Wire rope is an important piece of equipment for a range of industries. Responsible for lifting, hoisting and pulling, wire ropes work hard to keep your worksite safe, productive and functional. When used and maintained correctly, wire ropes can prevent accidents and reduce manpower, making them an important asset for many captains, project managers, mining engineers, and crane operators.
Just like any hard-working tool or machine in your inventory, wire ropes require some attention and servicing to ensure safety for every worker and every piece of equipment on your worksite.
If a wire rope fails, it can be catastrophic in both expense and damages. Preventative maintenance on your wire rope should include inspecting and lubricating the rope as needed. By neglecting this maintenance, operators put themselves and others at risk. Wire rope maintenance used to be a dangerous practice, but with our commitment to making wire rope lubrication safe, effective, and simple – it has never been easier to keep your wire ropes in a strong and durable condition.
Some essential maintenance tasks for your wire ropes include:
- Inspect the wire rope regularly
Although wire rope is often used in different environments and for many uses, there is one common denominator – it is always expected to keep up. Most commonly used to secure and lift heavy loads, the wire rope is trusted to keep your worksite, your equipment, and your personnel safe. Regular inspections before each use or after a period of stalled activity are an important requirement for any worksite using wire ropes. This can be performed by either a trained employee or wire rope engineer who will check the rope for signs of concern. The signs that your wire rope is in trouble can include fraying, corrosion, rust, surface wear and tear, and a shrinking diameter.
- Clean the wire rope regularly
There is no point in applying fresh new lubricant to wire ropes that are covered in old lube or environmental debris. During their working cycle, wire ropes are susceptible to all kinds of damaging particles and debris. Salt, dirt, rocks, mud, and sludge can accumulate on your wire ropes to make the surface virtually impenetrable when it comes time for relubrication. Wire ropes are often up very high or in dangerous locations, making effective and safe cleaning difficult. Our wire rope cleaner can solve this problem while doing the most efficient cleaning job possible, making your wire ropes ripe for relubrication.
- Use the correct size and type of wire rope for the job
There are generally two ways to tell the breaking strength of the wire rope: the minimum breaking strength and the aggregate strength. The minimum breaking strength refers to the smallest load the wire rope can withstand before breaking apart. The aggregate strength refers to the collective breaking strength of all the wires in a single cable. It’s important to never test your luck by loading a wire with a weight that it is not built to withstand. Staying within the working limit and erring on the side of caution will pay off in terms of the safety and durability of your wire rope. Don’t forget to consider the environmental factors of your worksite when choosing both your wire rope and your lubricant, along with how strong and flexible you need your wire rope to be for your work.
- Lubricate properly & consistently
There is nothing more important for the life and durability of your wire ropes than regular lubrication. Gone are the days when you would have to risk the safety of your workers at extreme heights and in dangerous conditions to get your wire ropes lubricated. With the Viper WRL System, your wire ropes can be properly lubricated without halting your workday or wasting personnel.
Deep penetration of the lubricant is essential to protect the individual strands of the wire rope and allow it to work its way toward the core of the rope. Regular lubrication will give your wire ropes a longer and more effective life by keeping corrosion and rust at bay while providing ultimate flexibility and strength.
By following the above preventive maintenance suggestions, you will avoid some of the most common causes of wire rope failure. These include:
- Wear in high contact areas
- Dirt and debris trapped in the fibres
- Corrosion and rust from a lack of lubrication
- Fatigue from repeated bending stresses
- Overloading the safe working limit
With our lubricators and wire rope cleaning systems, wire rope preventive maintenance has never been simpler, safer, or more effective. Let the Viper WRL do its job, getting every inch of specialty lubricant where it belongs in the fibres of your rope. With our help, your ropes can work as hard as you do for a long and productive service life.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is wire rope maintained?
By regular relubrication. cleaning and inspections for any impending damage.
Why should steel wire ropes be maintained?
To prevent corrosion, rust, snapping, fraying, or breakages. Improper maintenance will put your workers, machinery, and wire ropes at risk.
How can you tell if the wire rope is unsafe?
Some of the signs your wire rope is unsafe include fraying, splitting, or breakages. Additionally, the diameter of the rope may begin to diminish or flatten, suggesting the core and the internal strands of the wire rope are beginning to fail.
