Wire Swaging

Wire swaging is used to press ferrules, sleeves, and crimps onto wire ropes. By displacing metal material by sheer force, a strong hold is formed on the wire rope.

We offer swaging and crimping services for wire ropes from 3mm to 20mm for a variety of uses.

  • Balustrades
  • Boat winches
  • Crane ropes
  • Elevator ropes
  • Four wheel drive winches
  • Guide ropes
  • Structural support ropes
  • Tow truck ropes
  • Wire rope slings

We have a variety of ropes and fittings available, including stainless steel, to manufacture typical and specialised ropes to meet your needs.

With our testing services and expertise, you can be sure the quality of the swage meets specifications, is compliant, strong, and reliable.

Mobile Swaging Service

Walker Certification’s swage cable press is a mobile unit, capable of 150 tonnes of pressure. This means we can come to you or the site for wire rope crimping and swaging services.

Wire rope lifting slings

Wire Rope Lifting Slings

Wire rope lifting slings are made to order to deliver what you need, with rope sizes are available from 3mm to 18mm.

The wire rope lifting slings can be ordered as grade 1570, grade 1770, 1960, or grade 2070.

Wire rope and fittings are made to order using our cable press, so other wire rope sizes and higher grades are available on request.

What is Wire Swaging?

Swaging, pronounced sway-jing, is the process of forming a loop at the end of the wire rope, typically for fixing a wire rope to fittings. The rope is turned around back on itself, often around a thimble, then crimp or swage a ferrule around the two pieces of wire.

A hydraulic cable press, or swager, is used to compress the ferrule tightly on the wire rope, squeezing it to the wires. The compression is so high, the metal material of the ferrule plasticise and partially flows between the strands of the wire. A quality swage creates a strong hold where the wire is more likely to break than the swage to slip.

Wire Rope Thimble

Wire rope thimbles, or cable thimbles, are inserted into the wire rope loop to protect from abrasion and prevent pinching under load, extending the service life of the wire rope or sling.

Ferrule

Ferrules, or sleeves, are used to terminate the ends of a wire rope. They are usually made of aluminium, copper, or stainless steel. The ferrule is crimped or swaged under high compression onto the wire rope.

Wire rope swaged hook
Hook fitted to a wire rope with a thimble supported loop and swaged ferrule