What is ISO/TS 23624 about?
ISO/TS 23624 gives guidance for the safe use of high-performance fiber ropes (HPFR) in crane applications. The mention of crane applications implicitly includes winch applications.
ISO/TS 23624 covers performance criteria and the necessary evaluation to enable selection of HPFR as well as best practice guidelines on procedures, testing, and maintenance to safely operate HPFR in crane applications including provisions for assembly/disassembly.
The performance criteria are related to tasks performed when using cranes as intended, including assembly/disassembly, operation, and required checks and maintenance.
Note: ISO/TS 23624 does not deal with so-called hybrid ropes which are a combination of steel wire and high-performance fibers, where the load-bearing capability is shared between steel wires and the high-performance fiber. This document does not deal with HPFR used for high-risk applications.
Note 2: ISO/TS 23624 also covers winch applications
Who is ISO/TS 23624?
ISO/TS 23624 on the safe use of high-performance fibre ropes are applicable to:
- Crane manufacturers
- Fiber ropes designers
- Crane operators
Why should you use ISO/TS 23624?
Developments of high-performance fibre ropes (HPFR) made from synthetic fibre have led to comparable strength with regard to steel wire ropes. The main advantages of using HPFR on cranes are:
- Lightweight (significant weight reduction)
- No environmental pollution by grease (no re-lubrication)
- Easy handling (faster and easier assembly/disassembly)
- Robust spooling (increased tolerance for spooling failures)
Adopting ISO/TS 23624 helps the manufacturers to produce better quality high-performance fiber ropes. ISO/TS 23624 is used to build HPFR rope based on high-performance fibers, which have high tensile strength, high modulus, and low elongation at break. A risk assessment considering the intended use and any reasonably foreseeable misuse need to be carried out by the manufacturer of the crane application, identifying potential risks that can impact the safety of the rope in operation.
ISO/TS 23624 is used by both the rope manufacturer and the crane application manufacturer (or other applicants), in order to identify potential operational and system risks that can affect the safety of operation.