SHOVELS

TUF-MAX shovel ropes outperform the competition.

TUF-MAX was designed and manufactured specifically to be the premier rope for the mining industry. Features built into the rope, and proven in the field include:

• Proprietary design: Wire chemistries, lay lengths, strand clearances and other critical features to producing a high performing shovel hoist rope were built into every TUF-MAX product.
  
  
• Plastic impregnated: Coming from the originator of impregnated wire rope, TUF-MAX's design and production assures the most thorough penetration of polymer plastic throughout its cross-section to minimize internal stresses and fatigue. It also provides all the benefits of cleanliness and external wear resistance of PFV ropes.
  
  
• Consistent: Each foot of TUF-MAX is manufactured to the highest standards of quality and inspected to assure top performance with every set.
  
  

When TUF-MAX was introduced, it immediately set a new standard for rugged reliability in shovel ropes. Manufactured to stand up under the most rigorous conditions, TUF-MAX has proven itself in the field.

In a study in the western United States on P&H 2800 shovels, TUF-MAX hoist ropes outperformed a leading competitor in average tons moved by 30%.

Other TUF-MAX field tests showed similar results:

• A mining company in Wyoming, running P&H 4100 shovels, reported over a 20% increase in service life.
  
  
• A copper mining company in South America saw a 20+% increase in service life on their P&H 4100s.
  
  
• Another mining company in the western U.S. experienced a 50% increase in P&H 4100 rope service life with TUF-MAX compared to 6-strand uncoated hoist ropes.
  
  
• Using TUF-MAX dump ropes on a Page 757 doubled the service life at another mining site.
  
  

DRAGLINES

PowerMax
Dragline hoist and drag ropes that work harder, longer.

• EXCLUSIVE DESIGN
• PROPRIETARY METALLURGY
• IMPROVED PERFORMANCE
• WORLD'S TOUGHEST PRODUCTION STANDARDS
• GUARANTEED

PowerMax™ is an 8-strand wire rope created to provide operating characteristics essential to drag and hoist ropes. Proprietary WireCo WorldGroup metallurgy was utilized in developing special rod chemistry requirements to provide optimum wire characteristics for mining ropes.

With eight outer strands, PowerMax is more fatigue resistant than 6-strand ropes of the same diameter, plus, its greater surface area puts more steel in touch with contact surfaces reducing wear and abrasion.

Just as importantly, no drag or hoist rope available is subjected to more rigorous standards of manufacturing than PowerMax. PowerMax is a product of PowerSteel®Technology, a WireCo WorldGroup exclusive. The technology combines all aspects of rope design and manufacturing in one cohesive process that assures a product that's second to none.

Using PowerSteel Technology, in-house metallurgical and engineering teams developed and designed PowerMax specifically for surface mining applications. The industry's highest manufacturing standards, continuous tracking and testing, and the use of enhanced plastics in core impregnation give PowerMax a clear-cut edge in drag rope and hoist rope performance.

6-Strand Hoist & Drag Ropes
Backed by a service-proven reputation, these ropes are built tough to withstand abrasion and fatigue. Available in right lang lay (RL) and left lang lay (LL) with a standard independent wire rope core. These ropes are also available with PFV impregnation for enhanced service.

Check for proper fairlead operation.

To help assure maximum service from your straight-through or reverse-bend fairlead systems, you need to check these critical areas:

Groove contour. Grooves that are too small or tight can cause pinching and increased wear while grooves that are too wide can cause flattening of the rope - both of which can reduce your rope's life.

Proper sheave alignment. Fairlead systems have three different kinds of alignment: between the vertical and horizontal, between vertical and the bucket, and the alignment of the sheaves themselves - vertical to vertical, or horizontal to horizontal. The grooves of each of these fairleads can wear down over time as a result of continual rope contact, leading to reduced rope service life.

You can help maximize rope service life by aligning the sheaves properly with the bucket. The small space between the sheaves, however, may cause the rope to jump back and forth, so you need to be aware of possible impact fatigue or martensite and take steps to prevent them. One way is to shim up the sheave to restore proper alignment. It's best to check with your equipment manufacturer for proper alignment procedures.

Sheave movement. All sheaves should rotate freely. Make sure that sheave housings that are required to pivot can move freely.

Roller operation. Guide rollers in front of vertical sheaves should move freely to maximize rope life. If rollers become grooved or flat on one side, they should be replaced.

Overspinning. A proven remedy is to put a heavy, tacky lubricant in the throat of the vertical fairleads. This helps the rope start and stop the sheave, and keeps the sheave from grinding against the rope. To reduce rope damage, do not begin the digging cycle until the vertical fairleads stop spinning.

PowerMax Brochure

PowerMax MD --the unique, new drag rope. Only from WireCo WorldGroup.

PowerMax MD was designed specifically for exceptional performance and extended service life on draglines with reverse bend fairlead systems. From the inside out, PowerMax MD was created to be, simply, the most productive drag rope available for reverse bend fairlead systems. Built around a plastic impregnated independent wire rope core (IWRC) are eight compacted strands of cold-drawn, high-carbon steel wires, a construction that delivers the optimal combination of strength and resistance to bending fatigue and abrasion.

With eight outer strands fortifying the compacted strand design of PowerMax MD, this rope delivers approximately 10% higher minimum breaking strength than standard six-strand drag ropes and also supplies the flexibility to handle the bending stresses at the fairleads. The strand compaction, created through an exclusive WireCo WorldGroup process, puts a wider, smoother outer rope surface in contact with the sheaves and drums for much greater abrasion resistance, as well. The specific combination of rope characteristics found in PowerMax MD delivers more hours and more yards - with fewer rope changes.

• Reverse bend systems provide several advantages over straight-through fairlead arrangements, but they also put added demands on drag ropes.
  
  
• The very nature of the reverse bend set-up subjects drag ropes to a very high degree of bending fatigue.
  
  
• Plus, overburden and constant contact with sheave grooves expose drag ropes to a high degree of abrasion.
  
  

PowerMax MD Brochure