Saturday, 24 October 2015

Four important facts about stainless steel wire rope

Industries rely on a variety of tools, machines, components, equipment and other elements to meet their production demands. One such component used in a number of industries is stainless steel wire rope. Let’s get into the details of a few facts about characteristics, use and application of wire
ropes made out of stainless steel:
  • Stainless Steel Wire Rope finds great application in the construction of structures like barriers for decks, staircase – for instance, in Handrail and Balustrade applications. There are different types of wires used by the professionals depending on the construction needs. For instance, if required for horizontal applications, like in a straight line, then 1/19 Wire is considered suitable. When applied under these situations, it is good to terminate the wire by swagging onto swag fits at its ends. 7/7 or 7/19 wire is considered fit if a vertical wire arrangement has to be made. This is to cover up the bends at top and bottom handrails. Stainless eyelets would be screwed into Timber Handrails or stainless tube handrails at the points.
  • These wire ropes have plenty of crevices, by its nature. However, this characteristic of ropes makes them more susceptible to corrosion by trapping salt and dirt in the gaps, which act as catalysts for corrosion. Marine Grade Stainless Steel or 316 Grade Stainless Steel may undergo corrosion if not taken care of very well due to their very nature – crevices between wire stands. In the 7/7 construction type, one can see 7 wire strands wound together, and then 7 of these wire groups again wound in a single unit. 
  • Steel wire rope suppliers do use natural Lanolin based product, basically known as Prolan or Lanotec to apply onto the wire surface in order to protect them from corroding away. However, this should be done together with regular cleaning and maintenance program. Doing so ensures that the wire will have its good looks well-maintained and would not Tea-stain. In case any Tea-staining or discolouration is noticed, then Phosphoric acid based cleaner works wonder. Herein, using Grunt Emergel can help to remove rust or Iron-Oxide from the wire surface revealing its good shiny looks.
  • There are many more precautions that fabricators as well as industry professionals can take to avoid Tea-staining. Out of the many options, one is to choose the right grade of Stainless Steel for wire ropes and Crosby chain. Herein, it is important to get a good guide in making the perfect selection. With the right choice of products, it becomes easier to maintain the smoother finish and shine of the wire surface even after heavy duty applications. For instance, minimum of 316 marine grade stainless steel should be chosen for wire rope & chain sling in marine or coastal environments to resist corrosion. This is particularly important because these environments favour corrosion more than any others. Moreover, it is important to regularly wash away the salt deposits and residues from the steel surface to keep it shiny and smooth.
Rely on Crosby products and its leading Distributor for the quality-grade stainless steel wire rope, chain slings, etc. to ensure safety under extreme conditions.