Evaluation of Field-Applied Lubricants to Increase Wire Rope Life

摘要

Poor lubrication reduces the life of wire hoist ropes when they are used in corrosive environments. Although lubricants are added to ropes during the manufacturing process, these lubricants can deteriorate during use, and it is often necessary to add more lubricant to both the interior and exterior of the rope while it is in service. The Bureau of Mines evaluated the effectiveness of synthetic lubricants using electromagnetic nondestructive tests (NDT) to measure deterioration in ropes while they were in service.