Rope Constructions page

Steel wire rope constructions fall into several defined categories. Here are some examples of the rope types that the STONEPARK rope design system is capable of designing. Stonepark have many years experience of rope products and their applications and can advise on the most appropriate design.

Single or Open Spiral Strand

A single strand usually has anything from 3 to 48 wires, although strand with more than 48 wires are possible. The strand can be manufactured either in a single operation (equal lay strand) or in two or more operations (cross lay strand).

Stranded Ropes

This is the most common type of rope, consisting of a layer of strands laid over a central core. The number of outer strands can be anything from 3 to 9, but is usually 6. Also the number of wires in each strand can range from 3 to 48, and even higher in the case of very large diameter ropes.

Where the outer strands are manufactured in one process it is referred to as an Equal Laid Strand.

Strands can be either compacted or non-compacted.

The central core can be one of the following -

a) Natural fibre or synthetic core, b) Steel Wire strand, c) Independent wire rope.

Multistrand Ropes

This type of rope consists of two or more layers of strands laid over a central core. The total number of strands in the rope can be anything from 12 to 61, but is usually between 17 and 37.

Multistrand ropes are used for applications such as Crane ropes, where low rotation properties are required.

Strands can be either compacted or non-compacted.

The central core can be either a) a fibre or synthetic core b) another strand or c) an equal lay independent wire rope (DSC).

Double Sealed Closed (DSC) Ropes

In this type of rope all the strands in the rope are laid (closed) together in one operation. Individual layers of strands can have any number of wires and be either compacted or non-compacted.

This rope has a very high fill factor, i.e. the area of steel approaches that of a solid rod. It therefore has a higher breaking strength than a stranded rope for the same rope diameter.