Why do wire ropes need re-lubrication?

Wire ropes are mostly utilized for mooring, towing, handling heavy lifts and similar other operations. Due to such profound usage, wire ropes are subject to constant wear and tear.  They are exposed to corrosive seawater, dry and heated working temperatures, high and inconsistent pressures / tensions on wires and strands, chafing and internal wear, etc. Therefore, to maximize the operation life of the wire ropes, regular re-lubrication is required. 

• Reduce wear between wire ropes and external machinery or impurities, and reduce friction and wear between internal strands and strands due to stress.
• Set up a wire rope anticorrosion layer to prevent corrosion and chemical corrosion of wire ropes caused by wet, acid, alkali or acid gases in the surrounding environment.
• To prolong the service life of wire rope, reduce unnecessary equipment repair costs and loss of production due to equipment downtime.

Features of wire rope cleaner & lubricator kit

• The operation is simple, fast and efficient. Compared with all kinds of manual lubrication methods, the working  efficiency can be up to 90%
• Reasonable lubrication not only completely covers the surface of the wire rope, but also penetrates into the core of the steel cord to prolong the service life of the wire rope to the greatest extent.
• Effectively remove rust, gravel and other impurities from the wire rope surface area.
• No longer use manual lubrication, improve operator safety, avoid grease waste and environmental pollution;
• Applicable to most of the wire rope use environment (applicable rope diameter of 8~80 mm, more than 80mm can be customized).
• Strong and durable design, suitable for almost all bad working conditions.

VMAXX^® wire rope cleaner & lubricator kit enabled to remove the dirt, gravel and used grease on the wire rope prior lubrication so that to improve the permeability of new grease. At the same time, the lubricant under high pressure is directly injected into the inner part of the wire rope and the rope core to make it more thorough, reasonable and effective maintenance. Prolong the service life of wire rope and avoid hidden trouble. 

The proper way of re-lubrication

Correct lubrication is fundamental to the operation of wire rope for two reasons.

The first one is safety. Wire ropes that are improperly lubricated are far more prone to both interior and exterior wear, and as such are at greater risk for failing. A wire rope that breaks while being used can cause great injury or death, since they are often a critical piece in hoisting, towing, dragging, braking, or similar operations.

The second reason is simple economics. A wire rope that is well maintained and lubricated will last far longer than one that isn't.  Life of a wire rope can be extended several times if properly lubricated.

Select suitable clamps & interior seals

In order to clean and lubricate the steel wire rope more effectively, firstly, the diameter of the steel wire rope needs to be measured accurately in a correct way (see the figure below), so as to select the appropriate wire rope clamp and sealer. Then determine right or left lay rope strands, number of outer strands and measure the twist distance of the wire rope in a correct way, so as to select the appropriate groove cleaner.

Selecting the correct & high-performance lubricants can significantly extend the life of wire rope, reduce down-time, and introduce a safer work environment. The special wire rope grease which VMAXX^®️ provides has following features.