Wire rope and coated cable form the base of many mechanical assemblies for bearing, securing, and moving loads in farming and other agricultural and applications. Machines including harvesters, trailers, irrigation systems, and balers, along with storage and warehouse facilities and farm vehicles all use wire rope and cable to bind, secure, and connect equipment and supplies.
Wire rope and cable from Sandin Manufacturing are designed for durability and flexibility under a range of loading and environmental conditions. In agricultural applications, wire must also be able to withstand exposure to water, mechanical damage, agricultural chemicals, and various weather conditions. Here, we’ll look at types of wire rope and cable used in the agricultural industry, and some common applications.
Types of Wire Rope and Cable Assembly for the Agriculture Industry
To meet the needs of various agricultural applications and working conditions, Sandin Manufacturing supplies a variety of wire and coated cable for mechanical assemblies, along with extruded cable in diameters ranging from 0.014 in. to 0.625 in., and custom wire and cable configurations with pressed or swaged fittings. We can also extrude Our products for the agriculture industry include:
- Wire Rope: We offer bright wire, galvanized, and stainless steel wire rope in a variety of constructions and diameters. Different constructions and materials offer a range of physical flexibility and corrosion resistance.
- Vinyl-Coated Cable: Vinyl-coated cables are UV resistant for outdoor use and often more cost-effective than nylon-coated options. Vinyl coatings are flexible and durable, and are available in several hardnesses and diameters.
- Nylon Coated Cable: Nylon-coated cable is a durable option for pulleys and other load bearing applications that have high cycle counts. Nylon is harder and tougher than vinyl, and it offers good chemical resistance characteristics.
- Polyethylene and HDPE Coated Cable. These materials are cost-effective, weather- and chemical-resistant, and available in soft or hard versions, depending on the material density.
- Polypropylene Coated Cable. Polypropylene-coated cable is a good option for underwater applications. It is durable, stiff, and offers good chemical resistance.
- Hytrel Coated Cable. Hytrel-coated cable is often used in automotive and other vehicle applications as it is strong and durable, and it can handle a wide range of temperatures.
- Hardware and Fittings: We offer a variety of high-quality hardware and fitting options for wire and cable assemblies, including ball shanks, eye terminal, threaded studs, thimbles, lanyard tabs, sleeves, and stops.
Agriculture Cable Assembly Applications
Wire and cable assemblies are used for many farming and agricultural applications that require supporting loads, secure tie-downs, baling, lifting and pulling, creating barriers and fencing, and more. They assist with many operations and activities involved in managing supplies, crops, livestock, and equipment. Some examples include:
- Harvesters: Harvesters are machines that are used to harvest crops, and, similarly to other electric-powered agricultural machines, they rely on a series of wires and cables to function properly. During harvest season, it is essential that these machines have durable and reliable cable assemblies, as there is no time to waste in preparing ripe food for distribution. If a wire or cable were to break and needed to be replaced, this could prove costly.
- Irrigation Systems: Cable and wire assemblies are also used in electrical irrigation systems to distribute water to fields of crops. These wires and cables must be able to offer consistent performance in moist environments without degrading.
- Pumps: Many agricultural settings also employ deep wells that utilize submersible pumps to distribute water. Due to their unique location, these pumps rely on wires and cables that can offer consistent performance in rugged and restrictive environments.
- Shipping/Transportation Vehicles: Shipping and transportation vehicles used in the agricultural industry need to be able to maintain strict conditions to adhere to regulations and prevent food from spoiling. For this reason, high-quality cables play an essential role in these vehicles, as electrical issues can prevent refrigeration and ventilation systems from functioning properly, which could result in product loss.
- Storage and Packaging Facilities: Just like shipping and transportation vehicles, storage and packaging facilities must also maintain strict climate controls to prevent food spoilage. These buildings then count on reliable wires and cables for their electrical subsystems to ensure their refrigeration and ventilation systems operate properly.
Contact the Experts at Sandin Manufacturing
For agricultural applications, chemical, weather, and UV resistance are critical, along with finding the optimal wire rope material and construction. At Sandin Manufacturing, we meet the needs of this industry with bare cable, coated cable that is extruded in-house, custom mechanical cable assemblies, and cable hardware.
When you partner with us, you benefit from our more than 60 years of industry experience, ensuring the job is done right the first time. We are also ISO 9001:2015 certified for quality management, so you can count on the quality and consistency of our products.
Contact us to learn more about our wire rope and coated cable products and custom assembly capabilities, or request a quote to get started.