A Brief Overview of Various Types of Lifting Slings That Can Carry Heavy Loads

A Brief Overview of Various Types of Lifting Slings That Can Carry Heavy Loads

Are you planning your next lifting or handling project in your factory, but you can’t choose the right type of lifting slings to carry those heavy loads? 

Or possibly you are not getting the desired service life you require from the lifting slings that you are currently making use of? Chain slings, wire rope slings and polyester slings are equally efficient to safely lift, move and place heavy loads in your factory.

However, to select the right type of lifting slings you need to have a comprehensive understanding of the slings, where exactly it is being used in and in what ways the lifting sling will be used to support and carry a heavy load.

This post aims to help you make a right decision and choose the best lifting slings to carry those heavy loads in your factory. Read On!

Check Out the Various Types of Lifting Slings That Can Carry Heavy Loads: 

  1. Wire Rope Slings: Wire rope slings are the most preferred lifting slings because its unique design has multiple steel wires which create individual strands placed in a helical model around a fiber or steel core. The structure of this lifting sling offers huge strength, flexibility and capacity to deal with bending stresses.

These slings are very famous in oil and gas, construction, automotive and all-purpose manufacturing industries. They are equally famous in steel mills and forging facilities wherein the strength of the rope is actually tested.

Different configurations of the wire, strand structure and material will offer different advantages for the specific heavy load lifting requirements like strength, flexibility, abrasion resistance and exhaustion resistance. Wire rope slings have a lower opening costs compared to chain slings and are reasonably lightweight in design.

The design factor for these lifting slings comes in a 5:1 ratio, which means that its breaking strength is 5 times more than the rated working load limit. A design factor is essential to let conditions like variations, wear, abrasion and damage in heavy loads that are not readily evident. Users must never surpass the rated working load limit.

Advantages of Using Wire Rope Slings:-

  • Less initial cost and lighter in weight compared to chain slings.
  • High flexibility and durability in a smaller diameter design.
  • It can be used in choker, vertical and basket hitches.
  • Various wire rope designs and constructions offer power, flexibility, abrasion resistance, exhaustion resistance and rust resistance.
  • Braided or multi-part wire rope slings are more resistant to bending compared to single-part wire rope slings, have higher flexibility, snug up firmly around the heavy load in choker hitches and get back into their original shape quickly after a heavy lift.
  • In case these lifting slings get damaged then, its hardware can be re-used if the hardware is not damaged.
  1. Chain Slings: Chain slings are one the strongest and the most dependable lifting slings that can be used to lift very heavy loads repetitively. Its flexible design offers strength, reliability and durability to help it resist crash, extreme temperatures and exposure to harmful chemicals and UV rays.

It is an ideal lifting sling to be used in high-temperature projects and to carry heavy loads. They are mostly used in heavy machine shops, foundries, steel mills etc., wherein repetitive lifts or harsh conditions can damage or tear down a wire rope slings or polyester slings. 

If chain slings get damaged then, they are fully repairable and can be load tested and re-certified after it gets repaired.

Chain slings can get heated up to temperatures of 1000°F, but the rated working load limit has to be reduced according to the manufacturer’s suggestions when repeatedly exposed to temperatures more than 400°F.

These lifting slings can be usually configured in single-leg, 2-leg, 3-leg and 4-leg designs for in basket, vertical, or choker hitches and an assortment of different master links, sling hooks and lengths of chain can be used to build different lifting slings assemblies for different purposes.

While there are several different types of chain available, but alloy steel grades 63, 80, and 100 are usually useful for overhead heavy lifting. 

The design factor for chain slings comes in a 4:1 ratio, which means its breaking strength four times more than the rated working load limit. But the user must never surpass the defined rated working load limit for chain slings.

Advantages of Using Alloy Chain Slings:-

  • It has an extremely strong, reliable and flexible design that can hold up in the toughest working environments.
  • It is fully repairable through replacing the individual chain links or link segments.
  • These lifting slings can be easily examined, load tested and re-certified if they are repaired.
  • These slings are used at moderately high temperatures and in risky environments where other types of slings can get damaged or tear down.
  • Chain slings are resistant to rust, chemicals, UV exposure and fatigue.
  • These slings don’t get affected by dirt, oil, or grease.
  1. Polyester Slings: Nothing can beat the flexibility, strength and support that polyester slings offer to highly finished parts or fragile equipment. These slings are lightweight, can be easily fixed and extremely flexible. 

Polyester slings are very popular in construction and other all-purpose industries as they are moderately low-cost, available in an assortment of standard sizes and can be easily replaced.

Polyester slings can mold into the shape of fragile and unevenly-shaped loads and can be used in a choker hitch to strongly carry heavy loads of round bar stock or tubes. 

The soft materials they are built with are very strong to carry heavy loads, but will protect costly and fragile loads from all sorts of damage. 

Synthetic slings are exceptionally versatile, can be used in basket, vertical and choker hitches and have a design factor of 5:1 which means its breaking strength is five times more than the rated working load limit.

Since they are built with non-sparking and non-conductive fibers, these slings can be used in explosive atmospheres. But they are very vulnerable to cuts, tears and abrasions. 

Also any sort of exposure to heat, chemicals and UV rays can cause damage to it and weaken it. Polyester slings cannot be repaired, so any sort of damage will lead to the removal of its service. 

Advantages of Using Synthetic Slings:-

  • Its low-cost and lightweight design makes it attractive to almost every industry or lifting application.
  • Built with soft and flexible materials that can hold and mold seamlessly to the shape of uneven heavy loads.
  • This sling is strong enough to carry heavy loads and can easily protect costly and fragile loads from all sorts of damage.
  • Different assortment of materials, construction and measurements can modify polyester slings to almost any lifting application.

Conclusion:

There are several different options when it comes to choosing the right lifting slings to carry heavy loads. If you are facing any sort of lifting, handling or reach up problem in your factory then, the above mentioned tips will help you choose the best chain slings, wire rope slings and polyester slings as per your needs at a location nearby you.

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