Wire Rope Basics: An Introduction to Construction, Handling & Terminology

Course Overview

A practical introduction to wire rope construction, terminology and safe handling — the essential foundation before working with lifting and rigging equipment.

Full description (for the course landing page):

Wire rope is one of the most widely used components in lifting, rigging and material handling — but understanding what’s actually inside it, and why it’s built that way, is what separates safe, informed use from guesswork.

This introductory course covers the fundamentals every technician, buyer, or engineer should know before specifying, installing, or working with wire rope: how it’s constructed, what the different terms mean (strand, core, lay, construction), how ropes are classified, and the basic principles behind selecting the right rope for the job.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to read a wire rope specification with confidence, understand the difference between common lay types and core constructions, and recognise the terminology used across the lifting and rigging industry.

No prior experience required. This course is designed as the starting point for anyone new to wire rope, lifting equipment, or rigging.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

1. Describe the basic components of a wire rope (wire, strand, core, rope).
2. Explain what “lay” means and identify the main lay types (regular lay, lang lay).
3. Interpret a basic wire rope construction notation (e.g. 6×19).
4. Identify the main core types and their purpose.
5. Understand, at a foundational level, why different constructions suit different applications.