If your business involves moving loads from one location to another, then you probably rely on chains and heavy lifting equipment to move materials around your site. Chains are great for lifting heavy items but they do have certain limitations. If you have become reliant on chains, then have you considered the possibility that wire ropes could be an effective alternative? While chains are created by linking together individual links with hooks, wire ropes use many strands of steel wire and place them on the outside of a central core. When steel ropes are made in this way, a strong cable is the result, and in many ways, the cable is superior to a chain. Here are three ways that wire ropes can be more effective than steel chains.
Hauling heavy loads
Steel chains have a long history of moving heavy items, yet even steel chains have limits on what they can move. If you normally use a chain hoist, then you may be interested to know that a wire rope can often lift three times the load that you could transfer with a chain hoist. When a higher lifting capacity than a chain is required, then wire ropes are normally the right option.
Maintaining safety
When steel chains are used beyond the limit of their lifting capacity, then it is not unknown for them to snap. The way that chains are constructed means that it only takes the snapping of one link for the entire chain to fail. When working with wire ropes, each of the many strands of wire holds the weight of the load so if one or more of the wire strands happens to snap, there should be plenty of other wire strands left to continue holding the load and bring it to rest without endangering anyone on the site.
Providing cabling or support
While wire ropes are frequently used to transferring loads, that is far from their only purpose. If you manage any equipment that has internal cabling, then you may have noticed that this internal cabling is often provided by wire ropes. Alternatively, if you operate a construction site, you may have occasion to provide support for something heavy or bulky. While a chain can be used for support, wire ropes are generally preferred due to the versatility and flexibility.
To learn more about what wire ropes can bring to your business, talk to your local supplier today.