Konecranes, Springfield, Ohio, has developed RopeQ, a system that evaluates the working condition of wire ropes using Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) methods. RopeQ is a diagnostic tool that uses electromagnetic technology to assess the inner and outer wires and strands of a wire rope. This testing method achieves reliable, accurate, and repetitive inspection results that ensure safe use and may improve total lifecycle cost, according to the company. RopeQ is designed to improve the total lifecycle costs of equipment by optimizing wire rope change intervals in process duty and critical equipment.
Throughout the working life of a wire rope, the strands and core are subjected to tension, bending, and abrasion, which can compromise strength and safety.
The diagnostic tool fastens to wire rope assemblies and records a series of interior images along the entire length of the wire rope. The diagnostic survey produces data that pinpoints all areas and degrees of degradation. The precise results help to determine whether continued use is safe or whether the rope needs to be changed.
Routine maintenance often relies on pre-determined replacement intervals regardless of the actual condition of the wire ropes, meaning that safe and operable ropes might be replaced too often or too soon, resulting in unnecessary downtime and increased costs. RopeQ produces verifiable condition assessments that can be compared against discard criteria. The tool is designed to detect flaws that are not visible to the naked eye, to improve the overall safety of the lifting equipment.
RopeQ is appropriate for a wide range of applications, including but not limited to steel mills, paper mills, steel service centers, foundries, waste-to-energy plants, pulp mills, chemical plants, power stations, nuclear power plants, aerospace, and general manufacturing.
Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
