[WRE | SPOTLIGHT]
How To Inspect WIRE ROPE SLINGS
BY KEN DEHEVE Wire rope is a machine.
t’s a rather complex machine, actually. Its primary function is to move, which in turn is where it obtains its source of strength. And because it is such a complex piece of machinery, no precise rules have been given to determine exactly when a wire rope sling has passed its service or expiration date. But there are guidelines one should follow to know whether the sling they possess is suitable for continued use or needs replacement.
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We should inspect wire rope slings prior to use to identify potential hazards or damage that may be present and if it’s suitable for continued use. Te Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and ASME B30.9 standards also dictate that inspection intervals and procedures must be performed and that the inspections are executed by the sling user. Since all wire rope that has been fabricated into slings applies to the same work practices as all “working” wire rope, it’s essential that the sling inspector has a good working knowledge of wire rope design and construction before conducting an inspection of the wire rope sling. In this article, we will cover in depth the different
types of wire rope, splicing methods, basic inspection criteria, storage procedures, and more.
Wire Rope Types As with most types of wire rope, a number of multi- wired strands are laid or helically bent around what is essentially called a core member. Typically, there are two types of cores that are used in the process of manufacturing wire rope: fiber cores and IWRC cores (nonfiber). IWRC is a steel core while a fiber core is comprised of synthetic fibers. For this particular article, we will be focusing mainly on IWRC cores, which is the more commonly-used type of wire rope core. (Klinke, 24)
Hand Vs Mechanical Splicing When it comes to how the eye of a wire rope sling is spliced, there are again two preferred methods: Hand and Mechanical. A hand splicing method offers a narrower profile and therefore can fit through tighter
spaces. Because no metal sleeve is required to secure the eye in a hand-sliced sling, it offers more flexibility to the user, but less in carrying capacity. A mechanical splicing is fabricated by unlaying the rope body into two parts, one containing half the number of strands and the other having the remaining strands and core. Te rope is then unlayed far enough back to allow the eye to be formed by looping one part in one direction and the other part in the opposite direction and laying the rope back together. Te strands are rolled back around the rope body and a metal sleeve is slipped over the ends and pressed to secure the ends to the sling
Photo courtesy of Lifting Gear Hire
20
JULY–AUGUST 2017
WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE
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