A tool for determining the number of bends and places of accumulation of potential wear of steel ropes operating in the luffing systems of basic opencast mining machines

This article presents the issues of the wear of steel ropes operating in the lowering systems of the largest wheel excavators (BWE), type SchRs, Rs, KWK operating in KWB Bełchatów. Sudden degradation of these ropes may lead to the complete shutdown of the BWE-Belt- Stacker system from operation. However, this can be avoided by regular visual inspections of hoist ropes. Unfortunately, the rope systems in each excavator are different, and their availability is difficult. In order to simplify this task, the authors of this paper have developed an IT tool that allows the modelling of a given multi-pulley rope system and the indication of critical places on the rope for given working conditions. A simplified description of this tool is the subject of the article.