WIRE ROPE

General Information

Wire Rope Design and Construction

2

Single Size

Seale

Filler Wire

The basic strand construction has wires of the

Larger outer wires with the same number of

Small wires fill spaces between large wires to

same wound around a center.

smaller inner wires around a core wire.

produce crush resistance and a good balance

Provides excellent abrasion resistance but less

of strength, flexibility and resistance to abra 

fatigue resistance.  When used with an IWRC,

sion.

it offers excellent crush resistance over drums.

Warrington

Seale Filler Wire

Filler Wire Seale

Outer wires of alternately large and small wires

Many commonly used wire ropes use combina 

Many commonly used wire ropes use combina 

provides good flexibility and strength but low

tions of these basic constructions.

tions of these basic constructions.

abrasion and crush resistance.

Warrington Seale

Seale Warrington Seale

Multiple Operation

Many commonly used wire ropes use combina 

Many commonly used wire ropes use combina 

One of the above strand designs may be cov 

tions of these basic constructions.

tions of these basic constructions.

ered with one or more layers of uniform sized

wires.

Wire ropes are composed of independent parts    wires, strands

sion.  Generally, a small number of large wires will be more abra 

and cores  that continiously interact with each other during serv 

sion resistant and less fatigue resistant that a large number of

ice.

small wires.

Wire rope engineers design those parts in differing steel grades,

Finish 

finishes and a variety of contructions to attain the best balance of

Bright finish is suitable for most applications. Galvanized finish is

strength, abrasion resistance, crush resistance, bending fatigue

available for corrosive environments.  Plastic jacketing and

resistance and corrosion resistance for each application.

encapsulation is also available on some constructions.

To select the best wire rope for each application, one must know

Wire Grades

the required performance characteristics for the job and enough

The most common steel wire grades are: IPS (Imporved Plow

about wire rope design to select the optimum conbination of wire

Steel), EIP(Extra Imroved Plow Steel) and EEIPS (Extra Extra

rope properties.

Improved plow Steel).  Stainless steels and other special grades

The following information is presented as a basic guide.  West

are provided for special applications.  Most wire ropes are made

Coast Wire Rope sales personnel are available to provide more

with round wires.  Both triangular and shaped wires are also

specific recommendations. 

used for special constructions.

Strand Constructions

Generaly, the higher the strength of the wire, the lower its ductili 

Strands are designed with various combinations of wires and

ty wil be.

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wire sizes to produce the desired resistance to fatigue and abra