must not be used until an inspection under this paragraph demonstrates that no corrective action under paragraph (a)(4) of this section is required.

At least every 12 months, wire ropes in use on equipment must be inspected by a qualified person in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section (shift inspection).

The inspection must be complete and thorough, covering the surface of the entire length of the wire ropes, with particular attention given to all of the following:

Exception: In the event an inspection under paragraph (c)(2) of this section is not feasible due to existing set-up and configuration of the equipment (such as where an assist crane is needed) or due to site conditions (such as a dense urban setting), such inspections must be conducted as soon as it becomes feasible, but no longer than an additional 6 months for running ropes and, for standing ropes, at the time of disassembly.

If the deficiency is localized, the problem is corrected by severing the wire rope in two; the undamaged portion may continue to be used. Joining lengths of wire rope by splicing is prohibited. If a rope is shortened under this paragraph, the employer must ensure that the drum will still have two wraps of wire when the load and/or boom is in its lowest position.

If the qualified person determines that, though not presently a safety hazard, the deficiency needs to be monitored, the employer must ensure that the deficiency is checked in the monthly inspections.

All documents produced under this section must be available, during the applicable document retention period, to all persons who conduct inspections under this section.

Wire ropes are complex machines with a great many moving parts. They require attention, skilled operators, careful maintenance, inspection and lubrication.

In spite of their vital importance, wire ropes are frequently treated as and considered low-tech commodities. Failures are frequently accepted as “inevitable.”

With the appropriate inspections, wire rope failures can be predicted, and expenses and losses reduced. Consider that the price tag of rope failures can easily be in the seven or even eight digit range, and the cost of an inspection is marginal.

Much more dependable than visual inspections, magnetic rope testing (MRT) is a reliable non-destructive evaluation/examination (NDE) procedure used for the in-service inspection of wire ropes. NDE methods allow the detection and evaluation of external as well as internal rope deterioration. This allows the inspection of a rope’s entire cross-section to the core. MRT drastically increases wire rope safety. At the same time, it promises significant annual savings.

Ropes usually degrade internally with no visible indications. Internal deterioration modes include inter-strand nicking that will eventually develop into clusters of internal broken wires and corrosion including corrosion pitting.

External deterioration includes winding-on-drum damage. Urgently needed, suitable inspection equipment and procedures are now available – especially for the quantitative characterization of internal rope deterioration.

Any wire rope in use should be inspected on a regular basis. You have too much at stake in lives and equipment to ignore thorough examination of the rope at prescribed intervals.

The purpose of inspection is to accurately estimate the service life and strength remaining in a rope so that maximum service can be had within the limits of safety. Results of the inspection should be recorded to provide a history of rope performance on a particular job.

On most jobs wire rope must be replaced before there is any risk of failure. A rope broken in service can destroy machinery and curtail production. It can also kill.

Because of the great responsibility involved in ensuring safe rigging on equipment, the person assigned to inspect should know wire rope and its operation thoroughly. Inspections should be made periodically and before each use, and the results recorded.

When inspecting the rope, the condition of the drum, sheaves, guards, cable clamps and other end fittings should be noted. The condition of these parts affects rope wear: any defects detected should be repaired.

To ensure rope soundness between inspections, all workers should participate. The operator can be most helpful by watching the ropes under his control. If any accident involving the ropes occurs, the operator should immediately shut down his equipment and report the accident to his supervisor. The equipment should be inspected before resuming operation.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act has made periodic inspection mandatory for most wire rope applications. If you need help locating the regulations that apply to your application, please give our rigging experts a call.

Wire Rope Inspection Services in the oil and gas industry with the use ofLRM®XXI Diagnostic System allows to get information about the technical condition of wire rope in full cross section and in full available length of wire rope in the fastest way.

With regular periodic wire rope inspection combined with data utilization of crane the it is possible to estimate the remaining lifetime of crane wires.

Due to cooperation with Laboratory LRM-NDE with success offshore companies has implemented inspections of cranes wire ropes with the use of LRM®XXI Diagnostic System according to MRT Examination procedure and international standards for offshore fleet.

In reasonable notice can be predicted and scheduled necessary activities in crane maintenance, it allows to increase operation safety and fleet availability during project.

Long-term cooperation with offshore companies has allowed Laboratory LRM-NDE to achieve the knowledge and necessary competence to design wire rope diagnostic system equipment that can meet the harsh environmental conditions at sea.

In an industry where safety is top priority, Whiting Corporation’s trained personnel are knowledgeable in identifying workplace safety hazards. Proper inspection of Wire Rope used on Hoists can avoid injuries or even fatalities in the workplace. Regular inspection of wire rope is crucial because these accidents tend to be unpredictable. Degradation of the rope can cause a sudden release of a load resulting in serious injury. Prevention of these accidents is possible by regular visual and comprehensive inspection.

Wire rope is made up of multiple metal strands woven together to create one cohesive cable. Throughout the life of the wire, these metal fibers can crack or unravel for various reasons. Unfortunately over time these breakages are unavoidable, so it’s important to identify the causes and signs of a worn rope.

Causes of damage: Wire rope is subject to damage due to mechanical wear, bending fatigue breaks, corrosion damage, tensile overload breaks, and shear breaks. These causes can be triggered by lack of lubrication, poor unreeling procedures, excessive abrasion, difficulty with the sheaves, environmental damage, as well as other impact stresses.

Signs of damage: The wire rope is prone to two different breaks; Crown breaks and Valley breaks. Crown breaks are external cracks while valley breaks are found on the underside of the strand. Both can be found within the core or the exterior fibers. The OSHA handbook, CFR 1926.1413(a)(2)(ii)(A)(1) states, “wire rope should not be used when it exceeds six breaks in multiple strands in any lay length or three breaks in any single strand in any lay length.” In order to be in compliance with these safety standards and reduce the risk of workplace injuries, it is essential to regularly engage in preventative maintenance.

Qualified Whiting Services technicians methodically inspect your material handling equipment and provide a detailed visual report with prioritized deficiencies. Whether you need a standard annual inspection for OSHA 1910.179 compliance or a more frequent quarterly, monthly, or even weekly inspection, Whiting Services has the qualified and experienced personnel to make sure your inspection is thorough.

Standard OSHA inspections rarely come close to meeting the OEM preventative maintenance and inspection recommendations for maintaining equipment. In contrast, Whiting Services crane technicians check over 50 points during their intensive inspection. By putting your crane maintenance in the hands of Whiting Services you can guarantee your inspection will be tailored to your specific needs, increasing the life of your equipment and reducing operational downtime and workplace injury.

Infraspect’s wire rope inspection robot peers through the steel strands to look for section loss caused by unplanned stresses and corrosion. Infraspect’s robotic wire rope inspection service inspects the entire cable and issues that are found can be addressed based on their severity.

This is a major advancement for the bridge inspection industry as well as other mission-critical wire ropes. Wire rope inspections are a part of Infraspect’s CableScan® services to provide quantitative condition assessment data to asset owners.

Abrasion damage may occur when the rope contacts an abrasive medium or simply when it passes over the drum and sheaves. Therefore it is vital that all components be in proper working order and of the appropriate diameter for the rope. A badly corrugated or worn sheave or drum will seriously damage a new rope, resulting in premature rope replacement.

Corrosion is very difficult to evaluate but is a more serious cause of degradation than abrasion. Usually signifying a lack of lubrication, corrosion will often occur internally before there is any visible external evidence on the rope’s surface. A slight discoloration caused by rusting usually indicates a need for lubrication which should be tended to immediately. If this condition persists, it will lead to severe corrosion which promotes premature fatigue failures in the wires and strands, necessitating the rope’s immediate removal from service.

The table below shows the number of allowable wire breaks per crane type. The inspector must know the ASME standard for the equipment being inspected. The number of broken wires on the outside of the wire rope is an indication of its general condition and whether or not it must be considered for replacement. The inspector may use a type of spike to gently probe the strands for any wire breaks that do not protrude. Check as the rope runs at a slow speed over the sheaves, where crown (surface) wire breaks may be easier to see. Also examine the rope near the end connections. Keeping a detailed inspection record of the wire breaks and other types of damage will help the inspector determine the elapsed time between breaks. Note the area of the breaks and carefully inspect these areas in the future. Replace the rope when the wire breaks reach the total number allowable by ASME or other applicable specifications.

Valley breaks, or breaks in between strands, must be taken very seriously at all times!When two or more valley breaks are found in one lay-length, immediately replace the rope. Valley breaks are difficult to see; however, if you see one you can be assured that there are a few more hidden in the same area. Crown breaks are signs of normal deterioration, but valley breaks indicate an abnormal condition such as fatigue or breakage of other wires such as those in the core.

Once crown and valley breaks appear, their number will steadily and quickly increase as time goes on. The broken wires should be removed as soon as possible by bending the broken ends back and forth with a pair of pliers. In this way the wire is more likely to break inside the rope where the ends will be tucked away. If the broken wires are not removed they may cause further damage. The inspector must obey the broken wire standard; pushing the rope for more life will create a dangerous situation.

It is important to check and record a new rope’s actual diameter when under normal load conditions. During the life of the rope the inspector should periodically measure the actual diameter of the rope at the same location under equivalent loading conditions. If followed carefully, this procedure reveals a common rope characteristic—after an initial reduction, the overall diameter will stabilize and slowly decrease in diameter during the course of the rope’s life. This condition is normal. However, if diameter reduction is isolated to one area or happens quickly, the inspector must immediately determine (and correct, if necessary) the cause of the diameter loss, and schedule the rope for replacement.

Crushing or flattening of the strands can be caused by a number of different factors. These problems usually occur on multilayer spooling conditions but can occur by simply using the wrong wire rope construction. Most premature crushing and/or flattening conditions occur because of improper installation of the wire rope. In many cases failure to obtain a very tight first layer (the foundation) will cause loose or “gappy” conditions in the wire rope which will cause rapid deterioration. Failure to properly break-in the new rope, or worse, to have no break-in procedure at all, will cause similar poor spooling conditions. Therefore, it is imperative that the inspector knows how to inspect the wire rope as well as how that rope was installed.

Shock loading (bird-caging) of the rope is another reason for replacement of the rope. Shock loading is caused by the sudden release of tension on the wire rope and its resultant rebound from being overloaded. The damage that occurs can never be corrected and the rope must be replaced.

High stranding may occur for a number of reasons such as failure to properly seize the rope prior to installation or maintain seizing during wedge socket installation. Sometimes wavy rope occurs due to kinks or a very tight grooving problem. Another possibility is simply introducing torque or twist into a new rope during poor installation procedures. This condition requires the inspector to evaluate the continued use of the rope or increase the frequency of inspection.

The most common repair made on Overhead Cranes is the replacement of wire rope. Though a consumable item, wire rope is very often misused, says Cliff Dickinson of CIS. It’s spooled incorrectly on drums and in so doing, gets damaged. The cause is often incorrect operation, Such as side loading.  Training can help with that, he says. CIS offers training for proper overhead crane operation, and crane inspections, maintenance, and repair services.

Manufacturing facilities, utility plants, military bases, or military providers all utilize overhead cranes, and the machines require regular inspections to make sure they’re in proper working order. “We do monthly inspections as part of a normal safety routine, unless they’ve had an incident that requires inspection in between scheduled times. We supply documentation, as well, for the monthly inspections,” he says.

Repairs are done at the crane’s location by CIS staff. If, for example, a bar system or wire rope needs to be replaced, a CIS techician will go out to the site and take measurements, determine what replacement components are needed, and order components for the customer. Once parts are in, it’s a matter of removing old components and installing new.

The largest part of the CIS overhead crane service involves preventive maintenance on a contract basis. ”CIS has offered overhead crane services since 2008, and the work is always done in accordance with accepted industry ASME standards, OSHA regulations, and manufacturers recommendations.” says Cliff Dickinson.

When clients need it, CIS will also assess safety or productivity issues as they relate to overhead crane operation. That includes training. Personnel turnover may be part of the problem with decreased overhead crane life, says Cliff Dickinson. Operators who know how to operate an overhead crane correctly are safer and have better productivity.  “We will do training for operators and rigging crews, and typically that’s one in the same in a lot of facilities,” explains Debbie Dickinson, CEO of CIS. “We do the consulting for their training, teaching employees to use machines the efficiently to keep them in good working order and to use the overhead cranes with skill.”

Maintain a record for each rope that includes the date of inspection, type of inspection, the name of the person who performed the inspection, and inspection results.

Use the "rag-and-visual" method to check for external damage. Grab the rope lightly and with a rag or cotton cloth, move the rag slowly along the wire. Broken wires will often "porcupine" (stick out) and these broken wires will snag on the rag. If the cloth catches, stop and visually assess the rope. It is also important to visually inspect the wire (without a rag). Some wire breaks will not porcupine.

Measure the rope diameter. Compare the rope diameter measurements with the original diameter. If the measurements are different, this change indicates external and/or internal rope damage.

Visually check for abrasions, corrosion, pitting, and lubrication inside the rope. Insert a marlin spike beneath two strands and rotate to lift strands and open rope.

Assess the condition of the rope at the section showing the most wear. Discard a wire rope if you find any of the following conditions:In running ropes (wound on drums or passed over sheaves), 6 or more broken wires in one rope lay length; 3 or more broken wires in one strand in one rope lay. (One rope lay is the distance necessary to complete one turn of the strand around the diameter of the rope.)

Corrosion from lack of lubrication and exposure to heat or moisture (e.g., wire rope shows signs of pitting). A fibre core rope will dry out and break at temperatures above 120°C (250°F).

Kinks from the improper installation of new rope, the sudden release of a load or knots made to shorten a rope. A kink cannot be removed without creating a weak section. Discarding kinked rope is best.

Your crane"s wire rope works hard. (Almost as hard as you do.) It can deteriorate more quickly than you might think, posing a real danger for you and your crew. In this article, we"ll answer the following questions.

Before we get into that, let"s take a brief moment to go over the proper wire terminology. Understanding the make-up of the wire rope allows you to have a clear understanding of when the rope needs to be replaced.

Flexible steel wire rope is made up of individual wires that make up a strand; these strands are then wrapped around a central core to make up a rope.

Understanding the difference between a wire and a strand is critical. If a strand (grouping of wires) in the rope breaks, the crane wire would need to be replaced. However, if a single wire in the strand breaks, the rope itself may still be usable.

Rag & Visual Inspections: In this method, you use a rag in your inspection, pulling it slowly across the strand, stopping for a closer and more detailed inspection wherever the rag gets caught on a wire.

The Diameter Measurement Method: This method involves comparing the diameter of your rope at various intervals with the rope"s official diameter per the manufacturer"s guidelines. A variation in the rope"s diameter can alert you to potential interior damage that a visual inspection would miss.

Localized Flaw Inspections (LF) vs. Loss of Metallic Area Inspections (LMA) - Both methods use electromagnetics to search for a wire rope"s internal damage.

According to OSHA"s safety regulations, you"re required to inspect your crane"s wire ropes at least every 12 months by qualified professionals. However, OSHA and other experts also recommend inspecting your wire ropes more frequently, such as after every initial installation or repair, or daily before each shift to ensure a safe work environment.

As discussed at the very beginning of this article, we can break down wire rope into three parts. First, wires, which make up strands, and then the strands wrapped around the central core make the rope. Of your total number of wires, you never want more than 10% to be damaged before you need to look into crane wire rope replacement.

According to OSHA, only "trained personnel should carry out inspections," and according to the Crane Manufacturers Association of America, a certified crane inspector should get 2,000+ hours of field experience and training.

We at Americrane & Hoist Corporation are just the experts you need, qualified to offer OSHA inspections and provide operator safety training classes to your employees. Contact us today!