Wire rope in Texas is a very strong, highly flexible and weather resistant cable which is primarily used for hoisting and lifting purposes. A wire rope is made from a number of small filaments or strands of wire which are wrapped and bundled in a specific pattern. No one strand could carry the load but when many are bundled together they can carry heavy loads and are flexible enough to pass over winding drums or to travel through pulleys and blocks. Wire rope in Texas can be found on the farm, in the oil fields, on the docks or in heavy industry.
Wire rope is manufactured from steel strands which are wound around a central core. This technique allows the finished assembly to carry very heavy loads but retain flexibility which is important when the rope is used on cranes and derricks. The small wires are woven into a strand and several strands are then combined into a larger bundle which is the finished wire rope. A typical example of wire rope is a specification called 6×37. This designation simply means that there are six strands each of which are made up from 37 individual wires, all of which eventually are formed into a continuous length of rope.
Most wire rope in Texas is made from strands of galvanized wire which helps combat corrosion when it is installed outdoors. Wire strands which have not been galvanized are called “bright” and although this material is used, it is not suitable for use in areas where it will be subjected to chemicals or other environmental factors which cause corrosion. Even though most wire rope is galvanized it is kept lubricated which decreases the frictional resistance between the individual strands as the bend or coil.
In most cases wire rope is not used “as is”, it is an integral part of a wire rope assembly. As the assembly is often used as a component of a hoist there must be a hook on one end and a method to fasten it to a hoisting mechanism on the other end. The hook is usually placed through a thimble which is an often used component of a wire rope assembly as it prevents the individual strands from being abraded by the movement of the hook.
Wire rope in Texas is available in a wide range of sizes, stranding and breaking strength. For all your wire rope needs you are invited to contact Thomas Wire Rope Co.
