Wire Rope

Bright steel wire rope is uncoated raw steel wire rope with a light A1 grade lube applied to it to prevent surface rust in storage and light use. It is recommended to lubricate bright wire rope periodically to prevent internal wear and corrosion. Bright steel is typically stronger than galvanized wire rope for the same diameter and underlying steel grade. Bright wire rope is suitable for use in general industry where it won’t be subject to extreme corrosion from salt air environments, or in applications where it can be re-lubricated periodically. Pro-Strand drawn galvanized wire rope is coated with a protective zinc coating that acts as an anode and prevents the underlying steel from corrosion. Each individual small wire in the wire rope is drawn through a molten zinc bath to form a smooth, even and complete coating. The wires are then combined to create the wire rope. Drawn galvanized wire rope is the most corrosion resistant and durable type of galvanizing process for wire rope. Galvanized wire rope is especially useful in areas with a salt-air environment, and in applications that don’t allow for periodic relubrication of the wire rope.

In wire rope, 6x26 construction means 6 strands of 26 wires with a center core either made of steel wire rope, or fiber. 6x26 construction wire rope falls into the 6x19 classification of wire rope and it is less flexible than 7x19 Aircraft cable and 6x36 wire rope. The larger wires in 6x26 wire rope do make it much more durable and wear resistant. 6x26 wire rope is ideally suited for slings due to the higher wear resistance, and standing rigging where flexibility isn’t needed. 6x36 class wire rope consists of 6 strands with 36 wires each with a center core. 6x36 wire rope is more flexible and fatigue resistant than 6x26 wire rope, but is less wear resistant. 6x36 wire rope is ideally suited for applications that require the rope to be wrapped onto a drum, or worked over a sheave or block.

IWRC means Independent Wire Rope Core. It is a small wire rope that is in the center of a section of wire rope. IWRC wire ropes are stronger than fiber core wire rope, but they are less flexible. IWRC wire ropes are ideally suited for applications where strength and durability is the top priority. Drum and winch applications are also best suited for IWRC wire rope to prevent crushing and deformation of the wire rope as it is tightly wrapped on the drum. IWRC provides a stiff center foundation to keep the outer strands from flattening as it wraps around the drum. Being that there is no plastic / fiber core in IWRC rope, it can also be used in higher temperatures without damage. OSHA states that fiber core wire rope should not be used if exposed to temperatures above 180°F (82°C). IWRC steel wire rope can be used in temperatures up to 200°F with no strength reduction, up to 400°F with a 10% strength reduction, up to 600°F with a 25% strength reduction, and up to 800°F with a 35% strength reduction.

EIPS means Extra Improved Plow Steel and it is an industry term for the strength class wire rope dating back to the 1800’s when the same steel used for plows was used to make wire rope. “Improved Plow Steel” (IPS) is the base strength class, EIPS is 15% stronger than IPS, and EEIPS is 10% stronger than EIPS. As the rope gets stronger, it typically gets less flexible. The most common wire rope used in modern times is EIPS and is suitable for most applications.

Warrington Seale refers to the construction and combination of the wires in the strands of the wire rope. Different construction types such as Warrington, Single Layer, Filler, Seale, or a combination of construction styles create different features and performance characteristics of the rope. Each style uses different diameter wires layered around each other to achieve the features required by the application. The Warrington Seale combination construction on our wire ropes are perfect for the most broad general use applications and have a blance of strench, flexibility, and wear resistance.