A hoist cable is a strong braided steel cable used for lifting loads on cranes. It can also be made of fiber rope, which is safer, lighter, and cheaper. Fiber cable is preferred on overhead cranes due to its smaller diameter and quieter operation.
A hoist cable is the braided steel cable that runs from the cable drum of a crane, through the mast, and to the hook. The cable is made up of thousands of very small diameter steel wires which are twisted together to make it very strong. A hoist cable can also be placed on an electric overhead crane operating on a section of I-beam. In both cases, the hoist cable provides the lift and is also responsible for the hoist’s lifting capacity.
When twisted together, the fine steel wires or wires become extremely strong and durable. The cable is easily coiled onto a winch drum and reeled in when required to lift and move a load. The cable typically has a large steel hook attached to it. This hook is inserted into a lifting sling or chain that is placed around the object to be lifted. The lifting cable is then wound back onto the winch drum, which causes the load to increase.
While the hoist cable is traditionally made from steel wire, technology has created equally strong fiber cables and ropes. The advantage of a fibrous cable over a traditional lifting cable is the safety factor. Fiber cables typically don’t injure workers as they fray. Steel cables fray and produce small, very sharp strands that can cut and injure workers’ hands. Many of these frayed pieces of cord can puncture protective leather gloves.
A hoist cable made with fiber rope does not produce the steel frays that cause injury. Fiber cable is also much lighter than a comparably sized steel cable. This allows a worker to move and manipulate the cable much easier than its steel counterpart. Fiber cable is often much cheaper than steel cable. This makes it a popular choice between a cost analysis and a security analysis.
When used on an overhead crane, fiber cable is often preferred over steel hoist wire due to its smaller diameter. The smaller diameter fiber cable allows the crane reel to be much smaller and more compact than that of a steel cable. This in turn allows the overall size of the crane to be reduced in an often crowded work area. Fiber cable is often a much quieter cable to use than rust-prone steel cable which tends to creak and creak under the stress of a heavy load.
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