2013, July

There are primarily six basic types of industrial Crane Slings that riggers use to lift and manipulate materials. All six sling types can be found in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Sling Safety Standard, B30.9. They are: chain slings, wire rope slings, metal mesh slings, synthetic rope slings, web slings and roundslings. There is no single sling that will accomplish every task, even if you are told that by those that market a specific sling type. All slings have certain unique advantages, as well as limitations. Two formidable limitations for synthetic slings are susceptibility to damage by cutting and abrasion and damage by heat.

There are primarily six basic types of industrial Crane Slings that riggers use to lift and manipulate materials. All six sling types can be found in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Sling Safety Standard, B30.9. They are: chain slings, wire rope slings, metal mesh slings, synthetic rope slings, web slings and roundslings. There is no single sling that will accomplish every task, even if you are told that by those that market a specific sling type. All slings have certain unique advantages, as well as limitations. Two formidable limitations for synthetic slings are susceptibility to damage by cutting and abrasion and damage by heat.

I recently received a letter from a genteleman regarding nylon web slings and spray painting on the nylon web sling for marking purposes. My answer to the question is posted in my reply letter back to him. You can read my response below: It was a pleasure meeting you at the EPRI conference. It was an honor to have you attend our factory training sessions and thank you for your participation in asking a very important question. The issue of spray painting nylon web slings is different than the issue of marking nylon lifting slings or polyester roundslings with felt marker pens.

The 2013 EPRI- Hoisting, Rigging & Crane User Group Meeting and Workshop was held in Long Beach, CA and featured a field trip to Lift-It® Manufacturing Company, Inc. Over 65 attendees were part of the plant tour and workshop that featured an educational session, as well as a several fabrication demonstrations. Michael J. Gelskey, Jr. welcomed the group outside the factory and took one of the two groups on the factory tour. The tour featured fabrication demonstrations of web, round and Twin-Path® Extra slings. An overview of the Lift-It® ISO: AS9100C quality control system, material traceability and final inspection were also presented. The highlight of the tour was destruction testing of slings which had been produced for the tour attendees.