ABSTRACT
Wire ropes are important mechanisms for transmitting tensile loads where flexibility is needed. They are typically wound around sheaves, drums, or pulleys for transmitting force. They comprise of continuous wire strands wound around a central core. When a wire rope is bent around a sheave or a pulley, the individual wires and strands move in relation to each other to adjust themselves to the curvature assumed by the rope. In order to reduce or prevent the wear due to the metal strands rubbing against each other as they adjust themselves around the curvature, lubrication is needed.
