Expert advice from Bergen on how to select wire-rope assemblies

Bergen is a major supplier of wire rope.

Bergen Cable has an unmatched reputation in international industry for its offerings among cable solutions, and it is also a premier source of wire-rope assemblies, which are similar to cable in some respects. Proper selection of wire rope is always important.

As a team of veteran experts in wire rope, Bergen offers a wealth of valuable advice to clients on getting the most out of these products.

The four most important factors

According to the Bergen crew, there are several critical factors that should be considered with selecting wire-rope assemblies. It is crucial to evaluate the relative importance of these requirements and choose a product with the features most appropriate for the application and repeat use. Bergen identifies the following four factors to consider:

• Abrasive wear. Abrasion resistance in wire rope depends on size, carbon and manganese content, heat treatment of outer wires, and construction. Bigger outer wires with less flexible construction withstand abrasion more effectively than finer outer wires of more flexible rope do, while high carbon and manganese add strength.
• Fatigue. The propagation of small cracks under repeated application of bending loads leads to fatigue failure. This happens when wire rope functions over relatively small drums or sheaves. Repeated bending and straightening of individual wires creates fatigue; early fatigue can be prevented with sheaves and drums of appropriate size and a highly flexible rope.
• Safety. The safety factor of wire rope is the ratio of the weight that it can hold to the weight of the full working load. In addition, this factor depends on operational speed, shock load, the fittings used to secure the rope ends, rope length, the number and sizes of sheaves and drums and their locations, the cases of corrosion and abrasion, and more.
• Strength. Wire-rope assemblies are frequently subjected to direct tension, acceleration, shock loads, bending, several simultaneous forces, and other stresses. Selecting wire rope of the right strength – determined by size, grade, and construction – helps to minimize the effects of these stresses.

To learn more, contact Bergen.

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