Maintenance and Removal of Wire Ropes

Wire ropes are known for their strength and they are used in many different scenarios from construction to mining and from transportation to movie stunts. People who use wire ropes rely on them to do their jobs every day, however, wire ropes don't last forever. 

They are durable, but how long they last depend on how well they are cared for. Here are some tips for properly maintaining wire ropes to help keep them running safely and optimally:

Protection and inspection will extend the life of the wire rope. To protect wire ropes, you must store them in a cool, well-ventilated, dry place, preferably off the floor to prevent possible water damage. Be careful not to drop the rope, especially if it is in a reel or coil. This will damage the rope.

Make sure a professional inspect the rope before each use. These experts know what to look for and can identify deterioration, corrosion, and wear that the untrained eye might not see. Ropes must be removed for a thorough inspection every few months to ensure they are strong and intact to remain safe. 

The last important ingredient in making wire ropes is lubrication. This keeps the rope strong and flexible. Original lubrication is eventually lost to heat and evaporation due to the cable stretching and bending. 

The normal use of wire rope requires relubrication after the original has evaporated, the reason why wire rope must be relubricated is to protect the wire and its core wire and minimize corrosion, thereby extending the life of the cable. 

Also, if the cable gets dirty and particles get inside, it must be cleaned with petroleum solvent and a wire brush before relubrication. A steam cleaner or compressed air can also do the job, but either way, it must be dried and lubricated immediately afterward. To protect your wire rope, moisture must be avoided at all costs. However, to prevent safety hazards, over-lubrication must be avoided.

In order to prolong the service life of the wire rope, it is important to avoid corrosion and oxidation of the wire rope caused by salt air, salt water, acid, sulfur, gas, moisture, or fumes. 

Wire ropes must be properly removed, cleaned, re-lubricated, and stored when the machine is shut down for extended periods of time. To reduce corrosion of the cable, the adequate lubricant must be properly applied in the field. 

When removing the rope from the reel or coil, the coil or reel must be rotated. Unloading the rope differently can cause the rope to kink, severely limiting its strength. Loosening the rope from a stationary reel can cause a kink. 

Wire rope is used for its strength and durability, but nothing lasts forever. You can extend the life of a wire rope by following the guidelines listed here, but when it shows signs of wear, such as reduced diameter, broken wires, kinks, nodes, flat areas, misaligned outer wires, heat damage, corrosion, loose wires, or A loop is formed and must be discontinued.

The above introduces the maintenance, maintenance, and dismantling of wire ropes. If you have plans to buy wire ropes, please contact us.

Terada Hardware is a professional custom wire rope and accessories supplier, we offer a full range of hardware. Our accessories are widely used in shading structures, tensile structures, fabric stretching, wire railings, railing systems, railing systems, marine, lifting, and other industries.