Lifting and Rigging Slings

Lifting and Rigging Slings refers to a wide range of devices used to lift and move heavy objects.

Lifting slings are indispensable in numerous sectors, including industrial construction, mining, and transportation. Lifting slings are essential components of any lifting operation and serve as the connection between the load and the hoist.
Choosing the right types of lifting slings is important to ensure safety and efficiency in every lifting operation. There are various types of lifting slings designed for a wide range of tasks, so understanding their specific characteristics is crucial to protecting personnel and equipment.

Thorough training and proper maintenance are essential when using lifting slings to ensure safe and effective operation.

Types of Lifting and Rigging Slings

Chain slings are heavy-duty lifting devices consisting of high-quality alloy steel chains and end hooks, and are used to attach heavy loads to overhead cranes or hoists.
They are used in harsh conditions, such as on construction sites and in factories, because they can withstand heat, sharp edges, and heavy wear and tear.

Wire rope slings are extremely durable lifting devices consisting of individual steel wires wound in a spiral pattern around a fiber or steel core.
This construction offers a combination of strength and flexibility, making steel wire rope slings a popular lifting solution in construction, industry, and the general manufacturing sector, where a wide variety of heavy loads and particularly harsh conditions are encountered.
The more strands the rope contains, the more flexible the sling becomes; and the fewer strands there are, the better the wear resistance.

Types of Cranes

A steel wire rope sling is a lifting sling made of steel wire that can be formed into various configurations, such as single, multiple, loop, or endless versions.
The ends are typically finished with mechanical fittings, crimped sleeves, or hand-applied splices, depending on the application and load capacity. Wire rope slings are designed for heavy-duty lifting applications where strength, durability, and wear resistance are required.

Web slings, as the name suggests, are made from woven synthetic fibers such as nylon, polyester, or polypropylene. These straps, which feature attachment loops at both ends, are known for their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and their resistance to wear and UV radiation.
They are typically flat and equipped with reinforced loops at both ends for attachment to hoists, cranes, and other lifting equipment.

Round synthetic lifting slings offer another design advantage because the load-bearing fibers are encased in a protective sheath.
Instead of relying on exposed woven layers, round synthetic lifting slings are constructed from multiple strands of core fibers arranged in an endless loop, which distributes wear points along the entire length of the sling.

The Endless Flat Belt Sling is characterized by its continuous-loop design without seams, joints, or metal parts.
This seamless construction eliminates weak points that could compromise the sling’s integrity during lifting operations.
The slings are made of high-strength polyester and features flat designs that provides a wide contact surface, reducing pressure points and minimizing damage to the load.

The lifting slings described in this article are commonly used, but suppliers of lifting equipment can likely come up with other types and designs.