The team destructive rope testing includes investigations to determine the service life of wire and fibre ropes in a wide variety of applications. For this purpose, 15 bending machines (rope loads up to 500 kN), one tensile testing machine (tensile load up to 2500 kN) and three tension-tension testing machines (up to 2000 kN) are available for standard tests. These testing machines are regularly modified in cooperation with the institute's own workshop in order to meet specific customer requirements and to carry out new types of tests within the scope of projects. In addition to these standard testing machines, the team has various special test stands available in the 1300 m² testing laboratory, such as a test stand for multi-layer spooling of crane ropes or a test stand for elevator ropes.
In addition to destructive rope testing, the range of services includes damage assessments and rope drive analyses of new and existing installations.
The well-known formula developed by Prof. Feyrer at the IFT is used to estimate the service life of running wire ropes.
Notifications exist for the areas of personal protective equipment in mountain sports (PPE). A guided drop test bench and other test facilities for testing dynamic ropes, static ropes, climbing harnesses and via ferrata sets are available for the PPE area.
Contact
Wendel Frick
M.Sc. Ing., IWEHead of Destructive Rope Testing