Facts, Fiction & Friction with Wire Rope Lubrication

The Kirkpatrick Group, Inc., manufacturer of Kirkpatrick Wire Rope Lubrication Systems has kept very busy since their story last appeared on these pages back in 2003. 

Owner and President Bob Kirkpatrick  

points out their number one goal remains unchanged, and that goal is to provide clients with innovation, safety, and support for the care and maintenance of their Wire Ropes

By Victor Mendez

"What is unique about the testimonials we've have received over the years is that they’ve come to us unsolicited through third parties. Their evaluations and opinions concerning the performance of our product came directly from their successful use of it in their wire rope preventative maintenance programs."

The use of wire rope pressure applicators has now become a mainstay in most wire rope maintenance applications worldwide since Kirkpatrick first introduced them to the world market in 1982. Wire rope pressure lubrication has changed the manner in which industries maintain their wire ropes on a worldwide basis simply because their use has established that the working life of wire rope has been extended. In addition, labor savings have proven to be as much as 50 times greater as compared to the labor costs and time spent using manually applied methods.

-California-

Maritime Academy Hand Lubing (Several Hours to Complete)

Labor savings have been proven in official independent studies. One recent experience confirming this directly was during a trip to the California Maritime Academy. During the tour aboard the training vessel Golden Bear with the Chief Mate, Kirkpatrick observed a group of 4 cadets’ hand lubing the 7/8” 1,500-foot mooring line on the ships front winch.

“I asked how long they had been working the job, and they told me several hours. I added what if I can provide something guaranteed that will do the same job in 30 minutes and also clean it and provide optimal penetration instead of only surface coating?” That’s all it took to close that deal. The sale was made.

Since 1982, Kirkpatrick has gained a broad knowledge of what it takes to optimally apply wire rope dressings to wire rope, no matter what method is used. This a direct result of his own infield and daily troubleshooting experience over the last 34 years.

The bottom line is that preventative maintenance should supplement the original layup material of the wire rope and if that lay-up material is viscous enough it is an impossibility to go through the core, according to Kirkpatrick. This is because there is already a preexisting protective coating barrier there. (Or should be) “This is not a negative but a good thing, he says.” The goal is to keep the original lay-up material intact for as long as possible.

“The fact is that the most important time a wire rope can receive a coating is during the manufacturing process when each individual strand can be coated before the wire rope is closed. I always push customers to use as viscous a coating as possible. This is especially true in the mining industry where Hoist Ropes can travel at hundreds of feet per minute generating friction wear between the strands at a level beyond other industry’s performance levels. A viscous product may be a little more expensive; however, the rewards of a longer wire rope life more than justifies it’s consideration for any wire rope preventative maintenance program.”

“Protection against friction wear and strand rubbing is guaranteed with heavier viscosity wire rope lubricants marrying well to the original layup material. Our systems will apply any viscosity product including oils as stated previously. Therefore, my opinion in support of heavier viscosity wire rope lubricants is not generated from the shortcomings of our wire rope lubrication system in being able to apply these heavier viscosity or wire rope lubricants. We can perform with them all if they can be pumped. The viscosity range our systems can accommodate extends to an NLGI Grade 3 or NLGI Grade 4 grease.”

“I have never been one that supports oils being used on working ropes where friction wear is of high concern and adequate fluid film protection between the strands is a must. Oils only apply a microscopic layer protection against strand rubbing. They can also serve to emulsify and wash out the original layup material. By analogy, would you use an oil on your car wheel bearings or grease them? If oils are used in a wire rope maintenance project; it is necessary to treat the rope more often because once the original lay-up material is gone; the oils must take its place. The fact is that at application most of the oil runs off or through the rope in the event the lay-up material is gone.”

The United States Coast Guard Training, Galveston, Texas.

Currently, most wire rope contractors are being required to pressure lube their customers’ wire ropes in offshore field applications or before delivery to the drill ships or rigs. There is also so much out there yet to be learned. The sales growth Kirkpatrick has experienced over the years is related to the fact that they have a database of more than 10,000 clients involved to some degree in wire rope preventative maintenance.

Kirkpatrick has outfitted every ship in the Navy as well as every Coast Guard Tender built since 1984 – some 600 – with one of their lubrication systems. Some have purchased several over the years.  With a product which is so well established comes responsibility too.

“I sit at my desk every day and find that I have to send troubleshooting emails around the world. I thoroughly enjoy the process. I am exposed to every industry where wire rope is used involving many different cultures. They all have their style of doing business. However, they all have one thing in common: They need our support and experience in helping them understand the process and then require our follow through to support them and then know our after sale support is what we claim it is. I say this with no arrogance intended:  We do it better than anybody and the repeat business that we receive from our users absolutely supports this claim.”   

During pressure lubrication, wire rope passes through a 100% pressurized and controlled immersion many times faster than manual applications. This, in turn, reduces labor costs, improves safety as well as increases the working life of the wire ropes being treated. The outer surface and groove pattern are wiped clean of water and contaminants which then allows optimal penetration of the wire rope coating used. There is less lubricant waste and optimal fluid film support between the strands that always reduces friction wear.

“I thoroughly understand the end user’s maintenance operations because I used to be in the crane business. We had 400 cranes in our rental fleet dispersed to major construction projects worldwide.  Therefore, we know through experience fairly well what will support them in their own maintenance requirements.” We  know what and how to quote them, what they require, whether for offshore cranes, mooring lines for tankers or whatever it may be.” Kirkpatrick likes to remind those he deals with of the facts regarding pressure lubrication and straighten out the numerous misconceptions that come to him from the misinformed. “There is this idea that the pressure inside the lubrication collar may go as high as 5,000 psi. We decided to test a competitor’s system who was making this claim on one inch (25mm) six strand with their lubricant. The internal pressure ended up being approximately ten psi. We then used our system with the competitor’s same coating product.  Our internal pressure was 100 psi. In either case, it is a far cry from the 5,000 psi which came from their presentation. Why? This is because this kind of internal pressure is an impossibility to achieve at any level because of the simple fact that no wire rope pressure lubricator is a closed hydraulic system. That seems to be the perception and this is not being helped by our competition’s own misunderstanding of the process.”

“Lubricant moves through and around the wire rope in the stationary pre-travel mode and then as the wire rope travels through the seals, more pressure is released as the wire rope removes the lubricant feeding into the seals. In any event, the amount of internal pressure is dependent on the strand density and the configuration of the Wire Rope it has to penetrate.”

“For informational purposes: Generate 100 psi input at a 50:1 ratio pump and at the very down stroke of the pump piston pressures surge to 5,000 psi for a second. This has nothing to do with the internal pressure of the lubrication collar. What controls the lubrication collar’s internal pressure is the amount of wire rope lubricant contained within it’s internal seals at any given moment. The maximum internal pressure we have ever witnessed or seen was 800 psi using a grease and that involved a double armored cable.”

Ninety-nine percent of the time the wire rope lubricant is not going through the core, according to Kirkpatrick. If the pressure lubricator is constructed correctly, it will fill every open space in the wire rope that is available to receive the load. This is contrasted with the broadly used manual hand application method where only shallow surface coating is achieved using a rag. “The main thing that I would emphasize is that people need to understand how pressure lubrication works and what the strengths of the systems are to eliminate their misconceptions.

To help with that issue, Kirkpatrick implemented a new, well-equipped training center in Dallas, Texas to support their customers’ understanding. Training is offered free of charge to any customers who have purchased a system from their Dallas offices, or an established stocking distributor of their product line. Clients from around the world have taken advantage of the training since it first started back in 2012.  Quite frankly, it has been a surprise to Kirkpatrick at how popular the training program has become.   

The company has a wide variety of agencies that have come to depend on their pressurized lubrication systems. Among these are the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy, Army, Army Corps of Engineers, NATO, Canadian Coast Guard, Australian Navy and Canadian Navy along with some other military organizations globally. He says he understand that all of those listed are military. However, he wants the reader to know that to get approved by these government agencies takes extremely intense verification by some of the top engineers in the world. He has accepted their input with an open mind over the last 30 years and the extremely well-engineered system he provides, in many cases, is a direct result of their design input that came from their own requirements involving their sophisticated wire rope preventative maintenance programs. “The names on our civilian user list would absolutely impress any reader as well. He says.” However, that list is something he keeps close to the vest. I have provided enough information and training to our competitors over the years. Let them do their own homework.”   

The Naval Air Systems Command Chief of Naval Operations Preproduction Evaluation Final Report concluded that the Kirkpatrick Model SU35B Wire Rope Lubricator evaluated during their evaluation, appeared to have significant potential for reducing material usage and waste disposal costs. Significant labor savings were found to be possible due to the reduced labor required to perform cable cleaning and lubricating events.

Of equal importance: The wire rope lubrication system is a safer alternative than the previous method used because it does not require personnel to place grease on their gloves and wipe the crane cable. The cost analysis showed a 10-year return on investment (ROI) of approximately $350,900.60 and a break-even point of .41 years according to the Navy's report.

The Navy Public Works Department, San Diego found the Kirkpatrick Model SU35B Wire Rope Lubricator system to increase productivity and reduce costs. Their results were that the automated wire rope lubrication system extends the life span of wire rope, reducing the costs of removing and disposing of worn out wire rope and the purchase and installation of replacement rope.

G&H Towing, Galveston, Texas USA treating 2,200 Feet of 51 mm Tow Line using the Kirkpatrick Model JU120 System & Dynagard Blue? Environmental Wire Rope Lubricant.

Operating costs are also reduced because cranes are less frequently taken out of service to be refitted with new Wire Rope. The automated system cleans and lubricates Wire Rope at a rate of 50 feet to 250 feet per minute as compared to the manual rate of approximately one foot per minute.

“Cleaning and lubricating wire ropes on cranes using the old manual method took approximately five eight-hour workdays per crane. Using the automated system, wire rope on a crane can now be cleaned and lubricated in one eight-hour day. This represents significant savings in labor costs. The automated wire rope lubricator has reduced PWC San Diego’s annual cost of cleaning cables from about $320,000.00 a year to approximately $34,000.00, a yearly cost savings of approximately $286,000.00.”

The U.S. Navy as a whole has adopted a proactive and progressive position toward protecting the environment and complying with environmental laws and regulations. Rather than merely controlling and treating hazardous waste by end-of-the-pipe measures the Navy has instituted a program for pollution prevention to reduce or eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste, air emissions, and effluent discharges. Therefore, the Kirkpatrick system is a great fit in reaching these goals.

Cranes are used for a variety of duties in the Navy and form an integral part of Navy operations. They are used for essential duties such as lifting air- craft and helicopters onto aircraft carrier flight decks, assisting in the hanger bays, loading, and unloading supplies at the pier, removing aircraft from the flight deck during emergency situations, and performing maintenance on aircraft and helicopters on shore.

Navy maintenance practices require that crane cables be periodically cleaned and lubricated. The cables are constructed of multiple wire ropes that have been twisted together. Cleaning and lubricating provide corrosion resistance and extend the service life of the cable. Cable performance is improved by eliminating additional drag caused by the buildup.

Hoover Dam Trolley before Lubrication of a  3-1/2 inch (89mm).

The first step in any crane cable maintenance program involves cleaning the cable to remove any accumulation of dirt, marine growth, old grease, rust, and small particles of metal from between the wire rope strand that form the cable. After cleaning the cable, grease is reapplied to allow the crane cable to achieve its top operating speed and hauling ability. Metals that are scraped off during the cleaning process are disposed of as hazardous waste.

The Kirkpatrick Model SU35B was unique among other systems because of its implementation of groove cleaners. The groove cleaners, located at the wire rope inbound end of the Kirkpatrick lubricator collar, remove contaminants, surface greases, and build-up in the inner strands of the cable before lubrication. One pass of the SU35B over the cable accomplishes both the cleaning and lubricating steps.

The system was found to eliminate and the use of degreaser for cleaning cables, reduce the generation of waste, (degreaser, rags, grease) during cleaning and lubricating, and to provide a safer working environment while improving the efficiency of the entire wire rope maintenance process. This is coupled with the need to reduce the amount of hazardous material (grease) applied to the cables.

The man-hours required to clean the cables using the WRL are significantly less than the conventional method, thus creating labor savings. Overall, the WRL was effective and efficient in reducing material usage, waste generation, and labor; and as a result, it reduces the cost of cable cleaning and lubricating.

The unit is compact and portable, so installation requirements are minimal. The unit does require an air supply. The air capacity required depends on the diameter of the cable. The unit’s minimum amount required is 35 cubic feet per minute (cfm). Although the unit is portable, it is essential that it be set up correctly for optimal cleaning and lubrication.

The site arranged for the WRL to be temporarily attached to a forklift to achieve an angle for the lubrication collar to operate properly. The ability of any given site to mount the lubrication collar in such a manner is dependent upon available equipment resources. It is also important to optimize the speed at which the cable is pulled through the lubrication collar and the pressure with which the grease is applied.

The Navy and other clients are advised to clean the pump system and air motor twice a year. To clean the pump, a small amount of lightweight air tool oil is placed in a pail and run through the pump system until the oil exits the system clean. The air motor is maintained by placing air tool oil in the system to bleed out dirt and other contaminants.

Looking ahead to the future, the Navy reported that: “Due to the small size and simple system design and operation, the WRL is acceptable for shipboard crane maintenance.” The WRL can be used on any crane cable, provided the correct diameter and configuration of the cable is given.” The Kirkpatrick Group, Inc., the manufacturer of the WRL, has successfully implemented the WRL on board Navy and USCG vessels. The WRL has been used to lubricate elevator cables that transport aircraft and support equipment to the flight deck of the ship.

In his training, Kirkpatrick suggests that the WRL be mounted either parallel or vertically to the ground. It functions optimally in either position.  Site personnel experimented with mounting the WRL for one project and determined that the WRL and cable needed to be mounted at an angle between horizontal and vertical for that particular maintenance application, depending on the height of the crane. The reason for this is to gain optimal grease on the cable. Therefore, there is no set positioning and much depends on the logistics involved at the location where it is being used.

Navy personnel also established that the best method to mount the WRL at NAS North Island was to clamp it to a forklift using two ratchet straps. The cable was held at roughly a 45-degree angle as it was fed back onto the crane. Because each site’s operations and equipment are different. Mounting requirements may vary.

Bob Kirkpatrick feels that his firm has designed the most efficient wire rope lubrication system available today. “We understand what is required to provide those we serve with the right system for their specific application before purchase and then to maximize the customer’s use of that system once it is received.”

“For our clients, we make sure they feel that we’re as close as their cell phone, e-mail or fax machine. We are available with the answers they need – 24/7. More often than not they will be communicating directly with me or personnel very close to me that coordinate with me on every application if it is required.”