Strength is not a matter of size...
COMPACTA is a compacted wire rope - it is not the finished rope that is compacted, but its strands. During stranding, the round wires are fed through a specially designed drawing-die, in which the compacting takes place. The diameter of a compacted strand is smaller than that of the composing wires in their original sizes. This compacting process considerably increases the metallic cross-section and thereby results in a higher filling factor of the strands. It has absolutely positive effects: either the breaking strength for a given diameter is increased or the rope diameter for a given breaking strength is reduced. Thanks to the smooth surface of the flattened outer wires, the wear on grips, sheave and bullwheel liners is reduced and the damping capability for oscillations and vibrations is improved. And, the strands contact area is larger, which is beneficial for the wires, as the mechanical stress is diminished. COMPACTA ropes are more stable in their diameter and more resistant to distortion and torque compared to conventional ropes.
The optimised ratio between the diameter and the breaking force makes COMPACTA ropes predestined for use in systems, where aspects such as long service lifetime, high transportation capacity and cost-effectiveness are of decisive interest. This also means that capacity can be increased on existing ropeways - with no need to replace the relevant components.