The Different Types of Wire Rope Sling

Wire rope sling assemblies are essential tools in many different industries, including aeronautics, marine engineering, oil and gas production, automotives, entertainment, and construction. There are various types of wire rope slings that help riggers in multiple industries perform their jobs.

What Is a Wire Rope Sling?

Riggers use wire rope lifting slings in different configurations to lift and move loads using heavy equipment like cranes. Wire rope slings are often made from twisted steel wires twisted around a steel or fiber core strand. Different cabling options allow riggers to choose a wire rope sling for different benefits, including strength, flexibility, and abrasion resistance.

Riggers use wire rope slings with different hitch styles for different loads. Professional riggers follow standards from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), including wire rope sling capacity charts for different hitches, such as:

• Vertical hitches
• Choker hitches
• Basket hitches
• Multiple-leg or bridle hitches

Types of Wire Rope Sling

There are many types of wire rope slings that offer different benefits depending on the type of load you’re lifting and the hitch style you’re using. There is often a trade-off, such as a more durable wire sling being less flexible. Some styles offer greater wire rope sling capacities. Different wire rope sling types include:

• Single part slings. The wire loops back on itself, secured with splicing or a cap.
• Braided rope slings. Several wires braid into a single cable for greater flexibility, capacity, and kink resistance.
• Cable laid slings. Several wires twist into a single cable and may offer galvanized or stainless steel material construction for greater corrosion resistance.
• Socketed wire rope assemblies. Some wire rope slings use welded sockets affixed to the cut ends of the wire rope slings, including swage and spelter sockets.

Advantages of Using Wire Rope Slings

As opposed to a chain or nylon sling, wire rope slings offer several benefits. The advantages of wire rope slings include:

• The wire rope sling capacity is approximately as strong as chain sling capacity while being more lightweight and flexible
• The range of options for wire rope slings allows you to choose a style based on strength, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, flexibility, or fatigue resistance
• Can handle a wide range of temperatures, chemical conditions, and other environments depending on construction that can make them more versatile than chain or nylon slings

There are a few downsides to choosing wire rope slings over other types of slings. For example, riggers shouldn’t use steel core wire rope in temperatures below -40°F or exceeding 400°F. Unlike a chain, you can’t repair a wire rope sling if it shows signs of deterioration.

Greenshields: Leading Distributor of Wire Rope Slings

Don’t just search online for “wire rope slings near me.” Trust the professionals at Greenshields Industrial Supply to help you find a wire rope sling in our store or to make a custom sling assembly with wire rope. Contact us today to learn more about wire rope slings available at our store in Everett, WA.