A large lifting hoist or a wire rope winch might be a viable option for heavy-duty and lifting tasks. Both pieces of equipment are capable of lifting large loads and are built to withstand repeated, severe lifts.
However, as usual, the day-to-day use of your lifting equipment should determine which size is appropriate for your application.
Today, we’ll look at the various capabilities of winches and wire rope hoists to help you choose the best equipment for your next job.
Here are some differences between a Wire Rope Winch and a Hoist:
Winches and wire rope hoists are used for lifting operations in different industries. But, winches are an ideal choice for heavy lifting in process-duty applications instead of wire rope hoists. To help you decide which lifting equipment is best for you, we’ll look at three factors: capacity, duty cycle, and lift application.
Capacity
Standard wire rope hoists will begin to lose product range in terms of lift and capacity as they approach the maximum 80-ton capacity, owing to the longer reeving and drum length required for that capacity.
For example, if your application requires an 80-ton capacity, R&M may deliver an SX hoist. However, if you additionally want an H4 duty cycle, we propose the winch product for your needs. If your application requires larger capacity ranges (80-160 tonnes), you will need a wire rope winch.
Winch hoists not only have bigger drums but the reeving is also designed for heavy-duty, with a more compact shape. Also, the position of the sheaves protects the wire rope from heavier use.
Duty Cycle
At lesser capacity, wire rope hoists are smaller and less expensive than winches. However, at capacities above 80 tonnes, the wire rope hoist cannot provide the lift and duty cycle required for the application. When capacities exceed 60 tonnes, product lines overlap, and the mix of capacity, lift, and duty cycle frequently determines which product is best suited.
Wire rope winches provide a larger product selection in the greater capacity range, and they are often used in higher-duty cycle applications. This is due to the winch’s durable, high-quality components, which can reliably work at almost full capacity or full capacity under extremely demanding situations.
This implies that winches are designed to perform ideally in scrap yards, cement mills, paper mills, steel mills, and other similarly demanding lifting applications.
Lift Application
In the “Duty Cycle” section, we discussed certain applications that demand great performance in difficult environments. We commonly refer to these applications as “process duty.”
For process duty applications, we may compare our knowledge of wire rope hoists and winches to determine the optimal selection – both types of lifting equipment can raise huge weights. However, due to the increased duty cycle rating, the wire rope winch will require fewer part replacements and provide fewer opportunities for unanticipated maintenance.
A wire rope hoist may function well in this environment but at the incorrect duty cycle for a few years, but a winch at the correct duty cycle may have a lifetime of ten years or more. Furthermore, winches often have more standard functions than wire rope hoists, although wire rope hoists may include optional features due to their larger application range.
This disparity in the total lifetime cost of ownership is an important issue for facility managers wanting to purchase new equipment.
The Best Hoists and Wire Rope Winches for the Job
Ganesh Engineering offers the rigging equipment customized to your needs. We provide a variety of hoists and wire rope winches, as well as other high-quality rigging equipment. Browse our lifting equipment, or contact us immediately for urgent assistance!