Money for new rope

Performance expectations of cranes are getting higher and higher, according to rope manufacturer Teufelberger. "On one hand, the utilisation rate of equipment is rising, on the other hand there are increased requirements towards the rope performance, including service life and increased breaking forces. Unplanned downtime costs are enormous, but can be reduced by using higher quality components, for example, better hoist ropes," explains the company.

Teufelberger says it started development of its latest rope, the TK 16 Evolution, three years before launching the product, by carrying out intensive market research.

"[Customer] demands could not be fully met with ropes available on the market at that time. In close co-operation with leading crane producers, Teufelberger developed a completely new rope. The new TK 16 Evolution combines the highest breaking forces worldwide, the lowest twist at high torsional stability, top flexibility and longer service life."

The company adds that it combined top-of-the-range raw materials and its technologies, including Superfill compaction and Plastfill plastification of the inner rope, with a new three-layer design. This brings together "perfect spooling characteristics and the highest torsional resistance."

The product had two years of field testing before it was launched. Its success prompted the company to extend production capacity at its two plants, it says.