Wire rope diameter and tolerances

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How to measure wire diameter correctly

The rope diameter shall always be checked before installation. Measure a straight part of the rope. Two parts with minimum distance of one meter shall at least be measured. By every point two measurements shall be done, with 90 degrees displacement in relation to each other. The average between the two measurements shall be according to the tolerance in the tables below.

Right measurement	Wrong measurement

Wire rope tolerances

Steel wire ropes for general applications

Nominal rope Ø	Tolerance of nominal diameter on unloadet wire
mm	%
2 to <4	0 +8
4 to <6	0 +7
6 to <8	0 +6
8 and up	0 +5

Nominal rope Ø	Tolerance of nominal dia. by unloadet rope
mm	Rope with strands that are exclusively of wire max. %	Rope with strands that incorporate fibre centres max. %
2 to <4	+7	-
4 to <6	+6	+8
6 to <8	+5	+7
8 and up	+4	+6

Steel wire for person elevators

Nominal rope Ø	Tolerance for nominal diameter for ropes with fiber core/synthetic core			Tolerance for nominal diameter for ropes with steel core
	Unloaded	Loaded to 5% of min. breaking load	Loaded to 10% of min. breaking load	Unloaded	Loaded to 5% of min. breaking load	Loaded to 10% of min. breaking load
mm	max. %	min. %	min. %	max. %	min. %	max. %
=10	+6	+1	0	+3	0	-1
>10	+5	+1	0	+2	0	-1

Nominal rope Ø	Difference between two measurements expressed as percentage of nominal diameter under a load equivalent to 5% or 10% of min. breaking load
	Rope ovality	Average diameter variation
mm	max. %	max. %
<8	+4	+3
8 and up	+3	+2