Scope

There are many abbreviations and terms used in association with the describing, selecting and using steel wire ropes. This article aims to provide a clear definition for various wire rope terms and abbreviations. 

Abbreviations

Rope Constructions
F ........................ Filler
K......................... Compacted strand, core or rope
M ....................... Cross Lay
S ......................... Seale
V ........................ Triangular
W ....................... Warrington
WS...................... Warrington Seale Core Construction
C......................... Core
EPIWRC ……......Independent Wire Rope Core Covered with a Polymer
FC....................... Fibre Core
FFC..................... Fibre Film Core
IWRC ................. Independent Wire Rope Core
NFC.................... Natural Fibre Core
PWRC................. Parallel Wire Rope Centre
SFC..................... Synthetic Fibre Core
SPC .................... Solid Polymer Core
WC...................... Steel Core
WSC ................... Wire Strand Core

Rope Grade (Tensile Strength Grade, MPA)
1770
1960
2160

Rope Grade (North America)
EEIPS (XXIPS) .... Extra Extra Improved Plow Steel
EIPS (XIPS)............ Extra Improved Plow Steel
IPS................................Improved Plow Steel
PS..................................Plow Steel

Rope Finish
A ........................Zinc coated Class A (Heavy galvanised)
B..........................Zinc coated Class B (Drawn galvanized)
U..........................Uncoated (or bright)
Ung.....................Ungalvanised
Gal......................Galvanised

Lay Type and Direction
ALHL................... Alternate left hand lay
ARHL .................. Alternate right hand lay
ASL....................... Alternate left hand lay
AZL ..................... Alternate right hand lay
LHLL................... Left hand Lang’s lay
LHOL ..................Left hand ordinary lay
RHLL................... Right hand long lay
RHRL.................. Right hand regular lay
LHLL................... Left hand long lay
LHRL ..................Left hand regular lay
RHLL................... Right hand Lang’s lay
RHOL.................. Right hand ordinary lay
S ........................ Left lay (Spiral Rope)
sS .......................Left hand Lang’s lay
sZ........................Right hand ordinary lay
Z .........................Right lay (Spiral Rope)
zS........................Left hand ordinary lay
zZ........................Right hand Lang’s lay

Rope Strength Forces
ABF.........................Actual Breaking Force
Agg BF ............... Aggregate Breaking Force
CMBF ...................Calculated Minimum Breaking Force
MBF........................Minimum Breaking Force Rope
ABL........................Actual Breaking Load
Agg BL.................Aggregate Breaking Load
CMBL....................Calculated Minimum Breaking Load
MBL ......................Minimum Breaking Load

Miscellaneous
LOLER ……………… Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations
LR .......................Low Rotation
NDE.................... Non-destructive examination
NDT ....................Non-destructive testing
RCN.................... Rope Category Number
SWL ....................Safe Working Load
WLL ....................Working Load Limit

Further guidance is available at contact@bridon-bekaert.com

Reference: TB.008 Ed.1 April 2022