Galvanized Steel and Stainless Steel Wire Rope

Wire ropes are available in stainless steel and galvanized steel.

Stainless steel wire rope and galvanized wire rope are used in a variety of industrial applications including rigging, hoisting, utility, marine, and infrastructure projects on and around commercial and domestic properties.

This wire rope guide will help you make an informed decision before purchasing stainless steel wire rope or galvanized wire rope.

Although simple in appearance, a wire rope is a complex mechanism that makes lifting, moving, or supporting loads simple. Wire ropes are available in a variety of compositions to suit different uses. For example, wire ropes may be rigid, flexible, rotation-limiting, and have features that limit corrosion, wear, and breakage. In particular, wire ropes are usually made of stainless or galvanized steel.

Stainless steel wire ropes are very common and are used in many commercial and industrial applications. Stainless steel has chromium added to the steel to provide some degree of protection against rust and corrosion. Stainless steel is not immune to these environmental influences but is better protected than pure untreated steel. Stainless steel wire ropes are primarily used in applications that are not exposed to outdoor elements to avoid rust or corrosion damage to the wire rope.

Stainless steel wire ropes are available in grades 304 and 316. Grade 304 stainless steel is standard, while grade 316 stainless steel is ideal for use in and around marine areas. Grade 304 stainless steel contains approximately 18% chromium and 8% nickel, while grade 316 stainless steel contains 16% chromium, 10% nickel, and 2% molybdenum. The addition of molybdenum helps resist corrosion from chlorides such as seawater, chlorides, and deicing salts.

Galvanized steel wire rope is galvanized steel wire rope. This coating helps protect the steel from moisture in the air to prevent rusting of the wire rope. This type of wire rope is ideal for use in offshore locations where the wire rope is exposed to damp, wet, and wet conditions. Galvanized wire rope helps prevent internal steel from degrading due to rust.

While galvanized wire rope offers this benefit, it is not suitable for use in certain situations. These include: applications in and around salty sea water, applications handling corrosive chemicals, applications handling food or medical products, applications, where aesthetics are a priority and gloss, is required, etc. In these cases, stainless steel wire ropes are preferred.

The main difference between stainless steel and galvanized wire rope is the tensile strength. Given that stainless steel is steel that bonds with chromium when the steel is in a liquid molten state, this provides additional strength compared to galvanized wire ropes consisting of steel and a zinc coating. Stainless steel wire ropes are favored by many for this very reason, and they perform extremely well in a variety of applications over the life of the rope when properly maintained.

Besides strength, there are a few other differences:

Stainless steel wire rope tends to be slightly more expensive than galvanized wire rope;

The galvanized steel wire rope is relatively light in weight;

Since galvanized steel is only coated, if the coating is damaged, the inner wire will be exposed to the elements;

Stainless steel wire ropes are used in applications exposed to oil and gas.

Galvanized steel wire rope is wire hot-dip galvanized or electro-galvanized to protect the steel from rust and corrosion. This treatment only provides the coating, if the coating is damaged, the protection of the inner wire will no longer exist.

Each type of wire rope construction is suitable for a different purpose, so it is important to check your standards, regulatory requirements and industry codes to ensure the correct wire rope is being used. Thicker diameter wire ropes will be more wear and compression resistant, while thinner diameter wire ropes will provide flexibility, and bendability and will not fatigue.

Fiber core wire ropes are used where flexibility is required to handle, move or support loads. Fiber core wire ropes are not suitable for prolonged outdoor exposure or for applications where other objects are squeezed. Steel core wire ropes, on the other hand, have higher tensile strength and are more suitable for applications with abrasion and crushing.

The advantages of galvanized steel wire rope are:

Cheaper than stainless steel wire rope;

Galvanized for enhanced rust and corrosion protection;

Lighter weight than stainless steel;

Can be used in a variety of applications as an alternative to stainless steel; 

Wire ropes are available with steel or fiber cores

The benefits of stainless steel wire rope are:

Stronger than its galvanized counterpart - has higher tensile strength;

Limited rust protection - due to the addition of chrome;

Withstands higher pressures - great for freezing and high altitude temperatures;

Fire - tight and heat-resistant - suitable for fairly high temperatures;

Flexibility - depending on the diameter of the rope, it provides flexibility and bendability;

Longevity - due to its strength, it provides protection against abrasion and crushing.

The above describes the difference between galvanized wire rope and stainless steel wire rope in detail, if you want to know more or want to buy wire rope, please contact us.

Terada Hardware is a professional custom wire ropes and accessories manufacturer. Our role goes beyond designers and manufacturers. We treat our customers as part of the team and support them as partners. For non-standard hardware. We listen carefully to customers' requirements and provide some professional advice and technical support. Follow the new designs to make the most suitable hardware for your project.