Why do you need to monitor wire ropes and what indicates that these need to be replaced?

Wire ropes must be monitored regularly because they are critical load-bearing components, and their condition directly affects the safety of lifting operations. Wire ropes are susceptible to wear, corrosion, and damage from bending, abrasion, and overloading. Indicators that a wire rope needs replacement include excessive wear, corrosion, kinking, crushing, or a specific number of broken wires within a defined length of the rope. The allowable number of broken wires varies depending on the rope's construction and application, and these limits are specified in industry standards such as OSHA and ANSI. For example, if a wire rope shows more than six broken wires in one strand within one lay length, it should be replaced immediately. Ignoring these inspections increases the severity of consequences.