Morring rope operational cost

Operational costs are always an important issue in mooring operations and have become even more of a focus recently due to the economic downturn.

In some instances, the initial reaction is to look for more cheaply priced products, but that is not always the best solution.

Thousand Cycle Load Level (TCLL) values for mooring ropes have been introduced as a benchmark by OCIMF and Rotterdam based rope supplier “Lankhorst Ropes” measures its ropes in this way. The higher the % of TCLL value, the better its fatigue resistance and the longer the rope will last. New ropes are strong. The question is how much strength remains after a thousand cycles?

Elasticity is useful but can also be hazardous. Operators should make sure that all the ropes employed have similar elongation properties to ensure a balanced mooring system. Otherwise the ropes with the lowest elongation will be taking the majority of the loads.

A non-load bearing jacket, made from highly abrasion resistance materials such as Tipto yarns, will significantly increase the lifetime of ropes. Abrasion will always occur but as long as this happens to the jacket and not the load bearing core of the rope, then the rope will retain a much higher strength. These ropes can be designed in such a way as not to increase the overall diameter of the rope. Safety factor is the responsibility of the user and should account for the type of application and the peak loads and stresses the rope will encounter. Visual inspection of the ropes on a regular basis and routine repairs when necessary will significantly increase the lifetime of the ropes. Lankhorst provide training in how to make repairs and also supply repair kits with the necessary materials.

Tipto Winchline®, a brand name of Lankhorst Ropes, installed on a winch of NCL’s Pride of America. A non-load bearing jacket, made from highly abrasion resistance materials such as Tipto yarns, will significantly increase the lifetime of ropes.

By testing old ropes, valuable information can be gained over time to make more informed decisions on when a rope should be retired, helping to maintain cost effective replacement programmes and adding to the safety management. Crews and inspectors will appreciate the quality management of the mooring system.

More durable products will result in operational savings. What really matters is the overall cost of ownership. High performance Lankhorst ropes can provide this by boosting longevity with better resistance to external and internal abrasion of ropes.

Other factors are lower administration costs in less freque nt ordering, less costly downtime in changing old rope for new ropes, and lighter ropes for easier handling and faster mooring or connection processes.

Rope Socket

There are many types of rope socket in most common use: Knot type, teardrop type and braided type. The rope_socket is required to make connection between wireline and toolstring. The basic toolstring components are rope_ socket, knuckle joint, stem, mechanical jars, etc.

The teardrop (also called a 'no-knot' or 'wedge' type) is designed for 0.092", 0.105", 0.108", 0.125" and is designed O.D for 1-1/4", 1-1/2", 1-7/8", 2-1/8", 2-1/2".

The standard body of teardrop has an internal taper to accept the thimble. However a thimble eye is available to convert the older style of rope socket.

The end of the wire is bent to fit the curve at the bottom of the teardrop, with the short side slightly shorter than the side of the thimble.

The groove in the thimble of this socket is not deep enough to accommodate the total thickness of the wireline. As the security of the wirelne depends upon its being pinched between the thimble and it body. Care must be taken to ensure the correct size of socket is selected for the wireline in use.

As the internal components of the teardrop rope socket do not permit the wire to rotate, it is essential to include a swivel immediately below it.

Do not substitute a knuckle joint in place of a swivel. A swivel has 11/2 degrees to 5 degrees of lateral movement, where a knuckle joint is not designed to rotate

under load and has 15 degrees of lateral movement. In the event of it being necessary to fish the rope socket, a knuckle joint will allow it to lay over against the side of the tubing wall at an angle which may make latching difficult / impossible.

Fall Protection - Comparing the Most Common Systems

Many manufacturing companies use fall protection systems that pass OSHA standards to protect their workers on the job. However, despite developments in the fall protection industry that have created new systems that meet and exceed OSHA standards, many companies continue to use wire ropes that can seem outdated. This article examines a variety of leading fall protection systems and their pros and cons.

When an individual is considering making an investment for their company in a fall protection system, there are many reasons why they consider wire rope systems. For one, they are OSHA approved. In addition, wire rope systems (WRS) have been in place for years and are typically effective at providing adequate protection for workers.

However, WRS can not prevent a worker from falling at least several feet. On a wire rope system that is 40 feet in length, workers can fall as far as 8 feet before coming to a stop. For workers on a tanker truck or rail car, the chance of injury to the head or body during a fall of 8 feet with metal outcroppings, ladders, or even the ground is very high.

In addition to increased risk of safety, many companies have the misconception that wire rope systems are less expensive than other options. Because wire rope systems are the industry standard, why pay more? When a cost analysis of wire rope systems is completed, however, most companies will see that once you pay for the shock absorber and rope trolley, the cost of track systems are very similar.

Two tracks system that are a popular alternative to wire rope systems are called I-Beam Systems and Rigid Track Systems. I-Beam Systems are rigid and horizontal in design, making them safer than wire rope systems. However, their design makes worker movement more difficult and cumbersome. The installation of I-Beam Systems also demands more trusses and creates the need for large foundations, which can be more costly.

For companies in four-season climates, the elements can play a major role in the inefficiency of I-Beam Systems. Any climate that sees snow and ice can find their I-Beam Systems rendered completely useless because the trolley on an I-Beam cannot move through the elements. Companies that require a fall protection system in "dirty jobs" will also find I-Beam systems to require a lot of track cleaning in order to keep the trolley mobile, leading to an increase in worker downtime.

By comparison to wire rope systems and I-Beam systems, Rigid Track fall protection systems seem to be the best bet for promoting worker safety and efficiency. Rigid Track systems have an enclosed track that eliminate the potential hazard of the elements. From a cost perspective, Rigid Track systems are also competitively priced with wire rope systems and do not require the thousands of dollars in engineering inspection and reinforcement.

From a safety standpoint, Rigid Track fall protection systems seem to be the safest option for workers in a variety of industries. While wire rope systems allow workers to fall as much as 8 feet before providing "protection," the rigid beam on a horizontal track system protects workers from a fall as soon as their hoist locks - there is no additional fall.

There are many options to consider for fall protection systems, but only one choice seems to be best for worker safety, worker efficiency, and cost benefits. Rigid Track systems are created using industry-leading engineering, and seem to provide the best fall protection on the market today. Consider horizontal fall protection for your workstations the next time you're in the market for improved fall protection.

Tower Cranes Makes An Impossible Task Possible

The tower crane surpasses any other cranes in terms of versatility and utility. It comes with ideal lifting technology for any civil engineering task. These highly adaptable cranes have proved their worth both in the construction of residential buildings and on large scale industrial projects all over the world. This versatile equipment rise hundreds of feet into the air and can reach out just as far.

This high utility equipment is used to lift steel, concrete, large tools like acetylene torches and generators and a wide variety of other building materials. A tower crane has a following features and specifications:

1. Maximum lifting power- 19.8 tons(18 metric tons), 300 tonne- meters (metric ton= tonne)

2. Maximum reach- 230 feet (70 mts)

3. Counterweights- 20 tons (16.3 metric tons)

4. Maximum unsupported height: 265 feet 80 (meters)

For any crane to lift maximum load the weight has to be positioned close r to the mast and not at the end of the jib.

The tower crane is a modern form of balance crane. They offer a best combination of height and lifting capacity. This crane consists of basic parts as:

1. Base: the base is fixed to the ground that supports the crane.

2. Mast (tower): It is connected to the base and to save space and provide stability this vertical part of the crane is often mounted on large beams braced onto the completed structure. Mast gives height to the crane.

3. Slewing unit: It is attached to the top of the mast. It has gear and motor that allows rotating.

4. Jib: this is mounted on the slewing unit. The jib suspends the load from the trolley. The trolley motor is located on the Jib.

5. Counter Jib: this part is also mounted on the slewing unit. It carries a counter weight of concrete blocks. The hoist motor and transmissions are located on the mechanical desk on the counter Jib.

6. Operator's cabin: It is located at the top of the tower attached to the slewing unit, but can be mounted on the Jib or partway down the tower.

7. Lifting hook: It is operated by using electric motors to manipulate wire rope cables through a system of sheaves.

The operator works in conjunction with signaler to hook and unhook the loads. The large fraction of the tower cranes in the world are in use in Dubai.

There is great demand for this equipment. Some leading manufacturers are:

1. Liebherr: It was established in 1949 by Hans Liebherr. The company flourished with the great success of its first mobile, easy to assemble and affordable tower cranes. The line up includes:

-EC-H Litronic series- It sets new standards in efficiency with innovation and top technology. It offers up to 20% higher load capacity at the touch of a button. This series include 17 models.

-HC series: this includes eight universal cranes from 800 to 5000 mt. they are designed for very high hook heights and very long jibs.

2. Manitowoc Crane Group: they are world leaders in construction crane industry. Potain is a brand that belongs to /Manitowoc, providing tower cranes for the building construction industry. Today Company produces 60 models from manufacturing plants in France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and China. Potain produces three families of tower cranes, the smallest cranes of Potain range are the self- erecting cranes, running from 1,0t to 7, 98 t capacity. Higher and bigger are the top slewing cranes varying from 7,98t to 64t capacity; these are also the largest custom designed special application cranes which reach capacities of 160t.

Tower cranes are made with precision and care for a finished product that stands up to years of use making loading and unloading.

Welding on Mild Steel

Mild steel is defined as any steel that has low carbon in it and about 85% of welding is done using this type of steel. Usually these steels have an AISI series of C-1008 through C-1025. They are the steels that are most often used in construction or industrial fabrication. They are welded through the use of gas, arc or resistance welding.

Mild steels are resilient and they can be bended or twisted or moved into other shapes as they are welded. You can use mild steel sheets or wire to do this type of welding. You can also use it to weld pipes. As an example, you can use mild steel pipes when you want to work within air conditioning or refrigeration. This can also be used for heating when you want a low pressure.

You can also use steel wire or steel sheets to do welding on mild steel. Mild steel can be used in the following types of welding:

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)-- this is a type of welding that uses a solid electrode wire that is continuously used as a filler metal. It also uses a shielding gas. The wire that is used is mild steel, and it can be a copper color to protect it from rusting. This will also improve the way that it conducts electricity.

Flux-Cored Arc-Welding -- this type of welding uses a wire that is covered with flux so that it will automatically give you the shielding gas. This is the favored way of doing welding on mild steels in an outdoor environment.

MIG Welding -- this is one of the easier forms of welding and is also a good idea for welding on mild steel in an indoor environment. It is one of the first types of welding that beginners learn how to do and it is a bit more flexible than other types of welding. You can also use it to weld other materials like aluminum, nickel or stainless steel.

There are advantages and disadvantages of welding many different types of wire and it is important to know what you want to do before you start. Here are a few tips as you decide to work with welding on mild steel:

Before you start working with mild steel make sure you clean the surface first. Make sure the clamp that you have on the work is tight so that it is a solid connection for the electricity to flow through it. You will also want to make sure that your steel is free of rust , paint or any other debris. Paint or rust will insulate your steel and you won't get the solid connection.

Many people forget that the welder should be put on a different circuit breaker than other things you are doing, especially when you are working at home. The reason to do this is because you are working with higher heat and it needs more power.

Make sure that the two pieces you want to weld are flush with each other or at lest have a solid joining to prevent any problems with the weld.

Crash Barriers - Making Road Travel Safer For You

Crash barriers keep the vehicles from going off the road and steer them safely back on to the road. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that their very presence can boost the confidence of a jittery driver on a mountain road.

Crash barriers can be classified on the basis of their design and implementation. Guardrail, wire rope safety barrier, crash cushions and high containment barrier are a few that can be seen on roadways. All the crash barriers work on a similar principle, they are designed to absorb the impact of the vehicle going off track and hence help it get on to the road again without letting it lose its balance.

At times, the crash barrier to be used on a roadway is determined by the kind of vehicle traffic the roadway gets. For example high containment barriers are put up on the roadways with a large traffic volume of heavy vehicles. Then, crash cushion is specifically designed to protect motorists from impacting the end of concrete barriers and toll plazas. Guardrail is the most commonly seen crash barrier but has a history of highest injury and fatality in a fixed object crash. This is where wire rope safety barrier scores over guard rail as it consists of wire ropes and is flexible.

Though the crash barriers prevent several accidents everyday, they sure don't prevent all of them. There have been incidences of fatalities, which were mainly attributed to the design and material of the crash barriers. Most of the roadways get all types of automobiles and therefore it becomes difficult to decide on the height and strength of the crash barrier. For, a motorbike can slip under the barrier that's meant to keep a car from going off track, while a big truck may trip well over the same barrier.

As a step towards ensuring safe road travel, road safety products are first tested and then put up on roadways. The crash barriers are tested in accordance with the guidelines mentioned in National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350, "Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features".

These guidelines are based on the findings of continuous road safety researches and are subject to revision.