Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The basic strand construction has wires of Large outer wires with the same number Small wires fill spaces between large wires
the same size wound around a center. of smaller inner wires around a core wire. to produce crush resistance and a good
Provides excellent abrasion resistance but balance of strength, flexibility and
less fatigue resistance.When used with an resistance to abrasion.
IWRC, it offers excellent crush resistance
over drums.
Outer layer of alternately large and small Many commonly used wire ropes use Many commonly used wire ropes use
wires provides good flexibility and combinations of these basic constructions. combinations of these basic constructions.
strength but low abrasion and crush
resistance.
Many commonly used wire ropes use Many commonly used wire ropes use One of the above strand designs may be
combinations of these basic constructions. combinations of these basic constructions. covered with one or more layers of uni-
form-sized wires.
Wire ropes are composed of independent parts—wires, wires will be more abrasion resistant and less fatigue
strands and cores—that continuously interact with each resistant than a large number of small wires.
other during service.
Wire rope engineers design those parts in differing steel Finish
grades, finishes and a variety of constructions to attain Bright finish is suitable for most applications. Galvanized
the best balance of strength, abrasion resistance, crush finish is available for corrosive environments. Plastic jack-
resistance, bending fatigue resistance and corrosion resis- eting and encapsulation is also available on some con-
tance for each application. structions.
To select the best wire rope for each application, one
must know the required performance characteristics for Wire Grades
the job and enough about wire rope design to select the
optimum combination of wire rope properties. The most common steel wire grades are: IPS (Improved
The following information is presented as a basic guide. Plow Steel), EIP (Extra Improved Plow Steel) and EEIP
Bridon American engineers and field service specialists (Extra Extra Improved Plow Steel). Stainless Steels and
are available to provide more specific recommendations. other special grades are provided for special applications.
Most wire ropes are made with round wires. Both trian-
Strand Constructions gular and shaped wires are also used for special construc-
tions.
Strands are designed with various combinations of wires Generally, the higher the strength of the wire, the lower
and wire sizes to produce the desired resistance to its ductility will be.
fatigue and abrasion. Generally, a small number of large
1-1
GENERAL INFORMATION
Bridon American Corporation
Wire Rope Design and Construction
Core
1
IWRC (Independent Wire Rope Core) provides good crush Fiber Core provides excellent flexibility.
resistance and increased strength.
Definition Definition
Most common lay in which the wires wind in one direction and Wires in strand and strands of rope wind the same direction.
the strands the opposite direction. (right lay shown) (right lay shown)
Characteristics Characteristics
Less likely to kink and untwist; easier to handle; more crush Increased resistance to abrasion; greater flexibility and fatigue
resistant than lang lay. resistance than regular lay; will kink and untwist.
Definition Definition
Strands wound to the right around the core; (regular lay shown) Strands wound to the left around the core. (regular lay shown)
Characteristics Characteristics
The most common construction. Used in a few special situations—cable tool drilling line,
for example.
Alternate Lay
Definition
Alternate strands of right regular lay and right lang lay.
Characteristics
Combines the best features of regular and lang lay for boom hoist
or winch lines.
1-2
INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS
Bridon American Corporation
The primary factor in wire rope performance is selecting A coil should be unwound by rolling along the floor like 1
a wire rope with the best combination of properties for a hoop. Coils should never be laid flat and the free end
the job.The service life of that rope can be greatly pulled out.
extended by following a planned program of installation,
operation, maintenance and inspection to avoid the most Winding on a Drum
common causes of wire rope failure:
KINKING will result in permanent rope deformation and
localized wear. It is generally caused by allowing a loop to
form in a slack line and then pulling the loop down to a
tight permanent set.
OVERLOADING results in accelerated wear, abrasion,
rope crushing and distortion on drums and sheaves, and
could result in complete rope failure.
DRAGGING wire rope over a bank or some other object
results in localized wear, which means shorter life.
IMPROPER SPOOLING results in crushed and distorted
ropes and comes from careless installation and operation
of the rope.
WHIPPING a line, which results in many squared off bro- Proper practices for transferring rope from reel to drum:
ken wires, comes from jerking or running the line loose. • The reel should be placed as far from the drum as pos-
The following recommendations are general guides for sible in order to avoid putting any turn into the rope.
getting the longest life from your wire rope. Bridon • Rope should be wound from top-to-top or bottom-to-
American engineers and field service specialists are avail- bottom to avoid reverse bends, which tend to make a
able to provide advice in specific situations. Our technol- rope harder to handle.
ogy and experience are as close as your telephone.
• Use enough tension to avoid kinking.
Unloading, Unreeling and Uncoiling There is usually only one way to install rope on a grooved
Suitable precautions should be taken to prevent dropping drum.
of reels or coils during unloading and moving. If the reel
should collapse, it may be impossible to remove the rope
without serious damage.
1-3
INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS
Bridon American Corporation
1 On installations where the rope • Crane ropes will fatigue at an equalizer sheave. Careful
passes over a sheave onto the inspection is required to identify fatigue points.
drum, the maximum fleet angle • Hoist ropes will frequently fail from vibration fatigue at
(angle between the center line sockets, clips and dead end points.
of the sheave and the rope)
should be not more than 1 1/2 On most installations, wear and fatigue are more severe
degrees for a smooth-faced on one half of the rope than the other. Changing a rope
drum and 2 degrees for a end-for-end more evenly distributes wear and fatigue
grooved drum. A 1 1/2 degree from repeated bending and vibration.
fleet angle is equivalent to 38
feet of lead for each foot of Lubrication
rope travel on either side of the
center line of the sheave. Factory lubrication is not always sufficient to last the use-
Smaller fleet angles may result ful life of wire rope. Periodic field lubrication may be
in the rope piling up on the required to minimize friction and provide corrosion pro-
drum. Larger fleet angles may tection. Important guides for field lubrication:
cause excessive wear from rub- • Ropes should be inspected frequently to determine the
bing against the flanges of the need for lubrication.
sheave as well as excessive • Clean the rope thoroughly with a wire brush, scraper
crushing and abrasion of the or compressed air to remove foreign material and old
rope on the drum. lubricant from the valleys between the strands and the
spaces between the outer wires.
• The lubricant should be applied at a point where the
rope is being bent in order to promote penetration
Break In within the strands. It may be applied by pouring, drip-
ping or brushing.
A few trips through the working cycle at slow speed and
light load will set the strands firmly in place for smooth, Used motor oil is not recommended as a wire rope lubri-
efficient operation. cant.
On applications using a wedge socket, such as drag and BriLube® is recommended for relubing ropes.
hoist ropes, it is also a good idea to cut off a short section
of rope to allow twist to run out and to equalize the Measuring Wire Rope Diameter
strands.
Operation
Skillful operation is important to wire rope performance.
Rapid acceleration, shock loading and excessive vibration
can cause premature rope failure. Smooth, steady applica-
tion of power by the equipment operator can add signifi-
cantly to wire rope service life.
1-4
INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS
Bridon American Corporation
Matching the Wire Rope with Sheaves and Drums
1-5
INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS
Bridon American Corporation
1 As a rope is run through a groove, both become smaller. Calculating Drum Capacity
A used groove can be too small for a new rope; thus
accelerating rope wear. A compromise between rope life
and machining frequency must be made.
Values of K
Rope Rope
Dia. K Dia. K
1/4" 3.29 1 1/2" 0.107
5/16" 2.21 1 5/8" 0.0886
3/8" 1.58 1 3/4" 0.077
7/16" 1.19 1 7/8" 0.0675
1/2" .925 2" 0.0597
9/16" .741 2 1/8" 0.0532
5/8" .607 2 1/4" 0.0476
3/4" .428 2 3/8" 0.0421
7/8" .308 2 1/2" 0.038
1" .239 2 5/8" 0.0345
1 1/8" 0.191 2 3/4" 0.0314
1 1/4" 0.152 2 7/8" 0.0287
1 3/8" 0.127 3" 0.0264
1-6
INSPECTION OF WIRE ROPE AND STRUCTURAL STRAND
Bridon American Corporation
1-7
INSPECTION OF WIRE ROPE AND STRUCTURAL STRAND
Bridon American Corporation
1 Wire rope removal criteria are based on the use of steel Inspection Records
sheaves. If synthetic sheaves are used, consult the sheave Frequent Inspection—no records required.
or equipment manufacturer.
• One outer wire broken at the contact point with the Periodic Inspection: In order to establish data as a basis
core of the rope which has worked its way out of the for judging the proper time for replacement a signed
rope structure and protrudes or loops out from the report of rope condition at each periodic inspection
rope structure. should be kept on file.This report should include points
of deterioration previously described.
• Wear of one-third the original diameter of outside indi- A long range inspection program should be established
vidual wires. and include records of examination of ropes removed
• Kinking, crushing, birdcaging, or any other damage from service so a relationship can be established between
resulting in distortion of the rope structure. visual observation and actual condition of the internal
• Evidence of any heat damage from any cause. structure.
• Valley breaks.
• Reductions from nominal rope diameter of more than: Galvanized Structural Wire Strand
Carefully conducted inspections performed and recorded
Reduction of Nominal Rope Diameters on a regular basis are necessary to ascertain the condition
of structural strand at various stages of its useful life.The
1/64" Up to & inc. 5/16" object of inspection is to allow for removal of the strand
1/32" over 5/16" thru 1/2" from service before its condition, as a result of usage,
3/64" over 1/2" thru 3/4" could pose a hazard to continued normal operations.
1/16" over 3/4" thru 1-1/8" The individual making the inspection should be familiar
with the operation, as his judgment is a most critical fac-
3/32" over 1-1/8" tor. Special care should be taken at end terminations or at
dampener devices, as these are generally the most critical
areas.
• In standing ropes, more than two broken wires in one Conditions such as corrosion, number, type and distribu-
lay in section beyond end connections or more than tion of broken wires, and diameter reduction should be
one broken wire at an end connection. evaluated and compared with previous inspection results.
Replacement rope shall have a strength rating at least as The actual condition of the strand and inspection history
great as the original rope furnished by the equipment together can then be used to decide if continued use of
manufacturer or as originally specified. Any deviation the product is advisable.
from the original size, grade, or construction shall be
specified by the equipment manufacturer, original design
engineer, or a qualified person.
NOTE: Special methods and techniques may be used by wire rope engi-
neers or qualified persons to determine the possible existence of internal
Ropes Not In Regular Use corrosion or broken wires in structural strand or similar conditions which
All rope which has been idle for a period of a month or may exist out of sight in terminal connections.
EXAMPLE: Wire breaks may sometimes occur just inside the nose of the
more due to shutdown or storage of equipment on which socket making visual inspection difficult. Judgments on wire integrity can
it is installed should be given inspections as previously be made by tapping or “sounding” the wire by a person experienced in
described before being placed in service.This inspection this inspection technique. If you have doubt about the method to use for
should be for all types of deterioration and should be per- inspection, or the condition of the strand or fitting, contact your nearest
formed by an appointed or authorized person. CERTEX location.
1-8
WIRE ROPE LUBRICATION & PRESERVATION
Bridon American Corporation
1-9
WIRE ROPE LUBRICATION & PRESERVATION
Bridon American Corporation
1 Lubricants containing chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents D. Ropes working in conditions of heavy wear
such as trichlorethylene or carbon tetrachloride are NOT
recommended. Typical examples are:—
Lubricants containing ‘dry lubricants’ such as molybde- Onshore:
num disulphide and graphite are NOT recommended as • EXCAVATORS
these compounds tend to dry out leading to surface film
breakdown and consequent exposure of wire surfaces to • WINCHES
the atmosphere. • HAULAGE APPLICATIONS
Dressings should be applied by drip feed, spray or pres- Offshore
sure application, usually at no more than monthly inter-
vals. • MOORING SYSTEMS
• DREDGERS
B. Ropes working on friction hoists
Under these conditions the primary requirements for
Typical examples are:— rope lubricants are:—
• ELEVATORS • Good adhesion to the rope to prevent fling-off and loss
• FRICTION HOISTS of coating.
• CAPSTAN WINCHES • Resistance to removal by mechanical forces.A lubricant
that dries and cracks will scrape off or fall off in bend-
These ropes are subject to corrosion and wear and yet ing. Some bitumous compounds can ‘cement’ broken
application of conventional lubricants can lead to severe wires in place making inspection more difficult.
loss of traction resulting in slip.
• Good anti-wear properties.
Traditionally these ropes are lubricated very little in ser-
vice due to the conflicting problems of lubrication and In addition the lubricant must be resistant to moisture,
slip. Lubricant applied during manufacture is kept to a emulsification and ultra-violet degradation.
minimum for this reason. Good corrosion protection is essential, particularly in off-
The only lubricants satisfactory for this application are shore conditions.
those designed to provide corrosion protection and inter- Further preferred properties are ease of application and a
nal lubrication while minimizing loss of frictional grip or stable physical nature over a wide temperature range.
actually increasing the coefficient of friction.
The lubricants are petroleum-gel based, with thixotropic
A solvent based dressing which deposits a thin slip-resis- characteristics. Such compounds provide good lubrica-
tant semi-dry film is the best solution. tion over a wide range of temperatures and do not crack
In addition, moisture displacement and the prevention of or craze in ultra-violet light.Their thixotropic properties
excessive lubricant build-up are important. Lubricants enable good adherence and continuity on the side of the
should be applied by brush, spray or automatic feed, at rope, combined with good lubricity under shearing
monthly intervals. stress.
Unless a specific anti-slip dressing is used, great care must A further feature of thixotropic lubricants is the ease
be taken to ensure that slip is not generated by over with which they penetrate the rope through the use of
application. pressure lubricators.
Such lubricants are designed for long working life and
C. Ropes working under conditions of low abrasive wear infrequent application. Relubricating should take place as
and corrosion required depending upon the intensity of usage and the
Typical examples are:— severity of the environment.
• ELECTRIC OVERHEAD CRANES
E. Standing ropes and working ropes subject to heavy
• WIRE ROPE HOISTS loading in corrosive environments.
• INDOOR CRANES
• SMALL EXCAVATORS Typical examples are:—
• PILING, PERCUSSION AND DRILLING EQUIPMENT Onshore:
• GUY ROPES
Such ropes are subject to internal wear, leading to fatigue
failures of wires. • PENDANT ROPES
For these applications the best lubricants provide maxi- Offshore:
mum lubrication internally and externally. • TOWING CABLES
Lubricants using a mineral oil base, SAE 30, are generally • CRANES AND DERRICKS
accepted as the best. However basic oils provide very lit-
tle corrosion protection and are subject to excessive run- • TRAWL WARPS
off and fling-off. It is recommended, therefore, that a spe- Under these conditions ropes are subject to extended
cific oil based rope lubricant with a tackiness additive periods of corrosive attack in standing situations. In some
and anti-corrosion properties be selected. applications, such as offshore cranes, the ropes are
Compounds containing ‘dry lubricants’ such as molybde- required to undertake heavy duty lifting work after
num disulphide and graphite have been shown to pro- extended periods at rest.
vide no increase in fatigue life in wire ropes over and
above that provided by mineral oils. Application should
be by brush, spray or drip feed whenever the rope
appears dry.
1-10
WIRE ROPE LUBRICATION & PRESERVATION
Bridon American Corporation
The primary requirements for rope lubricants in such Thixotropic gels are the most suitable lubricants as they 1
applications are:— provide excellent protection against the environment,
• High corrosion protection good lubrication under dynamic operation and operation
and return to a semi-solid coherent lubricant at rest.
• Long term stability of the lubricant
Re-lubrication of a used rope can often be improved by
• Good adhesion to the rope, even when wet an initial application of a solvent based corrosion preven-
• Resistance to wash-off, emulsification and mechanical tative lubricant which penetrates and displaces moisture
removal in the rope.
Only lubricants which provide high corrosion resistance
should be used and the lubricants should remain stable LUBRICANTS AVAILABLE
over extended periods of time over wide temperature There is a wide range of compounds on the market. Some
ranges. of these are specific to wire rope applications and others
Resistance to cracking and ultra-violet degradation is nec- are multi-purpose products which can offer some bene-
essary for long term protection. fits to wire ropes.
Lubricants with similar characteristics to those in section Bridon’s own brand of wire rope lubricants, the BRILUBE
(d), but with high corrosion protection characteristics, range, has been developed especially for wire rope. Based
are recommended. upon extensive experience in wire rope usage, there is a
Traditional bituminous compounds are not recommended BRILUBE product to meet most applications mentioned
as service lubricants because they can trap moisture in in this document.
the core, and may not act as lubricants when a rope is Detailed technical data, catalog and supplies of BRILUBE
put to work after extended periods in a static situation, are available from authorized Bridon distributors.
due to hardening. Such compounds are only effective as
lubricants when applied during manufacture, usually
heated and under pressure.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
1-11
WIRE ROPE SELECTION
Bridon American Corporation
Fatigue Resistance
Smaller wires are the key to bending performance when
wire ropes are subjected to repeated bending over Crush Resistance
sheaves or drums.The more outer wires for a given size An IWRC (Independent wire rope core) and large outer
wire rope, the better the resistance to bending fatigue. wires will provide best crush resistance. Bridon
The relative bending life factors of typical wire rope con- American’s Constructex rope provides the best crush
structions are indicated in the following table. resistance of any wire rope.
Ropes having a large number of small wires, however,
should not be used where overwrapping on a drum takes Flexibility
place because they do not provide sufficient crush resis-
tance. Fiber core, lang lay and smaller wires provide a more flex-
ible wire rope.
1-12
GENERAL PURPOSE WIRE ROPES
Bridon American Corporation
6 x 7 Classification
6 x 7 Rope 6 x 7 Classification Wire Ropes give long service in oper- 1
ating conditions where ropes are dragged along the
ground or over rollers. Larger sheaves and drums (than
those used for more flexible constructions) are required
to avoid breakage from fatigue. 6 x 7 Classification Ropes
contain 6 strands with 3 through 14 wires, no more than
9 of which are outside wires.
Order Guide:
6 x 7 classification wire ropes may be ordered in diame-
ters from 1/4” to 1 1/2”…bright or galvanized…EEIP, EIP
and IPS grades…fiber core or IWRC…right or left lay, reg-
ular or lang lay.
6 x 7 Classification Rope
Nominal Strength,* Tons Approximate
(Bright or Drawn Galvanized)† Wt./Ft., lb.
EIP
CERTEX CERTEX
Diameter, Cat. Ref. Cat. Ref. Fiber Fiber
in. No. IWRC No. Core IWRC Core
1/4 CX01-0600 3.27 CX01-0614 2.90 0.10 0.094
5/16 CX01-0601 5.07 CX01-0615 4.51 0.16 0.15
3/8 CX01-0602 7.25 CX01-0616 6.45 0.23 0.21
7/16 CX01-0603 9.80 CX01-0617 8.72 0.32 0.29
1/2 CX01-0604 12.8 CX01-0618 11.3 0.42 0.38
9/16 CX01-0605 16.1 CX01-0619 14.3 0.53 0.48
5/8 CX01-0606 19.7 CX01-0620 17.5 0.65 0.59
3/4 CX01-0607 28.1 CX01-0621 25.0 0.92 0.84
7/8 CX01-0608 38.0 CX01-0622 33.8 1.27 1.15
1 CX01-0609 49.1 CX01-0623 43.7 1.65 1.50
1 1/8 CX01-0610 61.5 CX01-0624 54.8 2.09 1.90
1 1/4 CX01-0611 75.4 CX01-0625 67.1 2.57 2.34
1 3/8 CX01-0612 90.4 CX01-0626 80.4 3.12 2.84
1 1/2 CX01-0613 107.0 CX01-0627 94.8 3.72 3.38
*Acceptance strength is not less than 2 1/2% below the nominal strengths listed.
*Acceptance strength is not less †Galvanizing:
than 2 1/2% below theAnominal
For class strengths
galvanized listed.
wire rope (EIP and IPS grades only), deduct 10% from the nominal
†Galvanizing: For class A galvanized wire shown.
strength rope (EIP and IPS grades only), deduct 10% from the nominal strength shown.
1-13
GENERAL PURPOSE WIRE ROPES
Bridon American Corporation
6 x 19 Classification
6x19 Seale 6x21 Filler Wire 6x25 Filler Wire 6x26 Warrington Seale
1
6 x 19 Classification ropes provide an excellent balance between fatigue and wear resistance.They give excellent ser-
vice with sheaves and drums of moderate size. 6 x 19 Classification ropes contain 6 strands with 15 through 26 wires
per strand, no more than 12 of which are outside wires.
6 x 19 Classification Rope
Approximate
Nominal Strength,* Tons (Bright or Drawn Galvanized)†
Wt./Ft., lb.
EEIP EIP
CERTEX CERTEX CERTEX CERTEX
Diameter, Cat. Ref. Cat. Ref. Fiber Cat. Ref. Cat. Ref. Fiber Fiber
in. No. IWRC No. Core No. IWRC No. Core IWRC Core
1/4 — — CX01-0059 3.40 CX01-0634 3.02 0.116 0.105
5/16 — — CX01-0060 5.27 CX01-0635 4.69 0.18 0.164
3/8 — — CX01-0061 7.55 CX01-0636 6.71 0.26 0.236
7/16 CX01-0029 11.2 CX01-0044 9.90 CX01-0062 10.2 CX01-0637 9.09 0.35 0.32
1/2 CX01-0030 14.6 CX01-0045 12.9 CX01-0063 13.3 CX01-0638 11.8 0.46 0.42
9/16 CX01-0031 18.5 CX01-0046 16.2 CX01-0064 16.8 CX01-0639 14.9 0.59 0.53
5/8 CX01-0032 22.7 CX01-0047 20.0 CX01-0065 20.6 CX01-0640 18.3 0.72 0.66
3/4 CX01-0033 32.4 CX01-0048 28.6 CX01-0066 29.4 CX01-0641 26.2 1.04 0.95
7/8 CX01-0034 43.8 CX01-0049 38.6 CX01-0067 39.8 CX01-0642 35.4 1.42 1.29
1 CX01-0035 57.5 CX01-0050 50.0 CX01-0068 51.7 CX01-0643 46.0 1.85 1.68
1 1/8 CX01-0036 71.5 CX01-0051 63.0 CX01-0069 65.0 CX01-0644 57.9 2.34 2.13
1 1/4 CX01-0037 87.9 CX01-0052 77.5 CX01-0070 79.9 CX01-0645 71.0 2.89 2.63
1 3/8 CX01-0038 106.0 CX01-0053 93.0 CX01-0071 96.0 CX01-0646 85.4 3.50 3.18
1 1/2 CX01-0039 125.00 CX01-0054 111.0 CX01-0072 114.0 CX01-0647 101.0 4.16 3.78
1 5/8 CX01-0040 145.0 CX01-0055 129.0 CX01-0073 132.0 CX01-0648 118.0 4.88 4.44
1 3/4 CX01-0041 168.0 CX01-0056 149.0 CX01-0074 153.0 CX01-0649 136.0 5.67 5.15
1 7/8 CX01-0042 191.0 CX01-0057 169.0 CX01-0075 174.0 CX01-0650 155.0 6.50 5.91
2 CX01-0043 218.0 CX01-0058 192.0 CX01-0076 198.0 CX01-0651 176.0 7.39 6.72
2 1/8 — — CX01-0628 221.0 CX01-0652 197.0 8.35 7.59
2 1/4 — — CX01-0629 247.0 CX01-0653 220.0 9.36 8.51
2 3/8 — — CX01-0630 274.0 CX01-0654 244.0 10.4 9.48
2 1/2 — — CX01-0631 302.0 CX01-0655 269.0 11.6 10.5
2 5/8 — — CX01-0632 331.0 — 12.8 11.6
2 3/4 — — CX01-0633 361.0 — 14.0 12.7
* Acceptance strength is not less than 2 1/2% below the nominal strengths listed
†Galvanizing For class A galvanized wire rope (EIP and IPS grades only), deduct 10% from the nominal strength shown
1-14
GENERAL PURPOSE WIRE ROPES
Bridon American Corporation
6 x 37 Classification
6 x 31 Warrington Seale 6 x 36 Warrington Seale
1
Characteristics Characteristics
12 outside wires. Slightly more flexible than 6 x 25 rope with 14 outside wires. More fatigue resistance; but less abrasion resis-
the same abrasion resistance tance than 6 x 25 rope.
Typical Applications Typical Applications
Overhead crane and mobile crane hoist ropes Overhead crane and mobile crane hoist ropes; winch lines; large
IWRC shown; fiber core available diameter towing lines
IWRC shown; fiber core available
16 outside wires. Good combination of Same characteristics and applications as 16 outside wires. Best fatigue resistance
fatigue and abrasion resistance for operat- 6 x 41 Warrington Seale and abrasion resistance in 6 x 37 classifi-
ing ropes. IWRC shown; fiber core available cation
Typical Applications Typical Applications
Overhead crane and mobile crane hoist Mooring, towing and anchor lines, shovel
ropes; shovel and dragline hoist ropes and dragline hoist ropes
IWRC shown; fiber core available IWRC shown; fiber core available
More flexible but less abrasion resistant than the 6 x 19 classification. Each strand contains numerous small diameter
wires.As the number of wires increases, flexibility increases. 6 x 37 classification ropes contain 6 strands with 27
through 49 wires, no more than 18 of which are outside wires.
1-15
GENERAL PURPOSE WIRE ROPES
Bridon American Corporation
6 x 37 Classification
1 6 x 37 Classification Rope
Nominal Strength,* Tons (Bright or Drawn Galvanized)† Approximate Wt./Ft., lb.
EEIP EIP
Diameter, CERTEX CERTEX CERTEX CERTEX
in. Cat. Ref. No. IWRC Cat. Ref. No. Fiber Core Cat. Ref. No. IWRC Cat. Ref. No. Fiber Core IWRC Fiber Core
1/4 — — CX01-0113 3.40 CX01-0155 3.02 0.116 0.105
5/16 — — CX01-0114 5.27 CX01-0156 4.69 0.180 0.164
3/8 — — CX01-0115 7.55 CX01-0157 6.71 0.260 0.236
7/16 — — CX01-0116 10.2 CX01-0158 9.09 0.35 0.32
1/2 CX01-0077 14.6 CX01-0095 12.9 CX01-0117 13.3 CX01-0159 11.8 0.46 0.42
9/16 CX01-0078 18.5 CX01-0096 16.2 CX01-0118 16.8 CX01-0160 14.9 0.59 0.53
5/8 CX01-0079 22.7 CX01-0097 20.0 CX01-0119 20.6 CX01-0656 18.3 0.72 0.66
3/4 CX01-0080 32.4 CX01-0098 28.6 CX01-0120 29.4 CX01-0657 26.2 1.04 0.95
7/8 CX01-0081 43.8 CX01-0099 38.6 CX01-0121 39.8 CX01-0658 35.4 1.42 1.29
1 CX01-0082 57.5 CX01-0100 50.0 CX01-0122 51.7 CX01-0659 46.0 1.85 1.68
1 1/8 CX01-0083 71.5 CX01-0101 63.0 CX01-0123 65.0 CX01-0660 57.9 2.34 2.13
1 1/4 CX01-0084 87.9 CX01-0102 77.5 CX01-0124 79.9 CX01-0661 71.0 2.89 2.63
1 3/8 CX01-0085 106.0 CX01-0103 93.0 CX01-0125 96.0 CX01-0662 85.4 3.50 3.18
1 1/2 CX01-0086 125.0 CX01-0104 111.0 CX01-0126 114.0 CX01-0663 101.0 4.16 3.78
1 5/8 CX01-0087 145.0 CX01-0105 129.0 CX01-0127 132.0 CX01-0664 118.0 4.88 4.44
1 3/4 CX01-0088 168.0 CX01-0106 149.0 CX01-0128 153.0 CX01-0665 136.0 5.67 5.15
1 7/8 CX01-0089 191.0 CX01-0107 169.0 CX01-0129 174.0 CX01-0666 155.0 6.50 5.91
2 CX01-0090 218.0 CX01-0108 192.0 CX01-0130 198.0 CX01-0667 176.0 7.39 6.72
2 1/8 CX01-0091 243.0 CX01-0109 215.0 CX01-0131 221.0 CX01-0668 197.0 8.35 7.59
2 1/4 CX01-0092 272.0 CX01-0110 240.0 CX01-0132 247.0 CX01-0669 220.0 9.36 8.51
2 3/8 CX01-0093 301.0 CX01-0111 266.0 CX01-0133 274.0 CX01-0670 244.0 10.4 9.48
2 1/2 CX01-0094 332.0 CX01-0112 293.0 CX01-0134 302.0 CX01-0671 269.0 11.6 10.5
2 5/8 — — CX01-0135 331.0 — 12.8 11.6
2 3/4 — — CX01-0136 361.0 — 14.0 12.7
2 7/8 — — CX01-0137 392.0 — 15.3 13.9
3 — — CX01-0138 425.0 — 16.6 15.1
3 1/8 — — CX01-0139 458.0 — 18.0 16.4
3 1/4 — — CX01-0140 492.0 — 19.5 17.7
3 3/8 — — CX01-0141 529.0 — 21.0 19.1
3 1/2 — — CX01-0142 564.0 — 22.7 20.6
3 5/8 — — CX01-0143 602.0 — 24.3 —
3 3/4 — — CX01-0144 641.0 — 26.0 —
3 7/8 — — CX01-0145 680.0 — 27.7 —
4 — — CX01-0146 720.0 — 29.6 —
4 1/8 — — CX01-0147 761.0 — 31.4 —
4 1/4 — — CX01-0148 803.0 — 33.4 —
4 3/8 — — CX01-0149 846.0 — 35.4 —
4 1/2 — — CX01-0150 889.0 — 37.4 —
4 5/8 — — CX01-0151 934.0 — 39.5 —
4 3/4 — — CX01-0152 979.0 — 41.7 —
4 7/8 — — CX01-0153 1024.0 — 43.9 —
5 — — CX01-0154 1070.0 — 46.2 —
*Acceptance strength is not less than 2 1/2% below the nominal strengths listed.
†Galvanizing For class A galvanized wire rope (EIP and IPS grades only}, deduct 10% from the nominal strength shown.
1-16
GENERAL PURPOSE WIRE ROPES
Galvanized Cable
7 x 7 Galvanized Cable 1
7 x 19 Galvanized Cable
1-17
GENERAL PURPOSE WIRE ROPES
7x7 *Listed for comparison only. Actual operating loads may vary, but should never exceed 20% of catalog
Breaking Strength.
**According to MIL-W-83420D, with exceptions. Meeting Federal Specification RR-W-410D.
1-18
GENERAL PURPOSE WIRE ROPES
7 x 7 x 19 CABLE-LAID
1-19
GENERAL PURPOSE WIRE ROPES
1-20
ROTATION RESISTANT WIRE ROPES
Bridon American Corporation
The accepted definition of rotation resistant rope as stated in the Wire Rope Users Manual is:
1-21
1-24
ROTATION RESISTANT WIRE ROPES
Bridon American Corporation
1 WELDED ENDS are not shock loaded, and the ropes are frequently
inspected by a qualified person. BAC recommends that
1
A welded rope end can facilitate the installation of a each application requiring the use of a swivel with
Rotation Resistant Rope in a wedge socket.A welded Standard or Special Rotation Resistant Ropes be reviewed
rope end combined with a tail of less than 20 rope diam- and approved by a qualified person.
eters can cause rope distortion. If the proper tail length is
used, a welded end is acceptable. There has been some confusion about swivels attached
between the rope and the dead end attachment point
Capped welded end. and swivels below the traveling block (between the
block and the load). For the purpose of the previous dis-
cussion, we are referring to the swivel attachment
between the rope and the dead end attachment point.
Most swivels below the traveling block are not anti-fric-
tion ball bearing swivels.
1-22
1-25
ROTATION RESISTANT WIRE ROPES
Bridon American Corporation
1 FLEET ANGLES 1
Because Rotation Resistant Ropes develop less torque
under load than a standard 6 strand rope, there can be a
problem with rope pileup and poor spooling unless a
proper fleet angle is maintained. The fleet angle
becomes even more important with the very low torque
ropes such as Dyform-34LR and Endurance 35LS. A fleet
angle of 1/2° to 1-1/2° is recommended for Rotation
Resistant Ropes.
CABLING GRAPH
Field research jointly conducted by the Wire Rope
Technical Board and the Power Crane and Shovel
Association has shown that cabling of the rope parts in a
multiple part reeved hoisting arrangement is controlled
by several factors. The following calculations and graphs
can be used to determine when and if cabling will occur
on multiple part reeved hoisting arrangements.
The graph illustrates two dimensional ratios. They are:
1. L/S = Length of fall per unit rope spacing Distortion of Rotation Resistant Ropes, as shown above,
2. D/d = Average pitch diameter of traveling and crown can be caused by shock load/sudden load release and/or
block sheave per unit rope diameter. induced torque and is the reason for immediate removal
from service.
Various constructions of rope shown on the graph indi-
cate the limited conditions for torsional stability with the
angular displacement of the hoist block to a maximum of RECOMMENDED MINIMUM SHEAVE AND DRUM
90 degrees.When the operating conditions for a particu- DIAMETERS
lar installation give a resultant above the appropriate The minimum D/d ratio allowed by applicable codes and
band, then cabling of the falls will most likely occur. If standards covering equipment where Rotation Resistant
the operating conditions give a resultant below any par- Ropes are typically used is 18:1.
ticular band, the cabling of the falls will most likely not
occur. If the operating conditions for any particular RECOMMENDED MINIMUM DESIGN FACTOR
installation fall within the band, cabling is unpredictable.
The minimum design factor allowed by applicable codes
and standards covering equipment where Rotation
Resistant Ropes are typically used is 5.
1-23
1-26
ROTATION RESISTANT WIRE ROPES
Bridon American Corporation
19 x 7 Rotation Resistant Rope
1-24
1-27
HIGH PERFORMANCE LOW ROTATION WIRE ROPES
1-25
LOW ROTATION WIRE ROPES
34 x 7
1-26
HIGHPERFORMANCE
HIGH PERFORMANCEWIRE
WIREROPE
ROPE
Bridon American Corporation
Dyform - 6 Wire Rope
Increased Flexibility:
The manufacturing process of Dyform-6 ropes provides
increased flexibility which makes rope installation much
easier. Lower internal stresses of Dyform-6 ropes offer
longer bending fatigue life than standard six-strand ropes.
1-27
1-31
HIGH PERFORMANCE WIRE ROPE
Available as standard:
Lay Type Grade
Lay Direction Finish n/mm2
Ordinary Langs Right Hand Left Hand Bright Galv Dyform
1-28
HIGH PERFORMANCE WIRE ROPE
Riser Tensioner Lines
Riser Tensioner Lines present a tough application for wirerope, repetitive highload bending over sheaves requiring
a flexible solution with exceptional bend fatigue properties and resistance towear & abrasion. 1
44 8.59 5.77 1569 160 176 107 24 1.5 1110 1038 1.61
44.5 13/4 8.60 5.78 1569 160 176 109 25 1.5 1121 1059 1.64
47.6 17/8 10.1 6.81 1782 182 200 125 28 1.8 1364 1214 1.88
48 10.4 6.99 1782 182 200 127 29 1.9 1375 1235 1.91
50.8 2 11.7 7.86 2010 205 226 142 32 2.2 1641 1383 2.14
52 11.9 8.00 2067 211 232 149 34 2.3 1728 1449 2.25
54 21/8 12.4 8.33 2187 223 246 161 36 2.6 1898 1563 2.42
56 13.3 8.94 2315 236 260 173 39 2.8 2084 1681 2.61
57.2 21/4 13.9 9.34 2373 242 267 180 41 3.0 2180 1751 2.71
60.3 23/8 15.0 10.1 2550 260 286 201 45 3.4 2472 1949 3.02
63.5 21/2 17.3 11.6 2922 298 328 223 50 4.0 2983 2161 3.35
64 17.5 11.8 2970 303 334 226 51 4.1 3055 2195 3.40
66.7 25/8 19.0 12.8 3227 329 363 246 55 4.7 3460 2385 3.70
69.9 23/4 20.8 14.0 3599 367 404 270 61 5.5 4044 2619 4.06
73.0 27/8 22.6 15.2 3756 383 422 294 66 6.0 4407 2856 4.43
76.2 3 24.7 16.6 3923 400 441 321 72 6.5 4805 3112 4.82
Big Hydra
Big Hydra multi-strand ropes provide an opportunity to
utilise large diameter 'Rotational Resistant' ropes ensuring
an excellent fatigue performance and high strength. Big
Hydra is available in conventional or Dyform® construc-
tion to suit your individual requirements.
mm in kg/m lb/ft kg/m lb/ft kN Tonnes 2000lbs MN Mlbs kN.m lbs.ft mm2 in2
76 26.1 17.6 22.7 15.3 4747 484 533 295 66 3.68 2717 2813 4.36
76.2 3 26.3 17.7 22.9 15.4 4777 487 537 297 67 3.72 2742 2828 4.38
80 29.0 19.5 25.2 16.9 5249 535 590 327 74 4.18 3083 3117 4.83
82.6 31/4 30.9 20.8 26.9 18.1 5581 569 627 349 78 4.54 3351 3323 5.15
84 31.9 21.4 27.8 18.6 5778 589 649 361 81 4.84 3569 3436 5.33
88 35.0 23.5 30.5 20.5 6071 619 682 396 89 5.43 4004 3771 5.85
88.9 31/2 35.7 24.0 31.1 20.9 6194 631 696 404 91 5.57 4106 3849 5.97
92 38.3 25.7 33.3 22.4 6634 676 745 433 97 6.36 4688 4122 6.39
95.3 33/4 41.0 27.6 35.7 24.0 7086 722 796 464 104 6.79 5009 4423 6.86
96 41.6 28.0 36.2 24.3 7198 734 809 471 106 6.99 5155 4488 6.96
100 45.2 30.4 39.3 26.4 7797 795 876 511 115 8.17 6021 4870 7.55
101.6 4 46.7 31.4 40.6 27.3 8103 826 910 528 119 8.31 6127 5027 7.79
108 41/4 52.9 35.5 46.0 30.9 9076 925 1020 596 134 9.84 7253 5680 8.80
114.3 41/2 59.1 39.7 51.4 34.6 10121 1032 1137 668 150 11.68 8616 6362 9.86
120.7 43/4 66.1 44.4 57.5 38.6 11240 1146 1263 745 167 13.69 10091 7095 11.00
127 5 73.1 49.1 63.6 42.7 12355 1259 1388 825 185 15.81 11661 7855 12.18
133.4 51/4 80.9 54.4 70.4 47.3 13616 1388 1530 910 205 18.10 13346 8666 13.43
139.7 51/2 88.5 59.5 77.0 51.7 14726 1501 1654 998 224 20.77 15316 9504 14.73
1-29
HIGH PERFORMANCE WIRE ROPE
mm in kg/m lb/ft kg/m lb/ft kN Tonnes Tons MN Mlbs kN.m lbs.ft mm2 in2
(2000lbs)
52 11.4 7.66 9.92 6.66 2271 231 255 140 31 1.5 1132 1333 2.07
54 21/8 12.3 8.26 10.7 7.19 2395 244 269 151 34 1.7 1240 1438 2.23
56 13.2 8.88 11.5 7.73 2511 256 282 162 36 1.8 1348 1546 2.40
57.2 21/4 13.8 9.25 12.0 8.05 2590 264 291 169 38 1.9 1419 1610 2.50
60 15.2 10.2 13.2 8.87 2797 285 314 186 42 2.2 1609 1775 2.75
60.3 23/8 15.3 10.3 13.3 8.96 2825 288 317 188 42 2.2 1633 1793 2.78
63.5 21/2 17.0 11.4 14.8 9.94 3433 350 386 209 47 2.8 2090 1988 3.08
64 17.3 11.6 15.0 10.1 3487 355 392 212 48 2.9 2139 2019 3.13
66.7 25/8 18.8 12.6 16.3 11.0 3707 378 416 230 52 3.2 2370 2193 3.40
68 19.5 13.1 17.0 11.4 3853 393 433 239 54 3.4 2512 2280 3.53
Diamond Blue offers the 69.9 23/4 20.6 13.8 17.9 12.0 4071 415 457 253 57 3.7 2728 2409 3.73
highest strength to weight 72 21.9 14.7 19.0 12.8 4338 442 487 268 60 4.1 2994 2556 3.96
76 24.3 16.4 21.2 14.2 4781 487 537 299 67 4.7 3483 2848 4.41
ratio for steel anchor lines 76.2 3 24.5 16.4 21.3 14.3 4806 490 540 301 68 4.8 3510 2863 4.44
supporting moves to ultra- 80 27.0 18.1 23.5 15.8 5003 510 562 331 74 5.2 3837 3155 4.89
82.6 31/4 28.8 19.3 25.0 16.8 5503 561 618 353 79 5.9 4357 3364 5.21
deep water locations. 84 29.7 20.0 25.9 17.4 5691 580 639 365 82 6.2 4582 3479 5.39
88 32.6 21.9 28.4 19.1 6400 652 719 401 90 7.3 5399 3818 5.92
88.9 31/2 33.3 22.4 29.0 19.5 6573 670 738 409 92 7.6 5601 3896 6.04
92 35.7 24.0 31.0 20.9 6582 671 739 438 98 7.9 5805 4173 6.47
95.3 33/4 38.3 25.7 33.3 22.4 7063 720 793 470 106 8.8 6452 4477 6.94
96 38.8 26.1 33.8 22.7 7167 731 805 477 107 8.9 6595 4543 7.04
100 42.2 28.3 36.7 24.6 7602 775 854 518 116 9.9 7287 4930 7.64
101.6 4 43.5 29.2 37.9 25.4 7848 800 882 534 120 10 7643 5089 7.89
108 41/4 49.2 33.0 42.8 28.7 8240 840 926 604 136 12 8531 5750 8.91
114.3 41/2 55.1 37.0 47.9 32.2 9515 970 1069 676 152 14 10425 6441 10.0
120.7 43/4 61.4 41.3 53.4 35.9 10241 1044 1150 754 169 16 11849 7182 11.1
127 5 68.0 45.7 59.1 39.7 11380 1160 1278 835 188 19 13854 7952 12.3
For use in floating production mooring systems the minimum breaking loads (MBL) are for cables with a drawn galvanised (Z class) finish
which gives corrosion protection for upto 6 years. For corrosion protection upto 10 years the cables are final galvanised (A class). In this case
the minimum breaking loads will be reduced by approximately 2%. Contact Bridon for specific requirements.
mm in kg/m lb/ft kg/m lb/ft kN Tonnes Tons MN Mlbs kN.m lbs.ft mm2 in2
(2000lbs)
52 12.3 8.27 10.70 7.19 2487 254 279 150 34 1.7 1232 1447 2.24
54 21/8 13.3 8.94 11.6 7.78 2667 272 300 162 36 1.9 1379 1560 2.42
56 14.3 9.61 12.4 8.36 2828 288 318 174 39 2.1 1539 1678 2.60
57.2 21/4 15.2 10.21 13.2 8.89 2938 300 330 182 41 2.2 1637 1747 2.71
60 16.2 10.9 14.1 9.49 3213 328 361 200 45 2.5 1874 1926 2.99
60.3 23/8 16.4 11.0 14.3 9.59 3252 331 365 202 45 2.6 1903 1945 3.02
63.5 21/2 18.8 12.6 16.4 10.99 3598 367 404 224 50 3.1 2280 2157 3.34
64 19.1 12.8 16.6 11.2 3676 375 413 228 51 3.2 2329 2191 3.40
66.7 25/8 20.3 13.6 17.7 11.9 3976 405 447 248 56 3.5 2599 2380 3.69
Dyform DB2K offers the 68 21.1 14.2 18.4 12.3 4140 422 465 257 58 3.7 2756 2474 3.83
highest strength to diameter 69.9 23/4 22.6 15.2 19.7 13.2 4372 446 491 272 61 4.1 3004 2614 4.05
72 23.6 15.9 20.5 13.8 4656 475 523 288 65 4.4 3271 2773 4.30
ratio enabling optimum 76 26.3 17.7 22.9 15.4 5065 516 569 321 72 5.2 3828 3090 4.79
utilisation of limited volume 76.2 3 26.7 17.9 23.2 15.6 5087 519 571 323 73 5.2 3857 3106 4.82
80 29.2 19.6 25.4 17.1 5673 578 637 356 80 6.1 4488 3424 5.31
winch arrangements. 82.6 31/4 31.3 21.0 27.2 18.3 6032 615 678 380 85 6.6 4892 3650 5.66
Furthermore, the increased 84 32.1 21.6 27.9 18.8 6235 636 700 393 88 7.0 5194 3775 5.85
88 35.3 23.7 30.7 20.6 6813 694 765 431 97 8.1 5973 4143 6.42
surface area of Dyformed 88.9 31/2 36.5 24.5 31.8 21.3 7025 716 789 440 99 8.3 6114 4228 6.55
strands improves stress 92 38.6 25.9 33.6 22.6 7362 750 827 471 106 9.3 6825 4528 7.02
distribution enabling 95.3 33/4 41.8 28.1 36.4 24.4 7775 793 873 505 114 10 7373 4859 7.53
96 42.4 28.5 36.9 24.8 7968 812 895 513 115 10 7489 4931 7.64
superior crush & abrasion 100 45.6 30.6 39.7 26.7 8350 851 938 556 125 11 8170 5350 8.29
resistance. 101.6 4 47.5 31.9 41.3 27.8 8618 878 968 574 129 12 8637 5523 8.56
1-30
HIGH PERFORMANCE WIRE ROPE
Bridon American Corporation
Constructex® Wire Rope
1 CHARACTERISTICS 1
Greater Strength:
The design of Constructex compacts more steel per
diameter which provides for higher strength.This allows
users to lift heavier loads while maintaining the same
rope diameter.
1-31