Steel ropes - general definition and basic parameters

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Galvanized steel rope is a product twisted from steel wire. In its manufacture, thin rods (threads) of various thicknesses and qualities are used. All of them twist in a spiral in one strand. Any rope consists of several twisted strands of the same type and a metal or organic core. The core is located in the center of the cable, fills its void and prevents adjacent strands of wire from falling through. Impregnated with anti-corrosion grease, it protects the inner layer from corrosion when the cable is bent. The wire used can be galvanized or uncoated, have a round or shaped section. Its tensile strength is in the range of 900 to 3500 N/mm2. The number of strands in the rope, which are located around the core, determine its structure.

Steel ropes differ from each other in cross-sectional shape, physicalmechanical characteristics of the wires and have a large number of designs. The material grade, core type, lay direction, number of wires per strand determine the flexibility and rigidity of the rope. The more wires used, the more flexible the rope.

Depending on the operating conditions, steel ropes are divided into traction, reinforcing, lifting, cargo, towing, mine, bearing, etc. These products are widely used in many industries and utilities. Steel ropes are a load-bearing element of transport, road construction, lifting structures and machines. The quality of these attachments ensures the safe use of all lifting mechanisms.

According to the design feature, the steel rope (GOST 3241-80 or DIN 3051) is distinguished by the following types:

1. Single lay. Such a cable consists of one strand. It has wires of the same diameter retinue in one layer (or several layers) around one wire.
2. Double lay. This rope consists of several strands, which are one or two layers, and are located around the core.
3. Triple lay. It consists of three strands that are twisted together and do not have a core.

The twist of the strands can be cross, one-sided or combined, left or right direction, untwisted or non-untwisted twisting method. Inside, the strands of wire have a point, line, or dot-line touch.

Steel ropes are characterized by the followingformula: NM + L, where N is the number of strands, M is the number of wires in one strand, L is the number of cores in the rope. For example, the entry 636 + 1 means that the rope consists of six strands, each of which contains 36 wires, and one core.

Steel cables should be stored tightly wound on spools (bobbins) or rolled into small coils. From the impact of an aggressive environment, the bay with a cable should be protected by a canvas cover located on a wooden pallet (in sunny weather, the casing is removed). Excessive bends are harmful to the cable. Therefore, the container for it is selected carefully. With proper storage of the rope, the service life of the product is unlimited.