I. Guidelines for the Use of Wire Rope

When installing wire rope, special care must be taken not to contaminate the wire rope.

Correct installation of wire rope requires the assistance of a wire rope reel support.  

The wire rope was not installed at the upper part in accordance with operating procedures, causing the wire rope to be contaminated by mud and sand.

2. Use the correct wire rope for each machine (all parameters must meet the machine manufacturer's requirements).

Each machine has its own wire rope specifications and dimensions, as well as all related technical and safety requirements. The wire rope parameters below are only the specified data for the main hoist wire rope of one machine. Therefore, when selecting wire rope, customers should first consider choosing the original manufacturer's wire rope to avoid damaging machine parts or causing accidents, etc.

Wire rope is composed of several steel strands, and steel strands are made by twisting steel wires. All steel strands and steel wires are helical. Wire rope has two types of lay direction:

Regular lay wire rope: the direction of the steel strands is opposite to the direction of the wires within the strands.

Lang lay wire rope: the direction of the steel strands is the same as the direction of the wires within the strands.

Choosing the correct lay direction is important for the performance of the wire rope. Regular lay has a wide range of applications and can serve as the most commonly used standard lay. Because of better resistance to damage at the contact points of each layer of winding, lang lay is particularly suitable for multi-layer drum winding applications.

II. Common Wear and Breakage of Wire Rope

Examples of wire rope wear

III. How to Correctly Inspect Wire Rope

1. Inspection of wire rope lay direction (correct matching of the wire rope lay direction and the drum rotation direction prevents the rope from loosening during winding).

2. Inspection of external corrosion  

Recommendation: In the first case, the rope may be used temporarily, but it must be continuously monitored and inspected by the operator of each shift, and replaced promptly if problems arise. In the latter three cases, immediate replacement is recommended.

3. Inspect broken wires in the wire rope

4. How to inspect pulley rope grooves

Wire rope inspection includes not only inspection of the wire rope itself, but also inspection of the pulleys through which the wire rope runs. Measuring the groove diameter requires special measuring tools: a groove gauge and a flashlight.

5. Comparison of wire rope diameter with actual pulley diameter and its effect on wire rope service life

According to the standard, the groove radius R should be between 0.525 x d and 0.550 x d, with the optimal groove radius being 0.537 x d. (D - groove radius, d - wire rope diameter)

For example:

For wire rope with a nominal diameter of 22 mm, the following values apply:

Minimum allowable groove diameter: 23.10 mm

Optimal groove diameter: 23.66 mm

Maximum allowable groove diameter: 24.20 mm

6. How to correctly measure wire rope

IV. How to Extend the Service Life of Wire Rope

1. How to extend the service life of wire rope (cutting of wire rope)

Cutting the wire rope twice => three times the service life of the wire rope!!

Moving the wire rope position twice (by cutting off a portion of the rope, half the drum diameter) displaces the previously most heavily loaded and most severely worn section, thereby improving service life.

2. Shortening the total length of wire rope

Where a short wire rope can meet the drilling depth requirements of the existing site, choose a wire rope length suited to that depth as much as possible. Shortening the total length of the wire rope helps reduce the angle between the wire rope on the drum and the pulley, while also reducing friction between rope and rope on the drum and reducing transition wear between the wire rope and the pulley. This can thereby extend the service life of the wire rope.

3. Re-lubrication of wire rope

a. The importance of wire rope re-lubrication

b. Number of re-lubrications and amount used each time
Generally speaking, over the entire service life of the wire rope, we recommend 10 re-lubrications. For applications with a relatively short service life (due to high-intensity and rapid wear), re-lubrication must be carried out according to equipment application requirements.

c. Preparations for wire rope re-lubrication

Before lubrication, the wire rope should be cleaned and otherwise prepared so that re-lubrication is fully effective and the newly added grease can perform its function fully. Using new grease without removing existing dried grease will undermine the effect of re-lubrication, because existing grease often dries out and has already lost its lubricating function. In addition, if the wire rope surface is free of dirt, it will be easier to inspect more carefully to detect possible wire rope damage.

There are many methods to remove existing grease from the wire rope surface. One method is to use a cleaning tool system that removes impurities from the wire rope surface by rotating brushes. Another is the traditional method of using a wire brush to remove grease from the wire rope surface. Through relative motion, the grease can simply be scraped off the wire rope surface. The more grease removed from the surface, the better the new grease will work. This method requires a lot of effort and time, depending on the length of the wire rope. However, if no other method is available, this method is very effective.

d. Lubricants used for wire rope re-lubrication

Two types of lubricating grease are generally used: wax-based grease and oil-based grease. The choice of base grease depends on the equipment type, wire rope type, and operating environment. There are also greases used to meet special requirements, such as water solubility, drip resistance, or natural protection regulations. The type of grease varies by application.

To improve the service life of wire rope and protect the interior of the wire rope, the lubricating film on the wire rope surface must remain stable. Grease is usually gradually lost during operation, and re-lubrication must be carried out periodically during use. The grease used for re-lubrication must be compatible with the grease used during production.

e. Lubricants used for wire rope re-lubrication

When re-lubricating the rope, use grease that is compatible with the existing rope grease.

Eunol spray oil, MNR 1137426 - 17.5 kg can, MNR 1137423 - carton containing 12 x 600 ml spray cans.