Key Questions to Ask When Ordering Steel wire strand for optical cable

Lashing wire is a type of stainless steel wire that holds — or lashes — other wires together. It has a uniform, fine-grain structure and is typically used in the telecommunications industry, which uses multiple wires and cables to transmit data.

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These data cables, such as fiber-optic cables, often need physical support. That job falls to messenger wire, a stiff wire that doesn't carry a signal and exists to add stability and structure to an installation. It runs parallel to the cable and prevents it from sagging or otherwise moving in a way that would strain the signal moving through it. The lashing wire attaches this external messenger wire to the cables or other wires.

Lashing fiber optic cable, for example, requires wrapping the lashing wire around the messenger wire and the fiber optic cable to hold them in place. The lashing wire doesn't carry a signal either but holds everything together.

In many cases, you will need a specialized machine called a lasher to connect aerial cables to the lashing wire. After feeding the lashing wire into the machine and attaching it to the aerial cables, the lasher spins the wire tightly around the cables, fastening them together.

This wire, especially when used with a lasher, offers benefits like:

• Easier installation: A lasher can greatly ease installation for a smoother, more accurate process and fewer labor demands.
• Lower hardware costs: Good lashing wire can keep the aerial wire in place and minimize the need for additional structural components or sturdier — and costlier — communications wire.
• Fewer maintenance requirements: If your wire installation is well-supported, you can limit the need for additional maintenance and repairs down the road, minimizing costs and avoiding service interruptions.
• Increased installation life span: Structural integrity is key to a long-lasting installation, and lashing wire can help your project get as much life as possible.

It may seem simple, but lashing wire has an essential role. Like other telecom cables, it must withstand harsh weather and corrosive agents while staying within budget and allowing you to work with the wire in a way that fits your project. Thanks to various steel grades, you can find lashing wire with different physical properties to meet your needs.

Lashing wire comes in several different types, made with various stainless steel alloys. They primarily differ in how they prevent corrosion with resistant materials like chromium and molybdenum. You can also find annealed lashing wire, which improves the workability of your wire.

1. Type 430 Lashing Wire

Type 430 lashing wire is a general-purpose option that offers excellent all-around performance. It is made of low-carbon stainless steel with about 17% chromium. Type 430 is a magnetic, ferritic and thermally non-hardening type of steel. This alloy has a tensile strength ranging from 70,000 to 95,000 pounds per square inch (psi) and an average break load of 125 pounds. This lashing wire comes in 1,200-foot coils that weigh 6.5 pounds.

Without any nickel or molybdenum, Type 430 wire is susceptible to corrosion, and some conditions can cause dark surface staining. This wire is only suitable for use at normal atmospheric pressures and away from corrosive agents. Type 430 should not be used within 25 miles of saltwater or near industrial applications with pollutant emissions.

2. Type 316 Lashing Wire

On the other end of the spectrum is Type 316, which offers the best corrosion resistance. It can be used in places where Type 430 would typically break down, like coastal areas or industrial settings. Type 316 is made of 18/10 stainless steel, which comprises 18% chromium, 10% nickel and 2.5% molybdenum. It is non-magnetic and austenitic, meaning it has a specific crystalline structure that imparts many of its beneficial physical characteristics.

This composition allows Type 316 to stand up to threats that would corrode other grades. It holds up against most chemicals, including sulfides and chlorides, and salt spray, which causes pinhole corrosion and pitting in Type 430. Type 316 offers a tensile strength of 95,000 to 125,000 psi — slightly higher than Type 430 — and has an average break load of 145 pounds. Like Type 430, Type 316 comes in 1,200-foot coils that weigh 6.5 pounds.

3. Type 302 Lashing Wire

If you need something a little stronger than Type 430 but not quite as rugged as Type 316, Type 302 offers a great middle ground. Also called Superlash, this type of lashing wire can stand up to moderately corrosive environments in the air but won't provide the same resistance level as Type 316. The stainless steel alloy is 18/8, which contains about 18% chromium and 8% nickel for excellent resistance to rusting. Like Type 316, it is non-magnetic, austenitic and thermally non-hardening.

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Type 302 lashing wire comes in two different diameters:

• 0.038 inches: Even at the smaller size, a 0.038-inch Type 302 wire is as strong as a 0.045-inch Type 430 wire. It has better ductility and elongation, allowing it to withstand stress and bending. This wire offers an average break load of 115 pounds. A 1,600-foot coil weighs 6.3 pounds.
• 0.045 inches: The larger size of Type 302 wire offers a higher breaking load of 165 pounds. A 1,200-foot coil weighs 6.5 pounds.

Type 302 offers a high tensile strength of 95,000 to 125,000 psi, along with high breaking loads.

4. Annealed Cable Lashing Wire

Another option is to buy any of the above options in their annealed forms. Annealed wire undergoes a heat treatment process that combats hardening, making the product more workable. The treatment process modifies the metal's mechanical properties by adjusting its crystal structure.

The first step is the recovery stage, in which the metal is heated to a temperature that relieves internal stresses. Then the metal is heated to its recrystallization temperature but stops short of its melting temperature. At this phase, new grains start to form, free of any flaws that were present beforehand. In the grain growth stage, the material is cooled at a specific rate, allowing the grains to develop fully. The result is a new atomic structure that is more resistant to work stressors.

Once the metal has these uniform grains, it takes on several useful properties, including:

• Reduced hardness and increased ductility: These properties significantly improve the metal's flexibility, allowing it to be used for more diverse applications. By improving ductility, the annealing process also helps the metal retain its durability after being drawn into wire.
• Minimized brittleness: Brittle wire is more prone to breaking under stress, reducing the potential life span of the overall installation. Decreasing brittleness through annealing can help your lashing wire absorb more energy and avoid breakage.
• Improved machinability: Annealed lashing wire can better withstand machining processes, further increasing the flexibility of your application.
• Eliminated complications from residual stress cracking: Residual stress occurs in a wire after it has experienced plastic deformation, such as fast thermal changes, phase transformations or mechanical processes like bending and drawing. These stressors can be virtually invisible but adversely affect the wire's structural integrity, making it prone to fractures. Annealing eliminates these stress cracks and potential complications.

The process of annealing is an easy way to improve the longevity and performance of your stainless steel lashing wire.

How can I ensure the right steel wire rope selection? We've compiled a table of 10 essential questions below to assist you in determining the most suitable steel wire rope for your specific requirements. Opting for the correct steel wire rope ensures maximum service life, provided regular inspection and proper lubrication are maintained.

Choosing Your Steel Wire Rope

When placing an order for a new steel wire rope, ensure that you consider the appropriate type, construction, dimensions, and length. Adhere to the recommendations of the machine manufacturers and verify that the equipment aligns with the correct machine group/grade.

 WARNING! Choosing the wrong steel wire rope may lead to a reduced working life, rope fractures, and/or equipment damage.

The following questions can guide you in selecting the right construction of the steel wire rope. In case of conflicting answers, opt for the most frequently occurring alternative. Combining the answers to these ten questions will assist in choosing the most optimal wire rope construction, although additional questions or considerations may sometimes point to a different wire rope construction.

Questions Yes Yes and No No Is freedom of rotation required? Choose low-rotation wire rope Choose low-rotation wire rope 6, 8, 9 and/or 10-cord wire rope Is a high breaking strength required? Special steel rope, compacted Steel rope with steel core - Are there many bends in the operation? Multi-strand steel rope with small outer threads Multi-strand steel rope with small outer threads - Should the wire rope withstand heavy external wear and tear? Soled rope with coarse outer threads Steel rope with coarse outer threads - Spooling of steel rope in several layers? Strong wire rope, compacted - Cross-braided wire rope Is there a risk of deformation damage Steel rope with fiber in the steel core Steel rope with fiber in the steel core - Left spool drum? Right-handed wire rope - Left-turned wire rope Left-handed wire rope steering? Right-handed wire rope - Left-turned wire rope Is there a corrosive environment during the operation? Galvanized/stainless steel rope Galvanized/stainless steel rope Galvanized/bright wire rope

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