Wire rope vs. synthetic fibre: crane lifting solutions

What are the pros and cons of wire rope and synthetic fibre ropes? Should you make the switch? It looks likely to be a long running debate.

While both options offer different benefits, changing customer demands are shaping the direction of development in the crane industry. Operators are seemingly seeking greater durability, lighter weight, and improved safety, and the choice of rope material is becoming a key factor in meeting these changing needs, influencing everything from winch design to overall crane performance.

Rotrex is working on two major wind farm projects in Taiwan using fibre ropes.

Increasing demand

UK-based winch specialist Rotrex Group agrees that customer demand is changing. It says it is looking to heavily invest in its fibre rope capabilities over the next couple of years and will grow its overall rope capacity by 40 per cent. It aims to offer an equal choice of steel or fibre rope to meet these demands.

Rotrex’s decision to ramp up its use of fibre ropes, which are made of HMPE (highly modular polyethylene) fibre, follows what it says has been a large upturn in enquiries from clients across various sectors. Core benefits of synthetic rope include potentially higher load strengths, better buoyancy, significant weight reduction, easier handling and its usability both on and off shore.

It still sees a role for steel rope, however, and is committed to maintaining this option too.

Rotrex’s most recent investment used Dyneema HMPE fibre ropes on its new Magni winch. It was manufactured by Omac in Italy to Rotrex’s specifications, which included remote control and IoT technologies. The winch offers an additional 20 tonne pulling capacity compared to the company’s previous largest model. It also has larger rope storage capacity, allowing pulls of up to 2,400 metres which is more than double that of a traditional 40 tonne winch.

Wind work

Rotrex is working on two major wind farm projects in Taiwan using fibre ropes. The first is on four banks of six wind turbines and then on eight banks of seven wind turbines. The winch with the fibre ropes will be used for pulling in cable from the offshore substations to land.

Don Wilkinson, European sales manager at Rotrex Group explains, “As a business we are always looking to innovate and stay ahead of our clients’ demands. Steel ropes have been the principal option for years but the technology around fibre ropes has intensified. This means more and more people are now aware of – and appreciate – the performance benefits they deliver. However, our commitment to steel ropes will remain strong so that will be able to specify the right product every time.”

Partner up

As the demand for stronger, more efficient lifting solutions grows, manufacturers are teaming up to advance rope and winch technology.

Synthetic rope developer Samson is partnering with Applied Fiber.

Synthetic rope developer Samson is partnering with Applied Fiber, so its customers can benefit from Applied Fiber’s end fitting technology. The company says fibre rope could be used in more systems now where it was previously incompatible, which will increase opportunities for existing applications.

In essence, the technology provides high efficiency termination of synthetic rope with attachments similar to steel wire rope fittings and at a more compact size than traditional eye splices. Samson is eager to install the production equipment and implement training for operations at its USA facility.

Ahead of this, Samson will continue to support end-user needs for these termination solutions through Applied Fiber’s Florida, USA, facility.

“Providing a technology beyond the traditional methods for termination of high-performance fibre rope allows optimisation of operations for those experienced in synthetic rope use or interested in replacing steel wire,” says Dustin Heins, Samson product manager for innovation. “Applied Fiber’s technology provides an exciting tool for Samson’s design engineers and end-users alike to improve the function of synthetic tension solutions.”

Liebherr and Mammoet collaborated on the winch for the 6,000 tonne capacity SK6000 crane.

As previously reported by Crane and Transport Briefing, manufacturer Liebherr’s partnership with Dutch heavy lift specialist Mammoet played a crucial role in the development of the SK6000, which it claims as the world’s most powerful onshore ring crane. The crane benefits from Liebherr’s high-performance rope winches, designed with advanced drive technology to support the SK6000’s lifting capacity. Each of the four gear ring rope winches delivers a line pull of 600 kN, enabling the crane to lift 6,000 tonnes.

Beyond sheer strength, the winches also contribute to the SK6000’s ability to operate entirely on electricity, reducing the carbon footprint of large scale industrial projects. Mammoet and Liebherr worked closely to fine-tune the winches, balancing lifting power with a compact design to ensure efficient transport and assembly worldwide.

“Our partnership with Mammoet highlights the versatility and power of Liebherr’s drive technology,” says Markus Groeber, technical sales engineer at Liebherr Drive Technology. “For the SK6000, we integrated Liebherr’s gear rings, gearboxes, and electric motors into the winches, creating a system that delivers unparalleled lifting strength and efficiency.”

WireCo now produces its Casar brand ropes in the USA.

Changes ahead

There’s been changes and shifts all across the rope sector. Manufacturer WireCo now produces its Casar and Oliveira brand ropes in the USA following a US$30 million investment in its American facilities. Previous logistical issues and longer delivery times from their European facilities prompted the change.

Paccar Winch’s Braden rope range is synthetic. The company was recently acquired.

Meanwhile, industrial winch manufacturer Paccar Winch has been acquired by USA-based private investment firm Black Phoenix Group. Paccar’s range includes the Braden, Carco and Gearmatic brands.

“Joining forces with Black Phoenix Group empowers us to continue our legacy of excellence in manufacturing while pursuing new growth avenues,” says Mike Rogers, Paccar Winch CEO. “Their support will help enhance our capabilities and broaden our market reach.”

Safety remains a core issue for crane design development. In some recent news, Canadian wire rope and rigging equipment provider Unirope was recognised with two awards at the 2024 AWRF event for its major contributions to the rigging industry. Knut Buschmann of Unirope was celebrated for his longstanding dedication and influence within the industry. Buschmann, who first joined the AWRF Technical Committee in 1995, has played a pivotal role in developing safety standards and technical guidelines.

It seems that the choice between wire and synthetic ropes is shaping up to be a key part of the crane industry’s future, with companies investing in new technology to meet growing demands for lighter, stronger, and safer ropes that make lifting easier and more efficient.

Winch test

The winch test was performed at a UK naval base. (Photo: Lift-Rite)

UK-based industrial lifting and testing company Lift-Rite Engineering Services has developed a bespoke solution for the testing of capstan winches following their installation at a UK naval base.

The capstan winches, which will be used to support the mooring of naval vessels at the naval base, require extensive testing of both foundations and performance prior to full commissioning.

To enable this, Lift-Rite developed and supplied a custom testing solution comprising an internal temporary anchor point to maintain pulling loads of the winches while in static and dynamic testing. This allowed for analysis of performance and lifespan under a range of operating environments.

Commenting on the project, Paul Hodgson, operations manager at Lift-Rite says, “This was a complex job which required us to design, develop and supply a solution that would load test the capstan winches on a naval base of great national importance.

“The focus on getting it right was therefore paramount as not only did we have to deliver the right solution, we also had to do this under significant time constraints and on a project of national significance.

Lift-Rite was contracted to manage the job from initial design of the temporary anchor point to full installation and testing.