Stainless Steel Wire Rope

Let's look at the main considerations in choosing the right type of wire rope for your application.

First Step: Load

The first thing to consider is the load that the wire rope will be subjected to. This is typically the weight of the item.

Once this is determined we then have to apply a factor of safety. Usually we work to a factor of safety of 6:1 of the minimum breaking load (MBL) of the wire rope itself.

Example

You are wanting to suspend an item that weighs 25Kg from a ceiling. Obvioulsy we don't want this to fall and cause an accident.

So, we apply the factor of safety at 6:1 giving us the minimum breaking load of the wire rope we need. 6 x 25Kg = 150Kg.

The wire rope we choose needs to have a have a minimum breaking load over 150Kg.

Or alternatively, the wire rope we choose needs to have a have a safe working load (SWL) of at least 25Kg.

Other loads can apply however - such as shock loads or wind loads.

Let us know if you need our specialist help with these conditions.

Second Step: Type of Construction

This very much depends on your application. Our wires range from very flexible to very stiff and this will impact their uses greatly.

Here are the 3 most common options:

7x19 wire rope

If you are using a wire rope in a pulley installation such as a lifting rig then you will want a mixture of strength and high flexibilty.

Typically a 7x19 construction wire rope is recommended due to it's flexibility.

You can read more here about recommended minimum diameter of pulleys.

7x7 wire rope

For many applications 7x7 construction wire rope is a popular choice as it has a medium strength and medium flexibilty.

It's a great choice for wire balustrades, wire trellis systems, suspension, canopy supports, catenary wires, security cables and more.

1x19 wire rope

1x19 wire rope is very stiff so can't cope with kinks or bends. Although it has less stretch than other constructions.

This type of wire rope is used in yacht and sail boat rigging, architectural structural projects and in commercial balustrades such as footbridges.

Third Step: Choice of Material

The choice of the material composition of the wire rope depends on the service life, the environment it will be placed and also cost

Wire rope is available in many material forms. S3i Group specialise in stainless steel.

Stainless steel is ideal in outdoor applications due to it's resistance to corrosion.

Our wire ropes are supplied in 316 grade stainless steel, commonly referred to as marine grade.

This is because stainless steel is more suitable for wet or humid conditions or salt air or water environments such as coastal areas or the gritting of roads.

Stainless steel is also suitable food or medical environments or other ares that require frequent cleaning