Rope analysis furthers crane safety, reliability and service life

Wire ropes and rope reeving systems form the heart of many cranes and lifting technologies, and their safe operation is critical. Konecranes has introduced to Australia, New Zealand and SE Asia its latest advanced Rope Analysis, to look beyond what is visible to the naked eye. Konecranes’ Rope Analysis targets individual concerns such as rope selection, rope life, component failures, unexpected rope behaviour, accident investigation or improvement opportunities, including recommendations on extending rope and component life.

Ropes and reeving systems are crucial to the safety of cranes and lifting devices.

Mark Beckwith, Australian Service Operations Manager for Konecranes, noted that Konecranes’ Rope Analysis can improve the total lifecycle costs of equipment by optimising wire rope change intervals in high-duty applications and critical equipment. “Using proprietary 3D modelling and calculation tools, we provide an engineering assessment, calculation and inspection of a company’s ropes and reeving components, based on the EN 13001-3-2:2014 standard,” Beckwith said.

3D modelling is used to provide an accurate assessment of the current condition of the rope and reeving systems.

Beckwith explained that throughout the working life of a wire rope, the strands and core are subjected to tension, bending and abrasion, which can compromise its strength and safety. “Routine maintenance often relies on predetermined replacement intervals regardless of the actual condition of the wire ropes, meaning that safe and operable ropes might be replaced too often or too soon, resulting in unnecessary downtime and increased costs,” Beckwith said.

Konecranes’ consultations can provide a calculated estimate of rope life, recommendations for rope selection or rope reeving geometry improvement to target a variety of issues. The consultations can provide 3D simulation of the rope reeving, to visualise issues and concerns. The consultations can also offer recommendations for extending rope life in current or future use, and provide information that can be used to improve rope behaviour. The Konecranes consultations can also provide rope failure insights with a failure investigation report.

“It’s easy to see when a rope has broken or failed, but by that stage, the crane is already out of action, and there can be significant downtime as it is repaired. Rope Analysis can determine the exact state of a crane’s wire rope and reeving systems, including remaining design life, to provide an accurate recommendation of when it should be changed, to avoid any failures,” Beckwith said.

Top image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/zlikovec