Comparison of Wire Rope Life Using Nylon and Steel Sheaves-Part 1: Test Methodology and Comparison of Wire Rope Endurance Life

A methodology was developed to test wire rope endurance characteristics to ANSI B30.5 removal criteria. Under field simulated loads, wire rope was cycled so that each rope section had 180° contact with one nylon sheave and one steel sheave until the rope replacement criteria designated by wire breaks was attained.

At a load equal to 10% and 20% of the ultimate strength of the wire rope, the rope at the nylon sheave side endured 4.5 and 2.2 times as many cycles as compared to the wire rope on the steel sheave side.