Cables Are A Machine

Cables Are A Machine
When I talk to our customers about wire rope or cables, I always mention that your cables are a machine. Cables are always flexing. So, the construction is important, and cables are always used in tension lifting a load. Cables like to have some weight on them so when they are not loaded, they can reeve properly onto the drum. There are several considerations that go into the proper design of an electric wire rope hoist. Firstly, is the working load. If you are lifting 2,000lbs then your wire rope breaking strength will be 5:1 or a breaking strength of 10,000 lbs. Next is the diameter of the wire rope versus the pulley diameter that it is rotating around. The wire rope specifications will dictate that. Usually this is a 20:1 or higher ration. So for a 3/8” cable the diameter of the pulley will be minimum 7.5” diameter. People ask me how often cables need to be changed. This completely depends on the size of the loads and the cycles or how often it is used. There is no time limit. Of course, maintenance is important. Cables should be lubricated twice a year for most cranes. Lubricate the cables with a Nyrosten or our Lube-A-Boom rope spray which we carry in stock from Lube-A-Boom line of products. It is important to lubricate the rope guide with a lighter oil than the wire rope. These devices are expensive to replace and labor intensive to repair. Keep that rope guide moving freely across the drum. Of course, when we do our inspections we lubricate your cables and rope guide to improve the lifespan of your equipment. At Crane Tech we save you money. Using Crane Tech keeps your workers safe. If you are in Bradford, Queensville, Keswick give us a call. We inspect cranes, auto hoists, elevating lift platforms, bridge cranes to name but a few. Remember that the Crane Tech Inspection team can conveniently inspect all of your lifting equipment at the same time. One call for all of your lifting equipment! Crane Tech inspects and maintains your Hoist Lifting Equipment. Call us at 705-734-0012. See us on Instagram. On the web www.craneservices.ca. We know your equipment best!