February 2 - Synthetic rope manufacturer Yale Cordage has added a new heavy lift multipart sling, Fortis2, to its line of industrial products.
Built with Yale's Unitrex XS Max Wear cable and recently awarded a US patent, the Fortis2 Sling has the tensile strength and stiffness of steel wire at one-fifth of the weight, claimes the manufacturer.
Yale says that the improved specifications of the sling are revolutionising the way work is done in shipyards, rail yards and other industrial settings, where units weighing hundreds of tonnes need to be lifted and moved frequently.
Due to Fortis2 slings being much lighter than their wire counterparts, Yale claims that they are naturally easier to rig. What once took hours and involved a crane or other assistance can now be done manually by just one or two workers in minutes, added Yale.
Moreover, said owner of the rope manufacturer, Tom Yale, Fortis2 slings do not pose the same safety hazards as wire; will not absorb water, freeze or rust; and are easier to inspect than wire multipart slings.
"We're looking forward to seeing how different industrial clients choose to leverage this technology," said Yale. "I could see our maritime customers using Fortis2 to lift equipment in and out of the water, or even to load containers onto barges.
"When you consider that on a cargo vessel, every pound of wire or chain displaces a pound of product, and every minute spent on rigging is a delay to consumers, having a lighter lifting sling on board could pay off fast."
