Wire ropes are critical parts of many operations. These components are often responsible for lifting, moving and carrying heavy loads. Just like any o
Wire ropes are critical parts of many operations. These components are often responsible for lifting, moving and carrying heavy loads. Just like any other mechanical component, they have to have the right product in them to work effectively.
Gary Wentzel, Senior Technical Sales Representative for Lubrication Engineers (LE) South Africa says that rope manufacturers will specify the type of lubricant for different types of wire ropes, but that they generally fall into the two categories of greases and thin-film oils.
When wire rope changes are made at an operation, the shifting lubrication needs must also be catered for to get the best out of the rope’s performance and to prolong its lifespan.
“At a large gold mine in the Johannesburg area, a client changed their ropes and moved from using our Wirelife® Almasol® Coating Grease (453) on their old ropes to the Wirelife® Monolec® Penetrating Lubricant (2001), which is a wear-reducing oil, on the new ropes that it had installed,” says Wentzel.
Wirelife® Monolec® Penetrating Lubricant (2001) clings to metal, which means that as the rope moves and bends, the product works its way into any dry areas of the rope so that it gets full coverage of the lubricant.
Spray system
To help facilitate an effective switch over to the new product at the gold mine, LE ran a training session with the client and designed a spray system that will allow the operational teams to apply the product themselves. “We have a good relationship with the client,” says Wentzel, and this established trust and knowledge of the quality of LE’s products meant that even though they were switching from a grease to a thin-film oil, the client felt confident about using the product.
“By using the spray system for the Wirelife® Monolec® Penetrating Lubricant (2001), we are not putting the rope under pressure. With the proprietary additives that our product has, the oil is able to work its way into the core as a rope flexes, twists and moves under load and stress,” he adds. This makes it especially effective at preventing corrosion and keeping rust out of a wire rope.
The rope manufacturer’s warranties specify which type of lubricant should be used, and the Wirelife® Monolec® Penetrating Lubricant (2001) more than satisfies those requirements. “It also includes additive packages that are designed to penetrate the rope really well and help it last,” says Wentzel.