FAQs About Wire Rope Cable
and Assemblies

What is the strongest material for wire rope cable?

Selecting the right material for your cable application can be perplexing sometimes and there is no easy one answer. Typically, stainless steel may be slightly stronger than a galvanized material, diameter dependent, but it comes at a much greater cost. Tungsten can be stronger, more flexible and have a greater service life, but again is more expensive. Cable construction also plays a major role in your assemblies’ design, if you need flexibility and abrasion resistance, that may affect the overall strength of your product.

What is the difference between swaging and crimping wire rope cable?

Swaging is an assembly process that will squeeze or crush the fitting around the length of cable, slightly reducing the overall diameter without reducing the performance of the cable or damaging the cable. Swaging will increase the wear resistance and lower friction for push-pull type applications. Crimping may be just one or a couple “strikes” of the fitting to secure it to the cable. Crimping is a quicker assembly process where strength, wear and fatigue are less of a concern.

What is galvanized wire rope?

Galvanized wire rope or cable is steel wire, that has a thin layer of zinc plated to the wire, for corrosion protection. The galvanized wire is then taken and stranded into various configurations, dependent on the desired application.

How do you choose between stainless steel and galvanized wire rope?

Deciding between stainless steel and galvanized wire rope is a tough question to answer without knowing more details about the overall project. Details that should be considered include understanding the specified application, the product’s needs, the desired end result, the typical life of your assembly, the environment the assembly will live in, the “factor of safety” needed and most importantly what cost considerations are expected. Experience by some of our professionals will bring together the right assembly to handle all your needs.

If you have other questions including how to determine the strength of wire rope, how wire rope is made or other questions click here for more information on this product.