Technical reference

Wire-Rope Types, Lay and Selection Considerations

Rope lay

  • Regular lay
  • Lang lay
  • Right-hand lay
  • Left-hand lay

Rope core

  • Fibre core
  • Independent wire-rope core
  • Wire-strand core

Construction terminology

  • Number of strands and wires per strand
  • Seale, Warrington and filler wire
  • Compacted construction
  • Rotation-resistant construction

Selection considerations

  • Flexibility, abrasion, crushing and fatigue resistance
  • Rotation and groove compatibility
  • Drum winding
  • Corrosion exposure and operating environment

Common damage indicators

  • Broken wires, wear and corrosion
  • Birdcaging, kinking and core protrusion
  • Crushing and diameter reduction
  • Heat and termination damage

Final rope selection, inspection and discard decisions must be based on the actual application, equipment-manufacturer requirements, rope-manufacturer guidance, applicable standards and competent examination.