22.wire RopeSelection en

TECH TIPS: ROPE SELECTION
Brugg Wire Rope, LLC
Appropriate Applications For Various Hoist Rope Constructions

High-rise
Travel Height 9-Strand
ft • m PWRC (Parallel Wire Rope Core)
IWRC (Independent Wire Rope Core)
Mid-rise
8-Strand
9-Strand
PWRC (Parallel Wire Rope Core)
246 • 75 IWRC (Independent Wire Rope Core)
Low-rise
8-Strand
Natural/Synthetic Fiber (NFC/SFC)
82 • 25 PWRC (Parallel Wire Rope Core)
6-Strand*
0•0 IWRC (Independent Wire Rope Core)
Rope Speed * NOTE: Review relevant professional codes

and guidlines as small diameter ropes are
ft/min • m/s used in situations where low-rise occurs
How does one decide which rope A review of the rope components. A review of rope cores.
to use with which installation?
Before one can discuss which of the many
When looking for guidance concerning appropriate varieties of hoist rope available are appropriate for a
handling, installation, maintenance and replacement particular usage, one must be familiar with the basic
of hoist ropes, one may consult these international components of rope design.
bodies for relevant standards:
Europe EN, ISO or DIN

Great Britain BS Core
Japan : JIS Inner Wire
Wire Natural Fiber Core
USA: ASME
Such groups however do not offer guidance as to

which rope design is appropriate for use in a specific
installation. For that one must review an installation’s
design, determine performance criteria, ascertain the
level of maintenance to be provided and then consider
overriding budgetary considerations.
One must remember that rope life expectancy and
field performance largely depend upon factors that are
well outside of the manufacturer’s area of influence, MIxed Core
and such considerations are critical in any discussion
Brugg Lifting_Brugg Wire Rope 0712
on hoist rope selection.

The guide provided is for reference only. While
some may substitute ropes designated for Low-rise
installations in Mid or High-rise uses—despite our
warnings of reduced rope life and less than nominal
performance—we cannot recommend this practice. Strand
Should you have questions concerning an installation
and in specifying the rope that fits your needs, please
speak to your rope manufacturer before ordering. Wire Rope
Components Steel Core
Phone (US): 1.706.235.6315 • Toll free: 866.54BRUGG (542.7844) • Fax: 1.706.235.6035 • info: elevatorrope@brugg.com • www.bruggrope.com
Teléfono (E.U.): 1.706.235.6315 • Llamada gratuita: 866.54BRUGG (542.7844) • Fax: 1.706.235.6035 • info: elevatorrope@brugg.com • www.bruggrope.com
For years elevator cores were primarily made of How does one determine
figure 1
natural vegetable fiber, such as sisal or manila, and elevator rope lay direction
then coated with a lubrication mixture in order to
prolong the life of the natural fiber itself (and to a Rope lay can be a confusing term to understand.
minimize wear between the wires, strands and rope It requires one examine both the direction of lay of the
core). Called NFC, (Natural Fiber Core) this core proved individual wire of a rope and the direction of lay of the
sufficient for classic undemanding installations strands of the rope itself. Though one may be tempted
featuring both large sheaves and basic U-grooves. to use the term “twist” instead of lay, this would be
Over time however such natural vegetable cores have incorrect. Great care has been taken by the rope
since become insufficient to handle the needs of manufacturer to ensure that no unwanted twist (or
modern elevator designs. torque) has been imparted into the rope itself.
This has led to the development synthetic cores Each strand has been carefully laid into position with
(SFC) in order to overcome the inherent limitations Parallel respect to the other members.
posed by naturally imperfect cores. Despite this Lay Strand One determines rope lay by observing the direction
advancement, advances in installation designs have strands rotate around the rope. One uses a capital “Z”
also led manufacturers to create exotic combinations to denote right direction, or a capital “S” to designate
of Steel Core ropes (featuring IWRC, or Independent a leftward direction lay of the strands themselves.
Wire Rope Core; or PWRC, Parallel Wire Rope Core) The terms “Regular Lay”or “Ordinary lay” and “Lang
figure 2 Lay”refer to the direction wires rotate around the
and Mixed Core ropes (featuring a polyethylene central
core member encased in a layer of steel strands). strands in relation to the direction of the strands within
No matter its particular design, the essential
function of a rope core is to provide a degree of figure 3
elasticity and support for the surrounding strands.
Indeed, the amount of breakage one can survey in the
outer strands of a rope during its life is directly related
to the amount of support provided by the core.
However, let us be clear, the core is not intended
to serve as a reservoir for lubrication for its entire life.
Lubrication must be routinely replaced during service
as system loads and stresses serve to compress and
Point Contact
squeeze lubricant from ropes and make them become Lay Strand Right Regular/Ordinary Lay (sZ)
dry. Though easy to diagnose, insufficient rope
lubrication is one of the prime reasons behind the figure 4
reported rise in incidences of system breakdowns.
(reverse rope bends) at harsh angles are required
What is the difference between (which can be found in 2:1 or double wrap roping
Parallel (Equal Lay) ropes and
arrangements).
Point Contact (Cross Lay) ropes ?
When handling parallel ropes one should always
Simply put, a Parallel (also called Equal) Laid rope follow recommended manufacturer guidelines and
construction is where the rope core and the outer exhibit care as aggressive handling will damage hoist
strands were laid simultaneously in one operation, ropes and consequently shorten rope life.
whereas a Point Contact (also known as Cross Lay) Though not exhibiting as high as breaking force as Right Lang Lay (zZ)
rope is one whose core and outer strands were laid Parallel designs, Point Contact ropes (see figure 2) are
independently in separate work processes. better able to tolerate the more casual rope handling the rope. To denote wire direction a lower case “z”(for
In a parallel rope, the lay length is equal and the techniques one usually finds at most installation sites. right) or “s” (left) is used. In rope descriptions, the
wires of any two superimposed layers are parallel. In addition, Point Contact ropes offer advantages direction of wire lay is always presented first, followed
This results in linear contact (see figure 1) of the wires. in modern installations that feature multiple bends, by the direction of the rope lay.
This kind of construction results in strands where the smaller and faster drive sheaves, extremely close Any rope where the direction of lay of the wires is
wire of an outer layer is supported by two wires of an sheave placements, and fast acceleration and opposite the direction of lay for the completed strands
inner layer. Parallel lays strands with two wire layers deceleration speeds. Such ropes are very useful in is called Regular Lay (see figure 3) or Ordinary
may have Filler, Seale or Warrington (or a combination modern elevator systems that demand lower safety Lay rope. This means a rope classified as sZ is
of these) constructions. Parallel designs create ropes factors in dynamic rope loads. called Right Regular, while a rope defined as zS
that offer both a high breaking strength and favorable A negative aspect in using Point Contact as is Left Regular Lay.
fatigue bending characteristics. opposed to Parallel constructions is that they are Any rope where the individual strand wires and
However parallel ropes can be susceptible to somewhat less forgiving towards certain soft traction assembled strands are laid in the same direction
untwisting, either during installation, or when used sheave designs. create a type of rope called Lang Lay (see figure 4).
in situations where close multiple rope deflections This means a rope classified as zZ is called
Right Lang Lay, while a rope defined as sS is What are pre-formed ropes?
Left Lang Lay.
The visual difference between Regular Lay and A rope made from wire strands that have been
Lang Lay ropes are striking. Regular Lay ropes display twisted (formed) into the helical shape they will
wires that tend to run roughly parallel to the axis of the assume in a finished rope is called “pre-formed”. As
rope, while Lang Lay rope wires appear to spiral a result the strands fit naturally in their final position
diagonally around the rope’s axis. without constraint. In preformed ropes, the inner
Today most part elevator ropes are Right Lay tensions of wires inside the strands, and the strands
(Right Hand Lay) ropes. Once designers paired Right within rope, are reduced. This results in a rope that
and Left Lay ropes together to counterbalance forces will not spring open when a binder has been removed
of twist imparted to the ropes by loads. However these prior to cutting and installation. Preformed elevator
forces are small relative to the forces absorbed by the ropes have become the industry standard today.
6x19W—IWRC
guard rails. Today most standards require that all
suspension ropes be as nearly identical in properties What are pre-stretched ropes standards have only recently approved its use for
as possible. For the most part, the practice of mixing
and are they necessary? North American installations. For information on
Left-hand with Right-hand ropes has been abandoned. When a manufacturer applies tension to a rope permissible rope diameters consult relevant ASME
In Drum Elevators, the drum pitch must be selected to in an effort to remove the effects of constructional standards or contact your rope manufacturer.
match the direction of rope lay (i.e. “Right-Lay rope for stretch in advance it is called “pre-stretching”. In
a Left-Hand drum”.) essence, the procedure tries to induce the core 6 x 19S — NFC
compaction (and subsequent rope elongation) that
What are the advantages to using normally occurs after a rope has been installed.
a Regular Lay rope or a Lang Lay? Due to inherent system limitations in their rope
Regular Lay ropes are hard-wearing and easy to closing processes some manufacturers find that
mount on a system. They have only a small tendency prestretching is the only way they have to lower rope
to untwist when hanging freely in a shaft and they elongation. Some manufacturers offer the process
exhibit lower elastic elongation that Lang Lay ropes. in an effort to reduce the need, or frequency of rope
For this reason they are more frequently selected for shortenings over a rope’s lifetime.
elevator installations. Many agree that prestretching is only of limited
effectiveness, except when dealing with 8-strand
6x19S—NFC
ropes featuring NFC (and even then impact upon
permanent rope elongation is negligible). At present Used for slow travelling freight elevators and
no single internationally approved process to induce low-duty passenger traction sheave and hydraulic
prestretching exists. elevators for Low-rise installations of up to 160 ft.
Some find the process to be counterproductive, (150 m). Widely used in Governor applications,
as it reduces the rope diameter to that of being either serving exceptionally well if rope construction offers
Regular Lay: 8x19W—IWRC nominal or even slightly less than nominal in diameter. core of polyethylene instead of standard sisal (NFC).
This can adversely impact expected rope longevity. Rope offers relatively high breaking strength (in
While a few professionals believe prestretching comparison to its rope diameter) and low elongation
creates a rope that fits more snuggly into a worn (both permanent and elastic). Due to its small
groove (and thus lessens the opportunity for rope number of strands this rope provides minimal
vibration), this can also serve to disguise a far greater support surface and offers less than optimal
problem in regards to system performance, such as in bending characteristics for traction elevators.
recognizing and addressing sheave wear and sheave Not recommended for U-grooves with large
Lang lay: 8x19S NFC
groove deviations. undercuts or V-grooves.
Although Lang Lay ropes show greater bending
resistance in round grooves compared to Regular Lay. What ropes are appropriate for 8 x 19 S — NFC/SFC
They are far more sensitive to forces of diagonal pull
MRL or Low-rise lift installations?
8-Strand ropes are rounder than their 6-strand
and will untwist if left hanging freely in the hoistway. 6 x 19W — IWRC or (Brugg TSR) counterparts, creating more points of contact
This means an installer must take precautions with
between rope and groove which results in more

Lang Lay ropes otherwise wires can work loose, Designed for modern Machine-Room-Less elevator
favorable contact pressure conditions. In addition,
resulting in shortened rope life. In some cases sheave designs, this rope’s small diameter provides excellent
8-strand ropes use thinner wires in their design than
liners are required to be used to prevent sheave fatigue properties, high breaking load capabilities and
6-strand ropes of the same construction and
damage when one is using Lang Lay ropes. good elongation values.
diameter. This creates a less rigid rope which
While Lang Lay ropes remain a viable hoist rope This rope may be used with sheaves as small as
provides better fatigue bending characteristics.
alternative for professionals, their acceptance varies 6.3 in. (160 mm) diameter and is ideal in special
Used throughout the world in many Low-rise
widely throughout the world today. However Regular applications where a high degree of flexibility is
installations, the quality of this product greatly
Lay ropes have no such prohibition and have required, or when space maximization needs must be
depends upon the quality of the fibers used to
become practically the norm. addressed. Though widely used in Europe, ASME
bending characteristics. Such ropes offer little

permanent or elastic elongation, low rope diameter
reduction under load and the steel core helps create a
rope with a high breaking load relative to its diameter.
This means the rope is excellent for both Low and
some Mid-rise installations.
PWRC constructions are considered to be more
forgiving for certain soft sheave constructions and
more sensitive to aggressive handling during
installation and reroping.
As with all ropes, care should be taken to secure
rope terminations in order to prevent the rope from
8x19S—NFC/SFC
untwisting during installation.
8x19 W—IWRC (MCX 8)
What ropes are appropriate

for Mid-rise lift applications?
9 x 19S — PWRC or (Brugg DP9)
8x19W—SFC
produce its core.
Most frequently used as a traction sheave rope, 8x19 W—IWRC (SCX 8)
this rope can also be used effectively in governor
applications for high performance installations when a routine maintenance. Due to their non-parallel Point
polyethylene (SFC) core is used instead of a sisal core. Contact design, both MCX8 and SCX 8 are better able
The rope can be found in either Seale or Warrington 9x19 S—PWRC to withstand routine handling during installation. They
constructions. Though still quite popular, modern high are also better able to handle the fatigue of increased
acceleration/heavy-use elevators have pushed the Designed to offer even rounder cross sections for bending cycles from multiple sheave and close sheave
capabilities of this rope to its limit. Consequently Mid-rise installations, such double parallel designs placements than typical 8 x 19 NFC/SFC ropes.
manufacturers have had to design more advanced, offer very good bending fatigue characteristics, high
more cost-effective, high performance rope selections flexibility, high breaking strength, low vibration and
to address 8 x 19’s limitations. low elongation properties. The use of a polyethylene What ropes are appropriate
core (the combination of Polycore and steel wire inner for High-rise lift applications?
8 x 19 S—PWRC strands surrounding makes a combination that some
term“Mixed Core”) provides great strength yet reduces Though some of the previous ropes mentioned for
overall rope weight. Polycore designs are known to be Mid-rise designs can, in some cases, work in High-rise
more forgiving towards certain sheave constructions. installations, the prime objective in any rope selection
9 x 19 PWRC ropes are designed to better meet is to seek a successful mix of overall economy and
the high demands of modern high-speed elevators long-lasting optimum performance. One should never
while still being cost-efficient. Made to offer occupants take the short term view and base their decision solely
a smooth ride, such ropes are able to be used in long on initial price.
rope lengths and in installations that offer multiple For instance ropes bearing NFC cores, though
sheave deviations. offering a cheaper cost at first, seldom prove to be
As with any parallel design care must be taken profitable choice after one considers the cost (and
during installation as such designs are more sensitive frequency) of reroping, the wear on sheaves and
to aggressive handling. Less than careful handling surrounding components, and the expense and anger
8x19S—PWRC (Brugg SC8) can result in less than optimal rope performance and (which can be considerable) that can ensue from
8-strand ropes using steel wire at their core offer great shortened rope life expectancy. building owners due to system breakdowns from
advantages over six strand ropes in roundness and poor rope selections.
are ideally suited for use with sheave grooves that 8 x 19W — IWRC or (Brugg MCX8/SCX8) By no means can we fault only bad rope selection
feature wide undercuts. for the increase in system breakdowns. Today’s MRL
8 x 19W-IWRC (with Mixed and Steel Cores) can installations feature aggressive sheave groove
As with 8-strand NFC and SFC ropes, steel core handle wide sheave undercuts and medium to
selections offer good flexibility and optimum fatigue undercuts and close deflector sheave placements
heavy-use Mid-rise installations, and require only
ments. And in their quest to reduce the size of

elevator components and the amount of floor area
they occupy, designers have created installations that
must handle far greater cycles, require multiple bend
roping arrangements, and utilize faster acceleration
and deceleration speeds. In short, elevator design,
even for Low and Mid-rise installations, has advanced
to such a point that high performance ropes have
almost become a necessity if one is to achieve a
balance of rope life expectancy, performance and
economy. This is why that, despite the fact that the
ropes specified here are listed as Hi-rise selections,
one should examine them closely as long-term and 9 x19S—PWRC 9x19 S—IWRC
cost-effective choices that will service very well in
highly challenging installation environments. such a rope can be used in long to extremely long sheaves, or installations where sheaves are
rope lengths. placed closely together.
8 x 19W— IWRC or (Brugg SCX8) This rope is more forgiving for certain soft sheave A 9 x 19S-IWRC Steel Core rope offers very low
constructions, however it must be handled carefully diameter reductions over the rope’s lifetime, high
as, with all parallel rope designs, it is more sensitive breaking force, round cross sections, great flexibility,
to aggressive handling. and the lowest permanent and elastic elongation
rates available.
9 x 19S — IWRC or (Brugg MCX9) Easily handles stresses and pressures of
modern traction drive elevator designs. As with all
Point Contact (or Cross Lay) designs, such a rope
is less forgiving towards certain soft sheave designs.
However it is better able to withstand routine
installation handling and demanding shaft
environments. Ideal for installations designed to
accept heavier rope weights.
8x19W—IWRC
Characterized by rounder cross sections than

6-strand ropes, greater flexibility (good fatigue bending
characteristics) and one of the lowest rates of
permanent and elastic elongation. Such an IWRC rope 9 x19S—IWRC
offers low reduction of diameter over its lifetime, high
breaking force and remains round. This Mixed Core Point Contact construction offers
An excellent choice for wide undercut sheave distinct advantages compared to the mixed core
grooves. However, due to its Point Contact design parallel designs reviewed previously.
the grooves of the sheave should be inspected when Such a 9-strand rope is better able to bear the
reroping, as these ropes will not adapt to worn grooves bending cycles created by extremely close sheave
as readily as PWRC steel core ropes to this condition. placements and withstand overly strenuous, casual
Provides maximum strength from pressures handling during installation. Such a rope has an
created by high profile elevator designs in installations extremely high breaking force, a very round cross
where weight considerations are less of a concern. section, extreme flexibility and very low permanent
Such as rope is able to withstand routine handling and elastic elongation qualities.
during installation better than the PWRC alternative. Such a rope need not be confined merely to
usage to Hi-Rise installations, due to the prevalence
9 x 19S — PWRC or (Brugg HRS) of highly aggressive“tight” roping designs being used
Nine-strand Double Parallel rope designs offer in various Mid-rise installations. Such a rope is well
rounder cross sections than 8-strand ropes and better able to handle the increase in the fatigue cycles, offer
flexibility and strength for Hi-rise installations. a smooth ride, and provide for increased rope life
Nine-strand designs offer extremely high breaking expectancy.
strength, low vibration and very low permanent
and elastic elongation. Highly suitable for high 9 x 19S — IWRC or (Brugg SCX9)
performance traction sheave elevators with high Steel Core Point Contact design this is the
comfort requirements, high rope speeds, multiple premium choice for High-rise elevator designs, trac-
sheave bends, close deflector sheave placements, tion drive elevators featuring multiple deflection
What ropes are appropriate What ropes are appropriate

for Governor applications? for Door Closing applications?
As mentioned previously in our review of Low
6x19 S—NFC/SFC and Mid-rise facilities, many manufacturers offer
varieties of 6 and 8-strand rope designs for Governor
Door Relating Cable
applications.
Governor ropes are a critical component in the
overspeed controller for an installation. The governor
rope runs in the moulded groove of a governor wheel
and is engaged when the safety device detects an
Door Operator for
emergency overspeed situation. When a safety device single-speed,
is triggered force is transmitted by friction between center opening door
the rope and groove. Depending upon the system
used, a Governor Wheel is either blocked or brake
6x19 W—NFC shoes are then closed and this halts the car.
Traditionally 6-strand rope constructions featuring
natural fiber cores (either Seale or Warrington) have
proved sufficient for Governor applications. This has
been challenged recently by the increased popularity
and demand for 8-strand ropes that feature
synthetic cores, which are far more environmentally
stable than NFC ropes. 8-strand designs have proven
beneficial for those requiring smooth performance in
6x19 S—IWRC
challenging Mid- and Hi-rise installations. or (Brugg GAC)
One advantage to using synthetic core (usually
6x19 S—SC
polypropylene material) is that the rope is far less
susceptible to core shrinkage, which leads to rope Most door closing ropes consist of 6-strand Seale
stretch (which can create problems with tighter constructions that feature high tensile strength outer
operating governors). wires and a steel core interior. Predominantly they are
An additional benefit to using SFC is the greatly RRL ropes.
reduced opportunity for core lubricant throw-off. Such
weeping of lubricant onto a rope’s surface attracts
dust, dirt and debris. This residue is then deposited
over all the components that the Governor rope
contacts. This can be expensive and time
consuming for a maintenance professional to rectify.
8x19 S—SFC Though steel core governor ropes do exist, and
prove useful in handling high breaking loads and offer
very good elongation rates, one must be careful in
trying to match nominal tensile strength to those
installations that use brass brake shoes in order to
avoid excessively fast wear of gripping components.
Please note that certain ropes such as 8x25
F-SFC are also used in the Mining industry in
galvanized variations. Such ropes are better suited to
take advantage of installations that offer larger drive
sheaves and must move at slower speeds than
8x25 F—SFC conventional hoist elevators. For additional details
on the proper rope for this industry, or for further
questions on ropes used for elevators, please
consult your Brugg Lifting representative.

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TECH TIPS: ROPE SELECTION

Brugg Wire Rope, LLC

Appropriate Applications For Various Hoist Rope Constructions

Rope Speed * NOTE: Review relevant professional codes

Europe EN, ISO or DIN

Such groups however do not offer guidance as to

on hoist rope selection.

Brugg Wire Rope, LLC

between rope and groove which results in more

bending characteristics. Such ropes offer little

What ropes are appropriate

Brugg Wire Rope, LLC

ments. And in their quest to reduce the size of

Characterized by rounder cross sections than

What ropes are appropriate What ropes are appropriate

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