Different Grades of Chains

Thursday, 29 July 2021

What is a lifting chain? How can I identify a load rated chain that is suitable for lifting? What do the letters and numbers mean? Why should I choose one grade of chain over another?

Understanding what exactly are the different grades of chain is essential knowledge if you are looking for lifting, or looking at using lifting chains for other purposes.

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Wire Rope Grips

Wednesday, 28 April 2021

Wire rope grips are such a familiar and commonplace thing, and yet – they are not always well understood. It’s worth taking a trip into the world of this ‘not for lifting’ wire rope hardware, because that term alone won’t protect us from a rope breaking loose under load. The wire rope grips we use are in essence based upon a concept with fundamental flaws. Using them properly is all about managing those shortcomings.

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Advantages and disadvantages of common lifting slings

Thursday, 28 January 2021

If you are not getting the right service life from your lifting sling, there may be a better sling option you could choose. When choosing a lifting sling, there are a variety of factors that you need to consider before making a decision. These include; understanding your lifting application (i.e. the weight of the load and the centre of gravity), the environment you will be using the sling in (i.e. clearance and surrounding conditions) as well as how the sling will be used to support and lift the load (i.e. hitch type and geometry/sling angles). You also need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of common lifting slings in the market to understand which choice is going to be right for your lifting application. This article explores the advantages and disadvantages of wire rope slings, chain slings and synthetic slings. We detail the typical uses for each type of sling, which industries are more likely to use each type of sling as well as the main advantages and disadvantages of each to help you select the best sling for your lifting application to ensure equipment longevity. To find out if you are using the best sling for your lift - please click through to the article.

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Everything you need to know about chain slings

Wednesday, 30 September 2020

Chain slings are one of the most common pieces of lifting equipment and there are many ways you can use one to complete a lift. There is a wide range of options available in the market as well as a vast array of guides that help in working out which chain sling you should use. There are many factors that should be considered to ensure you are not only using the right chain sling but also caring for it the right way too. This article provides you with a broad range of information including an overview of the types of chain slings, things to consider before selecting or using your sling as well as our inspection, care and storage recommendations to ensure compliance and safety. For this information and more on chain slings that will help you achieve equipment longevity - click through to the article.

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Visual inspections and internal breaks

Thursday, 2 July 2020

Even the most rigorous inspection regime for wire ropes on cranes could leave you exposed to risk if visual inspections are the only methods used. During a visual rope examination, only the condition of the visible parts of the outer wires can be evaluated. Quite often, the visible 20% looks good, while a great number of wire breaks are concealed in the invisible part of the rope. Wire ropes with internal wire breaks and no external signs of damage are extremely dangerous. In this article we detail the importance of introducing electromagnetic wire rope testing, also known as non-destructive testing, or NDT into your maintenance program. For information on NDT, loose strands, birdcaging as well as some advice on how to best prevent breaks from happening – please click through to the article.

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