4 Signs of Crane Rope Damage and Distortion

Crane ropes are one of the most critical components of any crane. They assist in hooking, loading, moving, and unloading materials and ensure efficient crane operations. Crane ropes are available in various shapes, sizes, and materials but all of them have the same baseline function.

Due to extensive usage, crane ropes experience wear and tear, which must be identified and rectified to prevent potential material accidents. Crane operators and riggers must be trained in crane rope inspections and crane safety device usage. It helps in maintaining a crane’s integrity and efficiency while boosting employee safety and ensuring smooth material lowering and lifting procedures.

Here are the five key signs indicating crane rope damage.

1. Breakage

Inspect your crane rope for breakage signs. Look for tears, breakage abrasion, corrosion, and fatigue to pinpoint the exact damage location. As the name suggests, a potential breakage risk can put your equipment, crane operator, and material at great risk. You may also face a fatal crane accident in case your crane rope breaks and topples the material/object on the ground.

A crane rope may have multiple wire breakage signs. You should be careful about making sure that your crane’s roping system is functional before commencing a crane lift. Invest in a quality crane camera system to improve site surveillance.

2. Corrosion

Crane wire ropes are highly vulnerable to rust and corrosion. This particular sign is evident in metal ropes used for lifting, moving, and unloading heavier, more fragile objects. Cranes deployed at outdoor and marine sites are more susceptible to wire corrosion and require regular inspections.

Check for evident rust signs on your crane’s rope or detect potential rusting by pointing out foul smells coming from the wire rope. In addition, pitting on crane surfaces also indicate crane corrosion and must the affected parts should be replaced or repaired immediately to prevent any issues.

3. Caging

Caging or bird-caging is another common crane wire rope damage sign. Internal wire breaks lead to crane base distortion and damage the inlays of wire ropes. When various parts of a crane rope break or tear, they lead to rope shape distortion and uneven pressure distribution.

Crane wire rope caging is a severe problem and should never be ignored by the crane inspection team. It not only compromises your crane’s structural integrity but also exposes your employees to safety threats.

4. Crossovers

Crane wire ropes are exposed to all kinds of external factors that may damage them. For example, cranes parked at mining sites or deployed at seashores are affected by chemicals, salt, and fumes. Such cranes are at a high risk of developing rope problems like crossovers and kinks.

Crossovers are double-layered crane rope twists and undesirable deformations. They can be a result of reeving, improper rope storage, or stressed concentration points. All tangled sections and rope twists must be rectified before lifting operations to ensure operator safety.

How Can Crane Warning Systems Atlanta Help You?

Crane Warning Systems Atlanta is a leading crane safety devices distributor in the US. It is RaycoWylie’s authorized seller, offering quality crane warning products like RaycoWylie ATB, LMI-RCI, and wireless crane anemometer. The company has worked with numerous crane operators and has helped them achieve higher crane safety standards.

If you’re in the US looking for brand-new, warranty-covered crane safety devices, get in touch with Crane Warning Systems Atlanta right away. They also provide 24/7 technical and on-chat support to customers.

Head over to their website and browse through their free-to-access crane product manuals now.