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 |
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 | 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. | |||
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 |
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