HMPE Ropes
Because of the wear-resistant coating rope is widely used in applications where wear resistance and high tensile strength are required, such as heavy lifting, maritime applications, commercial fishing etc.
Significant features of the HMPE rope:
- extremely easy;
- longer life and easy handling;
- resistant to abrasion and heat;
- high UV resistance;
- not spilled in water;
- lowest elongation;
- Strength loss because of humidity: 0%
- Water absorption: 0%
- Resistant to acids, gasoline, diesel, oil,
- solvents, alkali
- Insulating properties: excellent
- Highest temperature (short load): about 70°C
- Melting point: approx. 150°C
Application:
- for transportation of goods;
- lifting heavy loads (winch rope, towing rope, etc.);
- maritime applications;
- commercial fishing;
- aquaculture;
- sports (water and flight sports, paragliders, kites, etc.);
- mechanical engineering;
- outdoor activities (climbing, camping, etc.).
The history
UHMWPE means Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight-Polyethylene that sometimes is called HMPE (high-modulus polyethylene) or UMHW. Polymerized UHMWPE was started to use commercially in the 1950s. It comes in powder materials that can be molded into the desired shapes like fibers, sheets, ropes, or rods. Superb wear and impact resistance make it very desirable in various industrial, automotive, and medical (in orthopedic and spine implants) industries, ballistic protection, and defense applications.
UHMWPE material is trademarked material that can only be manufactured by one company – DSM. The interesting historical fact about company DSM is that they invented this material accidentally in 1968 then started experimenting with polyethylene (also known as plastic). At that time their business was mining coal and dressing. The inventor accidentally manufactured a fiber that was so strong that he could not pull it apart. By his superiors, this miracle fiber was dismissed but the inventor continued studying it and developing it.
People might think that this material is new and untested, but it has gone through a ruthless long testing period – about 50 years. Other brands produce UHMWPE material, but DSM is ahead of other brands at giving access to this incredible material to consumers.
Our ropes have every significant feature as UHMWPE material. Same strength characteristics.
What are HMPE ropes?
UHMWPE means ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene that is also known as UMHW or HMPE (high-modulus polyethylene). Chemically it has extremely long chains that serve to transfer load more effectively to the polymer backbone. Because of that, it is a very tough material that is the strongest of any thermoplastic presently made.
What are the technical specifications of UHMWPE ropes?
DynStrength fiber and cords from UHMWPE have so many incredible positive characteristics that raise this material to the top above all over synthetic materials. The strongest known fiber in the world also has some negative features.
Creep
Creep is a phenomenon process than fibers after long-term static loads elongate. Then fiber elongates actually what happens chemically is long molecular chains slide along each other. For longer use, it is recommended to not subject UHMWPE rope to constant load or high temperature. For those consumers, who won’t use the material at high temperatures or will put high loads on it, the creep process is irrelevant.
If UHMWPE is constantly subjected to constant load or high temperatures the fiber will fail. The failing will depend upon the load, temperature, and rope weight. Different UHMWPE fiber types have different creep resistance and characteristics.
Creep usually is used to describe negative fiber performance. For example, when the rope is loaded and immediately released, the elasticity is recoverable. If the load is kept for a longer time, where will be a viscoelastic stretch that will need more time to recover. Next faze – creep, that will occur after long and constant load. Creep is not recoverable, permanent, and depends on time use. Creep happens at the molecular level and that is why it is permanent.
As we can see, creep is a very important characteristic. The grade can show creep performance.
Elongation
Elongation is measured in percentages of break load. That means that the bigger the load and the lower the elongation, the stronger the rope grade.
Chemical resistance
Ultrahigh-molecular weight polyethylene ropes are highly crystalline. They do not react to any chemical groups. That means that aggressive agents can not affect the rope. Ropes are resistant to any kind of chemicals, do not degrade in water, moisture. It does not swell or hydrolyzes.
Ultra-violet exposure
Polymers degrade due to UV radiation, but it depends on what type of polymer or environment. UHMWPE fibers show a slight decrease in tenacity. Degradation depends on sunlight intensity, temperature, and humidity.
Why choose Duguva?
We have our own brand strongest and high-performance HMPE ropes. Customers can choose from different diameters and breaking loads. Diameters begin from very thin 1 mm ropes to thick 32 mm.
If your desired product is not mentioned, please contact us and we will offer a customized solution.
Ø, mm | Weight, kg/100m | Breaking load, kg |
---|---|---|
3 | 0.5 | 900 |
4 | 1.1 | 1400 |
5 | 1.5 | 2200 |
6 | 2.0 | 3700 |
7 | 2.7 | 4600 |
8 | 3.6 | 6000 |
9 | 4.4 | 9200 |
10 | 5 | 10000 |
12 | 8,0 | 14000 |
14 | 10 | 18000 |
16 | 14 | 24000 |
17 | 16 | 27000 |
18 | 20 | 35000 |
20 | 22 | 38000 |
22 | 27 | 45000 |
24 | 33 | 53000 |
26 | 37 | 61000 |
28 | 43 | 69000 |
30 | 48 | 78000 |