Advancements in wire rope testing
March 2025
IT in Manufacturing
Being able to get instant, real-time and portable detection of wire rope flaws can make a significant difference for operational teams as it allows them to address an issue quickly before it escalates and requires more expensive and time-consuming maintenance. Managing director of Lubrication Engineers (LE) South Africa, Colin Ford says that he has seen a number of significant technological advancements and tools entering the market that assist wire rope operators detect and resolve problems faster.
“Portable inspection equipment for steel wire ropes makes it easier to see what is happening because maintenance teams can move them around to different ropes across a plant or mine and get a detailed read of the state of their equipment,” says Ford. “In addition, this allows teams to track particular stress points in their machinery and do regular checks for issues.”
LE is a regional agent for the TST FDSys.P Flaw Detection System. Tools like TST use magnetic inductive sensing technology and magnetic flux leakage (MFL) wire rope inspection techniques. Ford is one of South Africa’s foremost experts on the use of MFL for wire ropes. He explains that the technology uses magnetic fields and complex computerised systems to determine the state of a wire rope, right from the centre of the strands through to the outer layers. Inspections can be done faster, and the information will be more accurate. “These tools allow for high-speed, accurate, user-friendly inspections,” says Ford.
The TST is able to perform a 100% accurate non-destructive inspection of wire ropes with diameters ranging from 6 to 70 mm. Common issues that a system like the TST can detect include broken wires, corrosion, pitting, abrasion and fatigue.
The TST Portable Wire Rope Tester can inspect upwards of 5 m/s, or as limited for safe operation. It offers >90% repeatability of quantitative detection for flaws, and 100% accuracy of severe flaw signals. It picks up flaws such as internal broken wires and fatigue and external flaws such as broken wire, abrasion and corrosion.
Pairing inspection with correct lubrication
For the most effective approach to wire rope maintenance, regular and accurate inspections with tools like the TST need to be paired with correct lubrication. Using automated lubricant application systems and the correct type of lubricants for wire ropes is also crucial.
Products such as LE’s Wirelife Almasol Coating Grease 452 can penetrate right to the core of a rope when applied using something like a Viper lubricator. Ford explains that a Viper lubricator is a collar with seals that is strapped down and held in place so that a rope can move through it.
Environmental benefits
Inspections of wire ropes at sites with mine hoisters, cranes, elevators, cableways, power grids, suspended bridges and drilling platforms also have a long-term environmental benefits. Detecting and addressing issues early on can extend the life of a wire rope and reduce the need for it to be prematurely replaced. Extending the life of a wire rope has a knock-on environmental benefit, as does using the right high-quality lubricant during the rope’s lifespan. Both of these reduce waste and ensure that the maximum value is extracted from a rope. Reducing waste is also key for realising environmental benefits.
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