Bridon
Pushing forward large diameter rope technology, Bridon has launched a new facility that will make larger and improved Hydra ropes for offshore applications.
In recent months the company has been constructing a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, Bridon Neptune Quay, in the UK, for the purpose of making the largest and most complex multi-strand ropes in the world, it says.
The Hydra multi-strand rope range, designed for use in offshore applications including A&R winches and heavy lifting and construction, will be expanded.
Bridon says it now has the capability to make these ropes far more complex than previously possible, with piece weights of up to 600t and diameters of up to 250mm. They will boast optimized bend fatigue performance, torsional stability, and enhanced crush resistance.
The company will also offer custom multistrand ropes engineered for specific applications. The engineered ropes will be able perform at the highest level within the most challenging environments.
Hydra ropes from Bridon Neptune Quay will be available for shipping from January 2013.
Verope
The Swiss based steel wire rope company Verope says it has great news for wire rope users in the construction industry, with the launch of Verotop XP, a rotation resistant, swaged version of the Verope bestseller Vero-top P.
Verotop XP has a very high breaking strength and excellent bending fatigue characteristics, the company says.
The new swaged 16 strand rope consists of 35 strands and 229 wires. Having such a large number of elements makes the rope extremely flexible, Verope says.
The swaging of the outer strand layer, providing a smooth wire rope surface, offers increased resistance against drum crushing in applications with multiple layer spooling.
The company said that the swaged rope’s performance characteristics have been proven by testing in the field bending fatigue tests.
Verotop XP provided superior performance compared with non-swaged rope designs in field trials on drilling and pile driving equipment, the company said.
It is now available to buy on the international market.
American Halo
American Halo, based in Pennsylvania, USA, announced that it had added a 30USton hydrualic swager to its swager range, and noted that swaggers for large diameter rope are currently being developed and tested.
The new 30USt swager from American Haolo applies forces to cold form end fittings between a set of dies, in order to swage or compress the fittings onto a wire rope or cable, and form a permanent termination.
End fittings that can be affixed with the swager include flemish eye sleeves, threaded studs, oval sleeves, pin eyes, ball shanks, double balls, button stops or ferrules, and choker ferrules onto wire rope and cable swage sockets.
Hydraulic cylinders and controls make American Halo’s swagers safe and reliable when exertingforce.
The swagers are designed for fast cycle time and fast controls, leaving operator’s hands free to manipulate cable and fittings, and are also compatible with various die block sizes.
Their design is intended to properly channel the swaging forces while reducingwear and tear on working parts.
The company has cost savingmodels available with engineered safety factors. Justin Fetter, who is vice president of operations and the founder of American Halo, said:
"We feel our swaging tools will bring added safety and efficiency to the wire rope and cable industry.
"Our next swagers being developed will be for larger diameter rope and geared toward the heavy lifting industry."
Lubrication Engineers
Lubrication Engineers of Canada has been appointed as the authorized distributor of Viper Wire Rope Lubricator, Canada.
The Viper wire rope lubricator was developed by Lubrication Engineers representatives in Australia.
The Viper forces Lubricant into the core of the wire ropes, while simultaneously applying a thin coating of film on the surface.
This removes the health and safety risks to the workers, environmental concerns, lubricant waste, and increases cleanliness.
The company says the Viper reduces the amount of labour required to lubricate wire ropes by 90%, when used with 451- 453 Wirelife Coating Grease or 2022 Wirelife Almasol Synthetic Lubricant. The company claims that usage of the Viper lubricant can increase rope life by 300%.
Special Seal design allows larger area of contact with the rope and increases rope dwell time in the collar, working the lubricant into the core of the wire rope, bringing greater lubrication than lubricators that rub lubricant onto the surface.
The drain outlet captures and reuses excess lubricant. The Viper can be used with ropes for multiple crane types, including mobile cranes, tower cranes, ship/wharf cranes, marine applications, ship deck winches, as well as wire ropes used in other factory crane and mooring applications.