WIRE ROPE INSPECTION & TYPICAL ROPE FAILURE

Prepared by: N.Pugalendhi

Contents

1. Introduction
Definition

2. Rope terminology

3. Rope construction

4. Inspection and Typical rope failures

5. Removal criteria

6. Allowance for rope rejection

7. Wire rope visual inspection

8. Rope schematic diagram

9. Wire rope Basic inspection guide line

10. Factors affecting rope performance

11. Failure analysis

12. Discard criteria and monitoring procedure

13. RSGT Rope application

14. Main features of experimental rope study

15. Wire rope handling

16. How to Order a new rope with basic information

17. Wire rope Storage

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1. INTRODUCTION

Wire rope is a group of strands laid helically and symmetrically, with uniform pitch and
direction around a central core of natural or synthetic fiber, or wire. Generally, there is
combination of steel wire and textile elements. The basic material of the wire ropes is in a
traditional way steel with strong high percentage of carbon. Carbon steel wire ropes are
by far the most abundant, due to their high strength and relatively low cost. Typically, the
steel used has a very high strength, which may be a factor of five greater than the strength
of typical structural steels. Wire ropes are identified by several parameters including size,
grade of steel used, whether or not it is preformed, by its lay, the number of strands and
the number of wires in each strand

Definition

Wire Rope is a Machine

A wire rope is a machine, by dictionary definition: "An
assemblage of parts...that transmit forces, motion, and
energy one to another in some predetermined manner
and to some desired end."

A typical wire rope may contain hundreds of individual

wires which are formed and fabricated to operate at
close bearing tolerances one to another. When a wire
rope bends, each of its many wires slides and adjusts in
the bend to accommodate the difference in length
between the inside and the outside bend. The sharper
bend, the greater movement.

Every wire rope has three basic components:

(1) The wires which form the strands and collectively
provide the rope strength;
(2) The strands, which are helically around the core;
and,
(3) The core, which forms a foundation for the strands.

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2. Rope terminology

Core
The core of wire rope may be an Independent Wire Rope Core (Steel Core, IWRC, SE, or CW), which
in many cases is actually a rope in itself. This core provides between 10% and 50% (in non-rotating
constructions) of the wire rope's strength.

.
Flexing the rope makes the strands slide against each other

Lay" and Rope Design

"Lay" has three meanings in rope design.  The first two meanings are descriptive of the wire and strand
positions in the rope. The third meaning is a length measurement used in manufacturing and inspection.
• The direction strands lay in the rope -- right or left. When you look down a rope, strands
Of a right lay rope go away from you to the right. Left lay is the opposite. (It doesn't
Matter which direction you look.)
• The relationship between the direction strands lay in the rope and the direction wires
Lay in the strands. In appearance, wires in regular lay appear to run straight down the length of the
rope, and in Lang lay, they appear to angle across the rope. In regular lay,
Wires are laid in the strand opposite the direction the strands lay in the rope. In Lang lay,
The wires are laid the same direction in the strand as the strands lay in the rope.
• The length along the rope that a strand makes one complete spiral around the rope core.
• This is a measurement frequently used in wire rope inspection. Standards and
Regulations require removal when a certain number of broken wires per rope lay are found.
The lay of a rope affects its operational characteristics. Regular lay is more stable and more resistant to
crushing than Lang lay. While Lang lay is more fatigue resistant and
Abrasion resistant, use is normally limited to single layer spooling and when the rope and Load are
restrained from rotation.

RRL Right Regular Lay RLL Right Lang Lay

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 LRL Left Regular Lay LLL Left Lang Lay

3. Strands and Construction

Wires are the basic building blocks of wire rope.  They lay around a "center" in a specified pattern in one
or more layers to form a strand.  The strands lay around a core to form a wire rope.  The strands provide
all the tensile strength of a fiber core rope and over 90% of the strength of a wire rope with an
independent wire rope core.
Characteristics like fatigue resistance and resistance to abrasion are directly affected by the design of
strands.  In most strands with two or more layers of wires, inner layers support outer layers in such a
manner that all wires may slide and adjust freely when the rope bends.  As a general rule, a rope that has
strands made up of a few large wires will be more abrasion resistant and less fatigue resistant than a rope
of the same size made up of strands with many smaller wires.

Some basic strand constructions:

Single Layer.  The most common example of the single layer construction is a 7-wire strand.  It has a
single-wire center with six wires of the same diameter around it

Seale.  This construction has two layers of wires around a center wire with the Same number of wires in
each layer.  All wires in each layer are the same diameter. The strand is designed so that the large outer
wire rest in the valleys between the small inner wires

Filler Wire.  This construction has two layers of uniform-size wire around a Center wire with the inner
layer having half the number of wires as the outer layer. Small filler, equal in number to the inner layer,
are laid in the valleys of the inner layer

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Warrington.  This construction has two layers with one diameter of wire in the inner layer, and two
diameters of wire alternating large and small in the outer layer.  The larger outer-layer wires rest in the
valleys, and the smaller ones on the crown, of the inner layer

Combined patterns.  When a strand is formed in a single operation using two or more of the above
constructions, it is referred to as a ‘combined pattern’.

Standard Rope Classifications

All rope of the same size, grade, and core in each classification has the same minimum breaking force
and weight per foot.  Different constructions within each classification differ in working characteristics. 
These characteristics must be considered whenever you're selecting a rope for a specific application.
Classification* Wires per strand
6x7 7 through 15
6 x 19 16 through 26
6 x 36 27 through 49
6 x 61 50 through 74
*Classifications are the same in 7 and 8 strand wire ropes. 

Wire rope classification

Wire Ropes classified into three types:

“A” class Strong Breaking strength
2060 N/mm2

“B” class Medium Breaking strength

1770 N/mm2 / 1960 N/mm2

“C” class Light Breaking strength

4. Inspection & Typical Various type of rope Failures

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

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overhead and gantry cranes or federal regulations such as OSHA refer to specific inspection criteria for
varied applications.
 Regular inspection of wire rope and equipment should be performed for three good
Reasons:
• It reveals the rope's condition and indicates the need for replacement.
• It can indicate if you're using the most suitable type of rope.
• It makes possible the discovery and correction of faults in equipment or operation
That can cause costly accelerated rope wear.
All wire ropes should be thoroughly inspected 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 special training or practical
experience 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.

What to Look For

1. Here's 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. Happen because of overloading, sudden acceleration or braking, reduction of diameter and
impact loading.

2. This is a wire with a distinct fatigue break. It's recognized by the square end perpendicular to the
wire. Sometimes square break with a torn tongue piece below the initial transverse crack owing to
reduced wire section under combined effects of tension and bending are observed. These defects are
found at places where the drum diameter is too small or constant application of impact load or
inadequate groove size or reverse bending exists.

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

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 4. 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.

5. Here you see 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.

Typical Evidence of Wear and Abuse

1. A "birdcage" is caused by sudden release of tension and the resulting rebound of rope. These
strands and wires will not be returned to their original positions. The rope should be replaced
immediately.

2. A typical failure of a rotary drill line with a poor cutoff practice. These wires have been
subjected to continue peening, causing fatigue type failures. A predetermined, regularly
scheduled cutoff practice can help eliminate this type of problem.

3. This is localized wear over an equalized sheave. The danger here is that it's invisible during the
rope's operation, and that's why you need to inspect this portion of an operating rope regularly.
The rope should be pulled off the sheave during inspection and bent to check for broken wires.

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 4. This is a wire rope with a high strand -- a condition in which one or more strands are worn
before adjoining strands. This is caused by improper socketing or seizing, kinks or dog-legs.  It
recurs every sixth strand in a 6 strand rope

5. A kinked wire rope is shown here. It's caused by pulling down a loop in a slack line during
handling, installation or operation. Note the distortion of the strands and individual wires. This
rope must be replaced.

6. Here's a wire rope that has jumped a sheave. The rope "curled” as it went over the edge of the
sheave. When you study the wires, you'll see two types of breaks here: tensile "cup and cone" breaks and
shear breaks that appear to have been cut on an angle

5. Drum crushing is caused by small drums, high loads and multiple winding conditions.

6. Some of the examples how wear in various condition

5. Removal Criteria

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A major portion of any wire rope inspection is the detection of broken wires. The number and type of
broken wires are an indication of the rope's general condition and a benchmark for its replacement.
Frequent inspections and written records help determine the rate at which wires are breaking. Replace
the rope when the values given in the table below are reached.
Valley wire breaks -- where the wire fractures between strands or a broken wire protrudes between
strands -- are treated differently than those that occur on the outer surface of the rope. When there is
more than one valley break, replace the rope.

Broken wire removal criteria cited in many standards and specifications, like those listed below, apply to
wire ropes operating on steel sheaves and drums. For wire ropes operating on sheaves and drums made
with material other than steel, please contact the sheave, drum or equipment manufacturer or a qualified
person for proper broken wire removal criteria.

6. ALLOWANCE FOR ROPE REJECTION

Wear Limit 7 % of the Nominal Diameter

(ROPE DIA - 30mm * 0.07 = 2.1 mm

(30 mm – 2.1 mm = 27.9 mm)
10 % of wires/strings broken in one lay / stand according to the diameter of rope

(6 x 36 = 216 string x 0.10=21.6 strings)

(36 * 10 % = 3.6 (Appr 4 strings per strand)

7. Wire Rope Visual Inspection

Replace wire rope if one of the following conditions exists

Broken wires or excessive wear

􀀩 12 randomly broken wires in one lay of rope

􀀩 4 broken wires in one strand in one lay
􀀩 1 outer wire is broken at the contact point with the core, which
Has worked its way out
􀀩 Wear on individual wires to of ⅓ of original diameter

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Kinks

• Tight kinks
– Shortens lay
• Open kinks
– Opens the lay
– Caused by sudden release of the load

– Hoist operating in restricted area

Other examples of damaged rope that should be replaced:

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Ropes various inspection

8. ROPE SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM:

Equalize pulley

Top pulleys

Fleet Angle Prepared by: N.Pugalendhi

 Bottom pulley

9. Wire Rope Basic Inspection Guidelines

The continued safe operation of lifting equipment, lifting accessories (e.g., slings) and
other systems employing wire rope depends to a large extent on the operation of well-
programmed periodic rope examinations and the assessment by the competent person of
the fitness of the rope for further service.
Examination and discard of ropes by the competent person should be in accordance with
the instructions given in the original equipment manufacturer’s handbook. In addition,
Account should be taken of any local or application specific regulations.
The competent person should also be familiar, as appropriate, with the latest versions of
related ASME B30, International,
European or National standards.

Particular attention must be paid to those sections of rope which experience has
shown to be liable to deterioration. Excessive wear, broken wires, distortions and
corrosion are the more common visible signs of deterioration (see below).

Note: This publication has been prepared as an aid for rope examination and should not
be regarded as a substitute for the competent person.

Wear is a normal feature of rope service and the use of the correct rope construction
ensures that it remains a secondary aspect of deterioration. Lubrication may help to
reduce wear.

Broken wires are a normal feature of rope service towards the end of the rope’s life,
resulting from bending fatigue and wear.
The local breakup of wires may indicate some mechanical fault in the equipment. Correct
lubrication in service will increase fatigue performance.

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Distortions are usually a result of mechanical damage, and if Severe, can considerably
affect rope strength. Visible rusting indicates a lack of suitable lubrication, resulting in
Corrosion. Pitting of external wire surfaces becomes evident in some circumstances.
Broken wires ultimately result.

Internal corrosion occurs in some environments when lubrication is inadequate or of an

unsuitable type. Reduction in rope diameter will frequently guide the observer to this
Condition. Confirmation can only be made by opening the rope with clamps or the
correct use of spike and needle to facilitate
Internal inspection.

Diameter Reduction
Diameter reduction is a critical deterioration factor and can be caused by:
 Excessive abrasion of the outside wires
 Loss of core diameter/support
 Internal or external corrosion damage
 Inner wire failure
 A lengthening of rope lay
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. This procedure if
followed carefully 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
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.
Shockloading
Shockloading (birdcaging) of the rope is another reason for replacement of the rope. Shockloading 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
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.

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Some of the More Common Types of Wire Fractures Can Include:

A Severed
by Wear B Tension C Fatigue D Corrosion E Plastic wear F Martensite g Sheared

10. Factors Affecting Rope performance

Multi-layers of the rope on the drum can result in severe distortion in the underlying
layers. Some of the examples are

Bad spooling (due to excessive fleet angles or slack winding) can result in mechanical
damage, shown as severe crushing, and may cause shock load during operation.

Small-diameter sheaves can result in permanent set of the rope, and will certainly lead
to early wire breaks.

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Oversize grooves offer insufficient support to the rope leading to increased localized
pressure, flattening of the rope and premature wire fractures. Grooves are deemed to be
oversize when the groove diameter exceeds the nominal rope diameter by more than 15%
.
Undersize grooves in sheaves will crush and deform the rope, often leading to two clear
patterns of wear and associated wire breaks.

Excessive angle of fleet can result in severe wear of the rope due to scrubbing against
adjacent laps on the drum. Rope deterioration at the termination may be exhibited in
The form of broken wires. An excessive angle of fleet can also induce rotation causing
torsional imbalance.

11. Failure Analysis

    Wire rope quality
The quality of the rope will directly affect the rope performance. Rope quality includes the following
parameters:
- Wire/fibers quality (yarns twisting and roving, metallurgical construction, surface quality, heat
treatment etc)
- Production process at the wire, strand, and rope level. These include twisting, cold drawing, and
stranding, compacting and closing processes.
- Size control at the core, strand and rope level. This includes diameter control and its changing due to
loads and cycling.
- Wire rope lubrication. The lubrication of the rope at the wire and strand level will strongly affect
rope service life. Moreover, at specific applications the initial lubrication has a major rule with respect to
the potential service life.
- Compatibility of the rope cross section with the hoisting application.
The type of the cross section has a major impact on the service life. Rope characteristics as torque factor,
torsion stiffness, lay direction, filling factor and outer strand shape will strongly influence on the rope
performance
 
 Machine parameters
The machine performance and design will have a considerable impact on the rope service life and even
on the safety surround. Parameters and properties which may cause fast deterioration are:
- Loading and hoisting control the control of acceleration, starting/braking are critical with regard to
the dynamic loads which are generated at the rope. Bad control will generate high level of dynamic
loads, small but critical slipping of the rope at the sheave groove, lateral and axial vibrations. These will
cause the initiation of fatigue cracks and will reduce the service life. Moreover, a good rope which is
installed in a bad controlled machine may cause sever damage to the drums, sheaves and other
components in the crane.
- Fleet angles. Bad design of drum size, sheave arrangement will cause constructional damage to the
rope, these may generate fatigue and internal failures.
 

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- Load sharing between parallel running ropes Parallel ropes system require the equalization
of the load sharing during the dynamic and static stages of the hoisting operation. The identification of
bad equalization may be conducted by several methods and survey on the machine.
 
- Groove design. Grooves material and shape have an important rule with regard to the rope service
life.
 
- Sheave arrangement and terminations. The arrangement of the reeving system and termination
location will dictate the bending cycle, the straddle angle, the steward and other parameters which affect
rope life.
- Coiling and drum design
 
- Maintenance procedures Sheaves bearing, grooves etc
 
- Installation of the rope
 
- Hoisting procedure and rigs
 
- Safety devices as rope slack detector, load mesuring device, overload device etc.. 
- Discarding criteria and practice 
12. Discard Criteria and Monitoring Procedure

Internal inspection of damage rope: Corkscrew-type deformation in rotation-

The opening of this cable has revealed that there Resistant hoisting rope
are actually internal wire breaks in one section and
10 internal wire breaks in total

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 Bird caging caused by a sudden release of Broken aluminum sleeve during a tensile tension
in rotation-resistant hoisting rope: Strand and torsion test of rotation-resistant
protrusion/distortion hoisting rope

Wire rope subjected to internal and external . Failing rope following corrosion, wear corrosion.
Wire rope with indication of crack wires. and fatigue
the cracks produced during the service are the only
marked ones

Fig. 11. Homogeneous dissolution of the wires Fig. 14. Zone Burned during fatigue tests at a
With losses of section [5] frequency of 15Hz [8]

Broken wires of freting tiredness on Effect of external corrosion on the

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Multi-layer strand [5] rotation-resistant hoisting rope and the drum

Typical external condition of the rope internal condition of the rope

13. AECPL rope Application

The following Application Wire rope are using in AECTPL cranes

WIRE ROPE SPECIFICATION

s.no Description Location Diameter Specification position Length QTY Make Eqpt
                   
1 Main hoist Q8 Evolution,8xK25F- Teufel
  30 mm EPIWRC(K) RCN6   656 M 2 Berger RMQC
                   
1x490 Teufel
   
Q8 Evolution,8xK25F- M 1 Berger RMQC
2 Trolley 24 mm
EPIWRC(K) RCN6 1x325 Teufel
   
M 1 Berger RMQC
                   
Q8 Evolution,8xK25F-
EPIWRC(K)
3 Boom
RCN6,Tensile strength Teufel
  30 mm 1960N/mm²   1328 M 1 Berger RMQC
                   
seaside
inner 12 mm 8x31 RHRL   160 M 1   RMQC
4 Catenary Trolley
landside
inner 12 mm 8x31 RHRL   205 M 1   RMQC
    outer 16 mm 8x31 RHRL   420 M 1   RMQC
Boom anti-
5 collision   6 mm 6x7+1WS   75 M 2   RMQC
                   
6 Service crane   18 mm 18X19+FC-15-1770   245 M 1   RMQC
                   
Q8 Evolution,8xK25F- Teufel
7 Main hoist   28 mm EPIWRC(K) RCN6 L1 44.9 M 1 Berger ERTGC
          L2 43.6 M 1    
          L3 43.5 M 1    

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           L4 46.3 M 1    
          L5 46 M 1    
          L6 43.5 M 1    
          L7 43.6 M 1    
          L8 44.6 M 1    
              8    

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

8 x 25 SW “Z” Lay “B” Class

8 means Strand / Lay
25 means String / Wire
“Z” Lay Lay type
“B” Class Class type (tensile strength/breaking load)

14. Main features of the experimental rope study

Cable diameter (mm) Dc = 35 mm

Design /construction 6 36 (14/7+7/7/1) IWRC
Nature and direction of wiring Steel, ordinary lay on the left
Twisting direction Right
Surface quality of the wires Ungalvanized steel
Strength class of the wires (MPa) R0 = 1900 MPa
Length of the rope (m) 20 m
Use Hosting and handling
Young modulus of the wire (MPa) E = 200 000 MPa
Poisson's ratio = 0,3

15. Wire Rope Handling

Measuring Rope Diameter

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

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Wire rope is normally made slightly larger than its catalog (or nominal) size. The following chart lists
the size tolerances of standard wire rope.

Nominal Rope Diameter Tolerance

Under                Over

0 - 1/8" -0                 +8%

Over 1/8" - 3/16" -0                 +7%

Over 3/16" - 5/16" -0                 +6%

Over 5/16" -0                 +5%

Drum Winding

When wire rope is wound onto a sheave or drum, it should bend in the manner in which it was originally
wound. This will avoid causing a reverse bend in the rope. Always wind wire rope from the top of the
one reel onto the top of the other. Also acceptable, but less so, is re-reeling from the bottom of one reel
to the bottom of another. Re-reeling may also be done with reels having their shafts vertical, but extreme
care must be taken to ensure that the rope always remains taut. It should never be allowed to drop below
the lower flange of the reel. A reel resting on the floor with its axis horizontal may also be rolled along
the floor to unreel the rope.
Wire rope should be attached at the correct location on a flat or smooth-faced drum, so that the rope will
spool evenly, with the turns lying snugly against each other in even layers. If wire rope is wound on a
smooth-face drum in the wrong direction, the turns in the first layer of rope will tend to spread apart on
the drum. This results in the second layer of rope wedging between the open coils, crushing and
flattening the rope as successive layers are spooled.

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 A simple method of determining how a wire rope should be started on a drum is shown above. The
observer stands behind the drum, with the rope coming towards him. Using the right hand for right-lay
wire rope, and the left hand for left lay wire rope, the clenched fist denotes the drum, the extended index
finger the oncoming rope.

Wire Rope Clips

Clips are usually spaced about six wire rope diameters apart to give adequate holding power. They
should be tightened before the rope is placed under tension. After the load is placed on the rope, tighten
the clips again to take care of any lessening in rope diameter caused by tension of the load. A wire rope
thimble should be used in the eye of the loop to prevent kinking.
The correct number of clips for safe operation and the spacing distances are shown here.
U-bolt Clips. There is only one correct method for attaching U-bolt clips to wire rope ends, as shown in
the "Correct Way". The base of the clip bears on the live end of the rope; the "U" of the bolt bears on the
dead end.
Correct Way

Compare this with the incorrect methods. Five of the six clips shown are incorrectly attached - only the
center clip in the top view is correct. When the "U" of the clip bears on the live end of the rope, there is
a possibility of the rope’s being cut or kinked, with subsequent failure.
Incorrect Way

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 Correct Twin-Base Clips

Seizing Wire Rope

Proper seizing and cutting operations are not difficult to perform, and they ensure that the wire rope will
meet the user’s performance expectations. Proper seizings must be applied on both sides of the place
where the cut is to be made. In a wire rope, carelessly or inadequately seized ends may become distorted
and flattened, and the strands may loosen. Subsequently, when the rope is operated, there may be an
uneven distribution of loads to the strands; a condition that will significantly shorten the life of the rope.
Either of the following seizing methods is acceptable. Method No. 1 is usually used on wire ropes over
one inch in diameter. Method No. 2 applies to ropes one inch and under.

Method No. 1: Place one end of the seizing wire in the valley between two strands. Then turn its long
end at right angles to the rope and closely and tightly wind the wire back over itself and the rope until
the proper length of seizing has been applied. Twist the two ends of the wire together, and by alternately
pulling and twisting, draw the seizing tight.

Method No. 2: Twist the two ends of the seizing wire together, alternately twisting and pulling until the
proper tightness is achieved.
The Seizing Wire. The seizing wire should be soft or annealed wire or strand. Seizing wire diameter and
the length of the seize will depend on the diameter of the wire rope. The length of the seizing should
never be less than the diameter of the rope being seized.
Proper end seizing while cutting and installing, particularly on rotation-resistant ropes, is critical. Failure
to adhere to simple precautionary measures may cause core slippage and loose strands, resulting in
serious rope damage. Refer to the table for established guidelines. If core protrusion occurs beyond the
outer strands, or core retraction within the outer strands, cut the rope flush to allow for proper seizing of
both the core and outer strands.
In the absence of proper seizing wire or tools, the use of sufficiently-sized hose clamps is acceptable.

Wire Rope Drum and Sheave Inspection Guidelines

Drums
Inspect the flanges for wear, chips, cracks and bending. Inspect the Lebus grooving (if so equipped),
visor and kicker plates for wear. Also look for rope imprinting damage.

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 Sheaves
Examine the sheave grooves for wear and proper
diameter. To check the size, contour and amount of
wear, use a sheave gage. The gage should contact the
groove for about 150o of arc.
Inspect the fleet angle for poor sheave alignment. The
fleet angle is the side, or included, angle between a line
drawn through the middle of a sheave and a drum,
perpendicular to the axis of each, and a line drawn from
the intersection of the drum and its flange to the base of
the groove in the sheave. The intersection of the drum
and its flange represents the farthest position to which
the rope can travel across the drum. There are left and
right angles, measured to the left or right of the center
line of the sheave, respectively. It is important to
maintain a proper fleet angle on installations where wire
rope passes over a lead sheave and onto a drum. A fleet
angle larger than recommended limits can result in
excessive rubbing of the rope against the flanges of the
sheave groove, or crushing and abrasion of the rope on
the drum. This angle, for maximum efficiency and
service, should not be more than 1-1/2° for a smooth
drum, nor more than 2° if the drum is grooved. The
minimum angle which ensures that the rope will cross
back and start a second layer in a normal manner,
without mechanical assistance, should be 0° 30 minutes.
For smooth faced drums, this works out to a distance of
38 feet for each foot (76 feet for two feet) of side travel
from the center line of the sheaves to the flange of the
drum. For a grooved drum, the distance is 29 feet.
Other conditions which may exist include:
 Corrugated sheaves. Easily noticed, corrugated
sheaves should be machined or preferably replaced.
 Worn sheaves. If sheaves are wearing to one side,
move the sheave to correct the fleet angle and
alignment.
 Broken flanges. Broken sheave flanges enable wire
rope to jump the sheave and become badly cut or
sheared. Replace the sheaves.
 Out-of-round sheaves. A sheave with a flat spot throws
a "whip" into the rope at every sheave revolution. This
may cause wire fatigue at the attachment end where
vibration due to the whipping is usually dampened or
stopped. Machine or replace the sheave.

Note: Non-destructive testing (NDT) using electromagnetic means may also be used to
detect broken wires and/or loss in metallic area. This Method complements the visual
examination but does not replace it.
Unreeling of Wire Rope

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 When removing the rope from the shipping reel or coil, the Reel or coil MUST rotate as the rope unwinds.
Any attempt to unwind a rope from stationary reel or coil WILL result in a kinked Rope that is ruined
beyond repair.
The following illustrations demonstrate the right and wrong way of unreeling a rope.
Special care must be taken not to drag the rope over Obstacles, over a deflection shaft, or around
corners. Avoid large fleet angles between the shipping reel and the first sheave. The rope may roll in the
sheave causing the rope
To unlay. This is particularly important for all Do Par-, Lang’s lay, And non-rotating rope constructions.

RIGHT

WRONG

Wedge Socket Installation

Make sure the LOAD end of the rope is installed in line with the pin; that is the
STRAIGHT portion of the socket bowl. The ʻTerminatorʼ style wedge socket (red) is a
Preferred method.
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WRONG Installation RIGHT Installation

16. How to Ordering of new rope with basic specification

17. Wire rope Storage

1. Unwrap the rope and examine the rope immediately after delivery to check its
identification and condition and verify that it is in accordance with the details on the
certificates and/or other relevant documents.

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Check the rope diameter and examine any rope terminations to ensure that they are
compatible with the equipment or machinery to which they are to be fitted.

2. Select a clean, well-ventilated, dry, undercover location. Cover with waterproof

material if the delivery site conditions preclude inside storage. Rotate the reel
periodically during long periods of storage, particularly in warm environments, to prevent
migration of the lubricant from the rope.
Never store wire rope in areas subject to elevated temperatures as this may
seriously affect its future performance. In extreme cases its original as-
manufactured strength may be severely reduced rendering it unfit for safe use.
Ensure that the rope does not make any direct contact with the floor and that there is a
flow of air under the reel. Failure to do so may result in the rope becoming
contaminated with foreign matter and start the onset of corrosion before the rope is
even put to work.
Support the reel on a simple A-frame or cradle, located on ground that is capable of
supporting the total mass of rope and reel. Ensure that the rope is stored where it
is not likely to be affected by chemical fumes, steam or other corrosive agents.
Failure to do so may seriously affect its condition rendering it unfit for safe use.

3. Examine ropes in storage periodically and, when necessary, apply a suitable dressing
that is compatible with the manufacturing lubricant (OEM) manual for guidance on types
of dressings available, methods of application and equipment for the various types of
ropes and applications.
Re-wrap the rope unless it is obvious that this will be detrimental to rope preservation.
Failure to apply the correct dressing may render the original manufacturing
lubricant ineffective and rope performance may be significantly affected.
Ensure that the rope is stored and protected in such a manner that it will not be exposed to
any accidental damage either during the storage period or when placing the rope in, or
taking it out of storage.
Failure to carry out or pay attention to any of the above could result in a loss of
strength and/or a reduction in performance. In extreme cases the rope may be unfit
for safe use.

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