National Steel Day is celebrated on April 9 in Brazil. Steel is an important material for the development of modern society. Widely used in civil construction and in the offshore industry, the metal alloy composed of iron and carbon is present in several sectors of the economy, since the machinery used is often produced with this material.

Brazil is the ninth country that produces the most steel in the world, the ranking is led by China, India and Japan. In 2019 alone, more than 32 million tons were produced, according to a survey by the WorldSteel Association (WorldSteel). Among the dozens of applications for using steel, wire rope is one of the most common and needs attention.

Summary video about the steel industry

Very resistant to humidity and sea air and able to withstand a lot of weight, wire rope is the main choice for the marine and offshore industry, which even has companies like Gerdau with job vacancies in this area. Its use exposed to salt water requires more maintenance to preserve its integrity and not lose efficiency. Many steel cables already come with factory lubrication, internal and external, but, over time, this lubrication needs to be redone.

"Steel cables, as well as other parts and machines, need to be lubricated so that they can perform their job properly. This lubrication protects the rope from corrosion, friction fatigue, keeps it moving and makes it unwind smoothly.”, explains Luiz Maldonado, CEO of Lubvap Lubrificantes Especiais, a distribution company with more than 15 years in the industrial lubrication solutions market.

One of the main causes of wire rope breakage is wear. Constant maintenance with lubricants ensures that there is less resistance in the movement of the wires over each other, reducing corrosion and increasing the useful life of the material. “Ideally, they should always maintain a cable condition check routine. There is no standard interval, as this depends on its use and the environment to which the material is exposed, but what we recommend is that, whenever necessary, lubricate the external part of the cable to keep it in good condition.”, adds Maldonado.

High quality lubricants are important for the good operability of the Steel Cable

Lubrication needs to be done with correct lubricants, taking into account the environmental conditions, the type of operation and the method used. In addition, the product must have great capillary power, penetrating the core of the wire rope and lubricating the interior, thus preventing corrosion and oxidation. There are several brands that are indicated for this type of material, offering high performance, increased useful life and high adhesiveness, such as Rocol RD, Rocol Biogen Rope Guard, Kluber A61-1000 and Lubvap Wire Offshore and Lubvap 407, the latest brands 100% Brazilian, with thixotropic characteristics, like quicksand, when moving it softens and when stopped it hardens. The ideal is to use the amount determined by the manufacturer, since the accumulation of lubricant in the cable ends up dirtying the equipment and the material being processed, in addition to wasting the product.

The expert also explains the procedure to be adopted before lubrication. “Care must be taken to clean the cable before applying the product. Clean with a steel school and do not use solvents as they can remove internal lubrication. Lubrication needs to be done along the entire length of the cable, including the ends, and can be done with a brush, rag, drip system or spray, whichever you prefer.”, concludes the CEO. There is also the option of a steel cable lubricator, indicated for situations where it is not possible to stop the equipment. It is already possible to find equipment produced nationally, which makes the purchase cheaper and guarantees efficiency, such as the lubvapmatic SW.

A Lubvap is a reference in the market of biodegradable lubricants for several sectors, such as Offshore, Agribusiness and many others. Its product portfolio has several options that meet any need, such as Special Biodegradable Greases; Hydraulic Fluids and, for gears, Cutting Fluids; Corrosion protection; Degreasers; and Hand Cleaner Biodegradable. Source: comunica.com.br