10 Things to Consider When Buying metal wire supplier

Industrial wire rope is used for a multitude of applications. Smaller wire ropes are found on exercise equipment and wire fencing, while ticker rope styles are used for aerospace and aircraft construction and suspension bridge reinforcement. Further, wire ropes are utilized by countless industries, including the military, construction, warehousing, automotive, and engineering.

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Singe the application and requirements for wire rope is so varied, industrial wire rope suppliers offer numerous specifications. Narrowing down through these options can be tricky if you are unsure of the exact requirements your application needs. These options can impact the use, durability, and strength of the wire ropes, and some types are specifically designed for unique functions.

Here are 6 of the key wire rope specifications that must be considered before purchasing:

• Material

One of the first wire rope specifications to narrow down is the material of the rope itself. While wire rope is generally made from steel, but it may also be made from iron, bronze, copper, and even titanium. Further, there are different types of steel grades and finishes available.

IPS vs EIPS

Most steel wire ropes are made from plow steel, which contains .5 to .95 percent carbon. Most wire ropes are available as either IPS (improved plow steel) or EIPS (extra improved plow steel). These improvements are based on the amount of carbon added in. So IPS are 10% stronger than traditional plow steel and EIPS is 10% stronger than IPS.

Steel Grades

A steel grade measures the material’s strength and pliability. The higher the grade, the most weight the wire rope can sustain. Each level of grade is about 10% stronger than the next.

The lowest grades for wire rope are mold plow and plow steel. These are often used for hauling and logging, but are not approved for overhead lifting applications. Industrial wire ropes are most commonly made from improved plow steel (IPS) or extra improved plow steel (EIPS).

Stainless steel wire ropes have an additional grading system that uses numbers to measure the amount of chromium added. 302-grade is an extremely tough type of stainless steel that is highly heat-resistant due to its high carbon content. 304 is highly versatile and corrosion resistant as it has chromium and nickel added. Grade 316 is considered the most commonly used type for wire ropes as it has a bit more flexibility with lower carbon content.

• Construction

The next wire rope specification is the construction of the rope, meaning the number of strands woven together to form the rope. The general rule of thumb here is that the fewer strands in a rope, the stiffer it will be. So, when flexibility is necessary, you should opt for a wire rope with a higher strand count.

The number of strands and wires are written out as strand X wire count. A strand is made up of individual wires wrapped together, then each of the strands is woven together to form the rope. So, a 6 X 19 wire rope is made of 6 strands of 19 wires each.

Industrial wire ropes come in a large variety of strand counts, but the most common configurations are:

• 6 X 15
• 6 X 19
• 6 X 25
• 6 X 26
• 6 X 27
• 6 X 36
• 6 X 37

• Patterns and Lay

Industrial wire ropes can be made of different patterns and arrangements. This impacts the wire rope’s performance and flexibility, so different patterns may be better suited for certain applications.

There are five main categories of strand patterns:

• Single Layer – This is made of strands that are all the same diameter wrapped around a central core.
• Filler Wire – The interior layer is made of uniform strands, then half the number of strands are added in a smaller diameter. The outer layer contains the same amount and size of strands as the inner layer.
• Seale – A larger internal code strand is surrounded by two layers of an equal number of strands. One is a smaller diameter while the outermost layer is the same size as the inner core.
• Warrington – This rope is made from two alternating diameters which are woven together so the smaller strands fill in the “valleys” between the larger strands.
• Combination – If two or more of these patterns are used together, it is called a combination or combined wire rope.

• Preformed vs Non-preformed

The performance of a wire rope is the description of the lay or the direction the strands are wrapped in. This subtle difference can actually influence many factors, like the rope’s flexibility and fatigue resistance.

There are 3 types of lays for industrial wire ropes:

• Regular Lay – The wires of the rope align with the axis, so the direction of the strands is opposite to the strand lay. This reinforces the wire rope to protect it from crushing and makes it more resistant to rotation.
• Lang Lay – This is the opposite of the Regular Lay, so the wires and strands are going the same direction as the core. This increases the fatigue resistance of the rope and is best for abrasive applications.
• Alternate Lay – When both Regular and Lang lays are used, it is known as an Alternate Lay. This is only used for specific applications and is not very common.

• Finishes

Next, you will need to narrow down the finishes for the wire ropes. A bright wire rope has no coating, so the steel is completely exposed. This is only recommended for applications where the rope will not be exposed to moisture or water, as the steel is not rust-proof.

Galvanized steel is coated in a thin layer of molten zinc. This provides a protective barrier for added durability and corrosion resistance. The zinc coating gives the rope a more matte appearance.

Stainless steel is naturally corrosion resistant and has a naturally shiny finish. Stainless steel is also the strongest and most durable, but also the most expensive.

• Lubrication

Although wire ropes are incredibly durable, the steel will wear out faster if it is exposed to harsh elements. Constant friction and changing temperatures and humidity in the air can weaken the metal and lead to wires breaking or corroding.

Wire ropes may be lubricated to reduce friction and protect the rope from corrosion. This is optional, but it can be beneficial for certain uses. Wire rope lubricants can be made from minerals or oils and may be either thin and runny or thick and tacky.

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Armor-Clad (AC) Cable: AC cable includes THHN-insulated conductors with 16-gauge aluminum bond wire placed inside the armor to act as a grounding conductor.

Automotive Cable: This is a general-purpose thermoplastic (GPT) wire, also referred to as primary wire. Normal applications are within motor vehicles with limited exposure to fluids, physical wear and abuse.

Bayonet Neill-Concelman (BNC) Cable: BNC cables are small, quick-connect/disconnect radio frequency connectors used for coaxial cables.

Category Cable: This is used for systems and data networking systems. Cat 5e is the most common variety of category cable that’s used for computer networking on internet service installations. The conductor pairs are twisted together to prevent cross-talk and interference from other paired conductors in the cable, as well as external interference. The higher the megahertz (MHz) capability, the more twists per foot.

Coaxial Cable: This is a metallic cable that carries television and video signals. It connects to video equipment and features a central conductor with a dielectric insulator, metallic shield and plastic jacket.

Doorbell Wire: Doorbell wire is used to connect a wired doorbell or video doorbell to a home’s electrical system. 18-gauge wire is the variety most often used.

Dual Armored Cable: This is a durable cable that offers protection without employing electrical conduit, elbows, offsets (which can be expensive) or conduit couplings. For areas where the cable may be exposed to moisture, metal-clad armor prevents corrosion. 

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Flexible Cord: Typically used for industrial machinery, washing machines and large appliances, portable tools, equipment, and extension or power cords, flexible/power cord has its own naming convention based on a letter code, with a common option being SJEOOW.

• S: service cord (when not followed by a J, V or P; also indicates a rating of 600 volts)
• J: junior service cord, 300 volts
• T: thermoplastic
• E: elastomer, thermoplastic that looks and feels like rubber
• O: oil-resistant outer jacket
• OO: oil-resistant outer jacket and oil-resistant insulation
• P: parallel cord (light duty, flat)
• V: vacuum cleaner cord (light duty, round)
• W: sunlight- and moisture-resistant

Lamp Cord: Used with lamps, small appliances, radios and other similar products that don’t exceed 300 volts, lamp cord is available between 18- and 12-gauge sizes in a variety of colors. 

Landscape Lighting Low-Voltage (LV) Cable: This underground cable is suitable for outdoor accent lighting, landscape lighting and security lighting. Applications shouldn’t exceed 150 volts. It’s used for direct burial, is suitable for sunlight and is available between 16- and 8-gauge sizes.

Metal-Clad (MC) Cable: MC cable is used heavily in commercial electrical work, for running through concrete or in other commercial environments. Individual THHN wire conductors are run through an aluminum interlocked armor. It includes a grounding wire.

Mobile Home Feeder: This connects a mobile home to a supply of electricity where permanent wiring is required, and it’s suitable for direct burial and underground service entrance cable. It includes four RHH or RHW-2 conductors, with a white stripe for neutral and a green ground conductor. It’s sunlight-resistant.

Network and Data Cable: This comes in three types — fiber-optic, twisted-pair and coaxial cable — and is used to connect multiple networking devices or computers in a network.

NM-B: This is a non-metallic sheathed cable that’s used as a residential building wire for branch circuits for outlets, lighting and other residential applications. NM-B is available between 14 AWG and 6 AWG with two or three conductors.

Preassembled Whips: These are pre-cut lengths of armored cable designed to increase jobsite productivity. Assembly comes with pre-stripped THHN conductors and pre-installed zinc die-cast, snap-in fittings.

Residential Grounding Wire: This is bare copper wire that’s available in 4-, 6- and 8-gauge solid and stranded construction. It’s used to ground the residential electrical system, usually at the meter before it enters the dwelling. It’s also used for grounding the perimeter surface around pools.

Service Entrance Cable: This includes individual conductors rated XHHW-2 or THHN/THWN and feeds power from a main breaker to a subpanel. It can be exposed to direct sunlight and used in wet or dry locations.

• SE-R: Twisted together with a bare ground, SE-R is used to bring service from the panel to other panels in multiple-unit dwellings and in SE-U purposes.
• SE-U: Bare conductor strands are helically wound about the two paralleled insulated conductors. It’s used for single-family residential buildings to convey power from the service drop to the meter base and from the meter base to the distribution panel board.

Speaker Wire: Made of copper and designed to transport a low-voltage electrical current, speaker wire has a variety of wiring uses, including doorbells, thermostats, home security sensors, landscape lighting and other low-current systems. 

Sprinkler Wire: Multi-conductor sprinkler wire is suitable for direct burial on applications up to 30 volts. It’s used in central controls for underground sprinkler systems and is available in 18-gauge construction with up to 25 conductors.

Submersible Pump Cable: This includes THWN copper conductors that are heat-, moisture-, oil- and gasoline-resistant. It’s suitable for temperatures below 75 degrees Celsius with two or three conductors. It’s used for power and circuits for submersible pump systems.

Thermostat Wire: Used in heating and air conditioning systems, along with bell and alarm systems, thermostat wire is available in 20- or 18-gauge sizes with up to 10 conductors.

Underground (UF-B) Wire: A copper wire used for underground purposes, including direct burial, it comes in a gray jacket and can be used for deck lighting, outdoor water features, landscape lighting and air conditioner compressors.

Underground Residential Distribution (URD) Cable: Used for secondary distribution and underground service applications at 600 volts or less, it’s suitable for direct burial or placement in ducts. It’s acceptable in wet locations in triplex or quadruplex. Conductors are stranded, compressed aluminum. The neutral conductor has a yellow, triple-extruded stripe.

When completing an electrical project, it’s important to have the right tools and safety equipment to get the job done. Check out some of the most common tools for an electricians tool box.

Boxes and Covers: These are used to house outlets and adapters for operating lights, ceiling fans, kitchen appliances, etc.

Circuit Breakers and Fuses: These are two devices for preventing an electrical current from causing damage by overloading or shorting a circuit. Breakers and fuses interrupt the current during an overload or short and are housed in a breaker box or fuse box. Homes built after the s typically use circuit breakers rather than fuses.

Electrical Tape: Used for repairing electrical cords or insulating a wire, electrical tape is typically black. It can be used to identify wires and should be stretched as you apply it for better adherence.

Electrical Testers: Checking a circuit to make sure it isn’t live can be a life-saving decision. An electrical tester will quickly inform you if you’re working with live cables or not.

Outlets and Adapters: When wires are connected to an outlet or adapter, it allows the electrical current to power anything plugged into it, such as a kitchen appliance.

Plugs and Connectors: These are usually run from an appliance or a power cord and are plugged into an outlet on the wall. They allow an appliance to receive power from an outlet.

Wire Connectors: These connect two wires together with a connector: The exposed end of each wire is put into the connector and twisted so that they’re connected. Check out our DIY Basics video: How Do I Connect Two Wires?

Wire/Cable Cutters: This tool is used to cut directly through wire and cable. There are a variety of cutters for different jobs, so check that you’re using the appropriate one, whether you’re cutting through copper wire or a network cable.

Wire Strippers: This device removes the plastic casing to expose the bare wire underneath. Most strippers offer multiple slots for a variety of wire sizes, while some have an adjustment dial to set the correct size. Simply insert a wire into the correct sized slot, twist and pull it through.

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