How can you extend the lifetime of mission-critical wire ropes in extreme marine conditions? This was the challenge facing a global manufacturer of ship-lift wire rope. Our simply-to-apply solution significantly extends wire rope lifetime – to boost wire rope performance without increasing production complexity.
Extending the life of a ship-lift winch rope
The Problem
A global producer of high-quality wire ropes was challenged by its customer – a ship-lift winch manufacturer – to extend the service life of its products. We stepped in to help.
When a ship-lift winch manufacturer identified concerns regarding the limited lifetime of its wire rope, it traced the problem back to poor rope protection. The ropes were produced using hotmelt wax products. But hotmelt wax only protects the rope during storage and transportation. It’s ill-suited to the dynamic and open system complexity of a wire rope in operation, especially in marine conditions.
The reasons are simple. In cold conditions, hotmelt wax dries and flakes – and is quickly lost through water wash-off. In warmer temperatures, the wax can fluidise and visibly drain from the rope.
The ship winch manufacturer had experience with RS Clare and advised the rope manufacturer to speak to us. The challenge was not just to extend the lifetime of the wire rope, but to also ensure the solution was compatible with the existing hotmelt wax.
The Solution
Our solution was ClareGuard Build, a high-performance lubricant designed specifically for marine and subsea environments.
ClareGuard Build is ideal for wire ropes in challenging marine conditions. Thanks to its semi-fluid/semi-solid technology, it provides the world-class retention required for subsea environments, while adapting to the movement of a dynamic rope. In addition, its exceptional dynamic corrosion protection ensures long-lasting performance, as demonstrated by CBOS fret fatigue testing under saltwater conditions.
Through extensive compatibility and replicated rope condition testing, it was shown that ClareGuard Build can be applied in addition to hotmelt waxes on wire ropes to provide superior rope protection and life extension.
ClareGuard Build is now being applied cold in the factory to selected rope lengths. It provides the retention, corrosion resistance, and fret fatigue protection needed for marine environments. In addition, ClareGuard GRL is used as a secondary/dressing solution to reinforce protection.
The result is the longest possible rope life – and lower lifetime maintenance and replacement costs for the wire rope manufacturer’s customers.
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