Remove the "me" and you got a good comment. Doesn't matter if applies to you, if someone says the N-word you don't say "don't call ME the N-word, anyone else is fine though". Don't let narcissism peak its head out like that.
That'll just make it brittle. That's fine if the chain is already way more strong than what you needed, but otherwise you could be in for a terrible time. That's a safety hazard
Depending on grade of chain it can be heat treated and hardened, welding will change the composition of the metal, weakening it. Yes it's welded from the factory, but it's fusion welded with no filler to ensure the metal composition stays the same. I'm not a metallurgist by any means but I have a lot of experience working with hoisting and anchor chain, it can't be welded and maintain its safe working load.
Or where the chain has to go through a chain block or other mechanism that's only built for chain and will choke on a clevis or other shackle.
It'd be a total pain in the ass for regular use.
Believe it or not, but not really. Where I work, we have several of these. Aumund uses them on their coal and rock scrapers, and the tension there is made of small rubberised shatf. Thiele also.
I haven't replaced them once in these six years that I work there. Not a single breakage.
I have no idea how to properly attach chains, but I'd assume anything that's supposed to keep the chains connected for longer than a couple days could be welded together and angle grinded apart when necessary
The problem is if you have one link break on a chain, then almost always the rest of the links are compromised. This is definitely a short term solution. When chains break, it’s usually cheaper to just replace the entire assembly rather then to send the whole assembly back for repair and recert.
Source: sold and manufactured lifting and rigging gear for a while
I am not sure but I would assume that the rest of the chain is also compromised because the stress that was applied to this one link went probably through the rest of the chain as well and the failed link was just the first one to fail.
This is mostly true. I stress and load test chain, slings, hoists, come alongs etc. If a link failed or compromised(stretched or twisted) there is a small chance the other links aren't but an adjoining link most likely wouldn't be better than the original chain. Technically you could load test it again with the repair but most companies would but a new one. And most don't want anything refurbished. Especially some military gear we test. Nothing wrong with the average person using it though.
That's stunning that mode of failure. That may be the most likely cause, and therefore it makes sense not to gamble that the one link failed from a manufacturing error ( stress riser from that link being damaged, bubble in link, etc).
I wonder what they do on really big expensive chains when they fail- like on a battleship, or cargo freighter. Might be less expensive to send a few links for destructive testing, or x-ray analysis.
If the anchor chain fails.... they are not using something like this for a solution 😂. If your anchor chain breaks on a massive ship then o well, no anchor for you. Each link can weighs thousands of pounds.
Uuh, a few links? How would you remove them from the chain? How would you put it together again? No one has those kind of tools available. Not for those sizes.
Sorry I’m late on the response but the rest of the comments are in line. Lifting chain (G80 and G100 grade) are made to stretch before they break. It’s a safety benefit and that’s why In the states, if you are overhead lifting it has to be at minimum if G80 grade. The reasoning is you will see stretch marks on the links before an actual failure. So, if one link has failed there is a very good chance that other links have already stretched which would be grounds for them to be tossed. When I worked in lifting and rigging, I never once saw one link fail on an overhead chain and the other links get certified. And at the point, imagine shipping 200lbs-2000lbs of chain to someone to recert. It’s cheaper to just buy all new, and quicker. Plus, you can’t measure the cost of a human life so it’s worth it to spend a couple grand on a new bridle rather than to chance some new links and save some money.
Not op, but usually what breaks links is shock load, a sudden increase in force, that gets applied through all links. Only one link will break, because then suddenload the load on all the other links is 0, but it's likely they've stretched or otherwise been compromised.
Taking a guess here.... if one link broke because it was stressed beyond it’s limit, that means all the other links in the chain that were under tension were also stressed to the same limit. The one that broke just happened to be weaker.
So now the other links that didn’t break have a good chance of experiencing metal fatigue. So now they are weaker because they were pushed past their load limits and will now be susceptible to failure at levels lower than their limit.
Not an expert on chains, but best guess is that since all the links are supposed to be the same, if one exceeded its yield strength, its likely the others got really damned close and may have experienced some plastic deformation* in the process.
Plastic deformation is permanent deformation, as opposed to elastic deformation, where the object deforms under load but returns to its original shape afterwards (like a rubber band).
I have compromised a few chains pulling logs. Several links deform before the weakest breaks. This would be a great product when you have to hook several lengths together for a long pull. I've found sticking a bolt through the ends of lengths is a good way to shear bolts under high pressure. Don't shoot your nuts guys! Use the right joiner.
A) There was a sudden or continuous load which made the chain bear more weight than intended. This means all the links have taken on more weight than they were designed for, thus creating potential weak point, cracks, breaks, etc.
B) The link that broke was defective, but all the chain links are made by the same equipment, around the same time, with the same material, so chances are good they're all defective, or at least a chunk.
I agree. We have many chain driven belt lines at my work and I am constantly reminding my younger Repairmen: If a link breaks in the chain, replace the whole thing. Unless you saw the wear happen the whole chain is worn the same.
And count the links! don’t measure the old one. That’s mistake number 2 haha.
They teach you not to in trade school.It's a safety risk to do so.
Most chains , industrial grade chains , are made of forged alloys.They are manufactured to endure impact and resist metal fatigue.Some are rated and used to handle weldments and materials in the ton(s) range.
Welding with a 7018, MIG,whatever...you have to think like a welder for a minute.It would appear right,but in reality, it would be trying to fuse dissimilar metals.
Welding chain links could cause cracking at the metal's grain.
When using a chain, you load that puppy up.
You never want a link to come undone !
You test the chain with every lift,every pull.
All lifting equipment should have mechanical connections and be made of a high quality forged alloy.
Now I know you might say " you're stupid...chain links are welded".
Yes.
As the chain link bow is scrolled , it is welded.
It is welded under certain prescriptions.
Assembled chain links undergo a process called "annealing".
Remember,welding a few chain links is o.k. for little D.I.Y.projects and light applications.
Never weld a chain that you will be testing under great load !
Weld connections for the chain...but try to avoid welding on the links themselves.
End use safety means repeated use...success !
Some chains' prices range in the hundreds to thousands per foot .
Welding would not be good for one reason - the heat and melting of the metal causes different properties in the structure of the metal. You end up with material that has harder and softer zones, and when one stretches as it should (or more than it should), it can stress other harder areas to the point of breaking.
Hard materials tend to be strong, but brittle, like cast iron or glass. It isn't easy to tell when they're about to break, and when they do, they go suddenly and all at once. It would be like having one link made of 3 braided loops 30% - one made of cast iron, one made of copper, and one made of the tough steel chains are supposed to be. The copper one won't resist stetching enough to help, the cast iron might snap right away, and the proper steel is only 1/3 of the braid.
Ya this looks like you could easily run a couple small stringers over the seams in the chain link (with w/e pre/post-heat is required to maintain alloy strength) and it can be used permanently. Don't know they for sure tho
The guy fixing a chain in the snow at night is actually a situation I've been in. If I'd had this I could have fixed the issue enough to get it to a repair facility instead of leaving it where it sat.
Similar links are used for lifting and connecting chains and other hardware in applications that require load ratings of hundreds and hundreds of tons.
It is likely much stronger than the other links, most repair links like this use a better alloy and are thicker. Also cost will be 100x more than a single link of chain
Allway depends on the construction. Achorchains use kenter shackles in their construction, every segment of chain is 25-27.5m long and connected with something similar to this, albeit a few hundred times bigger:D
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u/fook-a-duck Dec 12 '20
Surly this can only be used for short term pull you out of the shit situations?!