Wire rope is a flexible steel cord that is extremely strong. Typical uses for wire rope are: hoisting, towing, and anchoring heavy loads. The core is the foundation of a wire rope. The three most commonly used core designations are: fiber core (FC), independent wire rope core (IWRC), and wire strand core (WSC).
The finished rope has either a right or left-hand lay, which refers to the direction in which the strands were wrapped around the core.
Regular lay means the individual wires were wrapped around the centers in one direction and the strands were wrapped around the core in the opposite direction.
Lang’s lay means the wires were wrapped around the centers in one direction and the strands were wrapped around the core in the same direction.
The length of lay is measured as the distance in inches for one strand to go completely around the rope one time.
Bright wire rope is fabricated from wires that are not coated.
Rotation Resistant Bright wire rope is designed to resist the tendency to spin or rotate under load. To achieve the resistance against the spin and rotation, all wire ropes are composed of at least two layers of strands. In general, more layers a rotation resistant wire rope has, more resistance it will boast.
Galvanized wire rope tests at approximately the same pulling strength as Bright, however, it is zinc coated for corrosion resistance. In mild environments, it’s an economical alternative to stainless steel.
Stainless Steel wire rope is made up of corrosion resistant steel wires and is, therefore, the highest quality wire rope available. While it tests at approximately the same pulling strength as Bright or Galvanized, it lasts the longest under harsh conditions such as salt water and another acidic environment.
While there are numerous options for coating of wire rope, the most common are Zinc and PVC (Polyvinyl chloride). Some of the reasons for selecting coating are to protect the cable from the environment or unwanted materials, to help reduce friction and abrasion, or simply for aesthetic reasons.
Note:- It is always important to state the application of the rope other than the above points to ensure the correct rope for your purpose.