USER GUIDE HEBEL ROPE
Handling Storage Guideline
1. Please check if there’s an internal or external damage prior to starting to use. A
life time of fiber ropes could be affected by a variety of factors such as ‘working
environments’ ‘how long it’s used’, ‘how to use’ and ‘load condition’ etc. So, it is
important to choose and use a proper rope suitable for application
2. You are required to be cautious when carrying a rope
3. A rope shall be used considering working conditions in conformance with safety
working loads (hereinafter S.W.L). It is very dangerous for people to work near
the ropes loading. If possible, do not let workers close to the rope and especially
be careful of snap back that might happen when a rope breaks.
4. When it comes to 3 strand rope, it shall be untied in a correct direction not to
cause a kink, technically S-Twist rope in clockwise direction and Z-Twist in a
counter-clockwise
5. If a rope is exposed to sunlight in the long term, it will lead to life shortening
and decline in strength. Moreover, nylon rope could be discolored under UV rays.
6. A fiber rope should be stored under clean, cool and arid environments. Especially,
now that nylon rope is very vulnerable to water, humid and chemicals, it should
be more carefully handled and stored.
7. Works for eyes spliced shall be done in an accurate method
8. Please do not make a rope reach to a sharp or rough surface
9. A rope shall not be close to chemicals. If it is stained with oil, paint, thinner
chemicals, please remove them from the rope as clean as it can be.
10. Breaking strength does not mean S.W.L.
The life expectancy of fiber ropes depends on how to handle & store rope. When
using it, the afore-men-tioned guideline must be observed.
Otherwise, some of damage such as strength decline, lower performance or life
shortening etc. Could occur
Precaution
- Always inspect rope for wear, damage or abuse
- Never use rope that is worn-out damaged or abuse
- Ropes are used for a variety of personal and commercial applications
- Use the right size and rope construction for the intended application
- Never stand in line with or in the general path of rope under tension to avoid
the risk of injury caused by recoil
- Avoid rope contact with abrasive surfaces
- Do not overload rope, shock load rope, or bend rope over sharp coners
- Check temperature rating of rope product before using rope in hot environments
- If in doubt about the condition of the rope, retire it.
Importance of proper rope selection, Handling, Inspection, and Retirement
It is important for users to consider which variables are critical for their
application in order to select rope products that are truly fit-for-purpose.
Standards for Work
- New Rope Tensile Strengths
New rope tensile strengths are based on tests of new and unused rope of standard
construction in accordance with manufacturer's standard test methods.
It can be expected that strengths will decrease as soon as a rope is put into use.
Because of the wide range of rope use, changes in rope conditions, exposure to the
many factors affecting rope behavior, and the possibility of risk to life and property, It is
impossible to cover all aspects of rope applications or to make blanket
recommendations as to working loads.
- Working loads
Working loads are for rope in good condition with appropriate splices, in noncritical
applications and under normal service conditions.
Working loads are based on a percentage of the approximate breaking strength of new
and unused rope of current manufacture.
Normal working loads do not cover dynamic conditions such as shock loads or
sustained loads, nor do they cover where life, limb or valuable a higher working load
may be selected only with expert knowledge of conditions and professional estimates of
risk, if the rope has been inspected and found to be in good condition, and if the rope
has not been subject to dynamic loading (such as sudden use, elevated temperatures, or
extended periods under load.)
- Normal Working Loads
Normal working loads are not applicable when rope has been subject to dynamic
loading.
Whenever a load is picked up, stopped, moved or swung there is an increased force due
to dynamic loading. The more rapidly or suddenly such actions occur, the greater the
increase will be.
In extreme cases, the force put on the rope may be two, three, or even more times the
normal load involved. Examples could be ropes used as a towline, picking up a load ona
slack line, or using rope to stop a falling object.
Dynamic effects are greater on a low elongation rope such as polyester than on a high
longation rope such as nylon, and greater on a short rope than on a long one.
Therefore, in all such applications normal working loads as given do not apply.
- Dynamic Loading
For dynamic loading applications involving severe exposure conditions, or for
recommendations on special applications, consult the manufacturer.
- Danger to Personnel
Persons should be worned against the serious danger of standing in line with a rope
under tension. Should the rope part, it may recoil with considerable force.
in all cases where any such risks are present, or if there is any question about the loads
involved or the condition of use, the working load should be substantially reduced and
the rope properly inspected before every use.
- Winching Lines
Braided rope can develop a twist when constantly used on a winch.
This makes handling more difficult and the rope should be relaxed and rotated in the
opposite direction to remove a twist.
To avoid this condition the direction of turns over the winch should be alternated
regularly.
- Splicing and Knots
Splices should be used instead of knots whenever possible because knots can decrease
rope strength up to 50%.
When splices are used, always use the manufacturer's recommended splicing procedures.
When knots are used, be sure to take into consideration the knot's corresponding
reduction to the rope strength and adjust your working load accordingly.
- Rope Inspection
Avoid using rope that shows signs of aging and wear. If in doubt, destroy the used rope.
No type of visual inspection can be guaranteed to accurately and precisely determine
the actual residual strength. When the fibers show yarns.
pulled strands should be re-threaded into the rope if possible.
A pulled strand can snag on a foreign object during rope operation.
Both outer and inner rope fibers contribute to the strength of the rope.
When either is worn, the rope is naturally weakened.
Open the strands of the rope and look for powdered fiber, Which is one sign of internal
wear.
A heavily used rope will often become compacted or hard which indicates reduced
strength.
The rope should be discarded if this condition exists.
- Avoid All Abrasive Conditions
All rope will be severely damaged if subjected to rough surfaces or sharp edges.
Chocks, bitts, winches, drums and other surfaces must be kept in good condition and
free of brrrs and rust.
Pulleys must be free to rotate and should be of proper size to avoid excessive wear.
- Avoid Overheating
Heat can seriously affect the strength of synthetic ropes.
The temperatures at which 50% strength loss can occur are: Polypropylene 250 F, nylon
350 F, Polyester 350 F.
When using rope where the temperature exceeds these levels (or if it is too hot to hold),
consult the manufacture for recommendations as to the size and type of rope for the
proposed continuous heat exposure conditions.
When using ropes on a capstan or winch, care should be exercised to avoid surging
while the capstan or winch head is rotating. The friction from this slippage causes
localized overheating which can melt of fuse synthetic fibers, resulting in severe loss of
tensile strength.
- Storage
All rope should be stored clean, dry, out of direct sunlight, and away trom extreme heat.
It should be kept off the floor on racks to provide ventilation underneath.
Never store on a concrete or dirt floor, and under no circumstances should cordage and
acid or alkalies be kept in the same vicinity.
Some synthetic rope(in particular polypropylene or polyethylene)may be severely
weakened by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet(UV) rays unless specifically stabilized
and/or pigmented to increase UV resistance.
UV degradation is indicated by discoloration and the presence of splinters and silvers
on the surface of the rope.
1. WLL(Working load limits)
Working load limit (WLL): The working load that must not be exceeded for a particular
application as established by a regulatory or standards setting agency.
The WLL is calculated by dividing the new rope minimum break strength by a design
factor. Absent any official publication of a WLL for an application, design factors should
be established by a qualified person.
WLL are calculated by dividing the rope minimum breaking strength by the required
safety factor.
Working loads are the loads that a rope is subjected to under expected or typical
working conditions for rope in good condition.
WLL=MBS(Minimum Breaking Strength)÷SF(Safety Factor)
Our general recommendation is minimum 5:1 safety factor. or a 10:1 safety factor for
climbing lines.
This, your maximum working load should be approximately 1/5 (20%) or 1/10 (10%)
depending on the required safety factor, of the quoted spliced rope breaking strength.
This factor helps to provide greater safety and extends the service life.
2. ELONGATION
Elongation properties of synthetic ropes are primarily driven by the elastic properties of
the fiber type acting as the primary strength member.
Ropes with higher elastic elongation are typically used to provide a form of energy
absorption in a system, while rope with relatively low elongation fiber provide increased
position control and less stored energy at a given load.
When considering rope elongation properties, care should be taken to ensure the
selected product is fit-for-purpose.
3. DIAMETER & LINEAR DENSITY
Rope diameter specifications are generally nominal values and, during the initial phases
of use. The diameter will decrease slightly- a process called bedding in. Due to this, if a
specific application requires an accurate fit within equipment, close attention should be
paid to the exact sizes involved as the affects of bedding in vary among rope products
4. FIMNESS, CONSTRUCTION, AND ABRASION
Applications that require durability when exposed to mechanical abrasion and regular
wear and tear, a firmer rope usually provides longer service life. Soft or loosely
constructed ropes will snag easily and abrade quickly causing accelerated strength loss.
A loosely constructed rope will have a higher break strength than a similar rope, which
improves strength but compromises durability.
It is important to choose the right rope construction for your application because it
affects resistance to normal war and abrasion. 12-Strand braided ropes have a round,
smooth construction that tends to flatten out somewhat on a bearing surface. This
distributes the wear over a much greater area, as opposed to the crowns of a 3-Strand
or, to a lesser degree, an 8-Strand rope.
Ropes Sorted by Construction
1. 3-STRAND TWISTED
2. 8-STRAND PLAITED
3. 12-STRAND PLAITED
4. DOUBLE BRAIDED
Retirement Ropes
Undamaged rope
Fiber abrasion rope
Fiber abrasion rope (extreme wear)
Inter-strand abrasion (exposed internal area reveals wear at stand
Internal contact points)
Matted internal yarns
(exposed stands reveal internal matting)
Uniform surface abrasion (tree limb bull line).
.
Extensive external abrasion
Localized external abrasion
Localized external abrasion
Burn and melting from external abrasion
Cutting
Cut in jacket exposing core
Pulled strand in 8 strand rope
Pulled strand in worn double braid
(note color difference due to external dirt)
Pulled strand in new double braid
External & internal damage – running over pulley