What will cause a wire rope to break?
As we all know, there are 3 factors of wire rope safety: corrosion, fatigue and abrasion
§ Wear in sections where hoist drums and sheave contact rope
§ A lack of lubrication for extended periods
§ Prolonged exposure to heat and moisture
§ Constantly repeated bending— fatigue can happen during normal operating conditions
§ Consistently neglecting manufacturers’ weight charts—overloading systems is the most common cause of breaks
§ Crushing, dragging, or cutting rope because of mechanical abuse
§ Spooling onto multi-layered drums causes crushing
§ Using frozen or stiff ropes
§ Improper installation will cause kinks
The problems listed above can mostly be avoided if operators practice proper rope maintenance procedures. Some issues cannot be avoided, and so frequent inspections must be done to ensure users can know the full extent of their rope’s health.
SAFETY FIRST!
