Wire Rope Inspection and Replacement Criteria Flashcards

What type of damage to wire rope requires immediate removal from service regardless of broken wire count?

Answer: Kinking, bird-caging, heat damage, or evidence of rope core damage, any of which requires immediate removal

Kinking, bird-caging, heat damage, or core damage represent structural damage that cannot be evaluated by wire break counting and requires immediate rope removal from service.

How often must a thorough wire rope inspection be performed on a crane used in normal service?

Answer: At monthly intervals, or more frequently based on severity of service, with results documented

ASME B30.2 and OSHA standards require thorough wire rope inspections at least monthly for normal crane service, with increased frequency for severe service, and all inspections must be documented.

What is the minimum number of rope clips required for a wire rope end connection, and what must be verified about their installation?

Answer: A minimum of three clips (more for larger ropes) installed with the saddle on the live end per the manufacturer's specifications

Wire rope clip connections require a minimum of three clips (more for larger diameters), installed with the saddle bearing on the live (load-bearing) end and the U-bolt on the dead end, as specified in applicable standards.

What inspection technique is used to detect internal wire rope damage not visible from the outside?

Answer: Electromagnetic (EM) wire rope inspection using a device that measures internal metallic cross-section loss

Electromagnetic (EM) wire rope inspection instruments measure the rope's metallic cross-section using magnetic flux, detecting internal broken wires, corrosion, and section loss not visible during visual inspection.

What is the correct procedure for measuring wire rope diameter to assess wear?

Answer: Use calipers to measure the overall diameter at multiple locations, measuring the full circle (crown-to-crown), not across flats

Wire rope diameter must be measured with calipers across the full circle (crown-to-crown on opposite strands), at multiple locations along the rope, to accurately assess diameter reduction from wear or crushing.

When should wire rope end terminations (sockets, swages, clips) be inspected, and what defects require removal from service?

Answer: End terminations must be inspected regularly and removed from service for cracking, distortion, corrosion, loose clip nuts, or evidence of slippage

Wire rope terminations must be inspected at regular intervals as part of thorough rope inspection, and must be removed from service for any cracking, corrosion, distortion, loosening, or evidence that the rope has slipped within the termination.