Understand the Chain Grades to Get Better Workload Limit

We all know chains are sturdy lifting gears and from thousands of years have been used as the most versatile item to lift, move and rig heavy objects. These days you can see chain slings & fittings are used in a variety of applications, but not every industry uses the chains made from same material or grade.

According to the safety standards established by lots of regularity authorities, there has to be a regulation to use a chain grade for a specific application.

What are chain grades?

Chain grades are a safety measure implemented to show the breaking strength of a chain. The most common chain grades fall between G30 to G100. The digits behind the letter show the newtons per millimeter squared, in simple words, if you invest in G80 chain slings & fittings, it means the chain can handle the ultimate stress of 800 Newtons per millimeter squared.

Best suited grades for different applications

The most common chain slings are made from G80 alloy steel which works best for overhead lifting applications. If you are purchasing your chain slings from a reliable manufacturer that adheres to the set industry standards, the product must be manufactured by using industry approved alloying elements to develop the steel alloy for the chain.

Other most common grade is G70, which is made from heat treated steel and lack the alloying element. You can invest in G70 chain for lashing and tie down operations in transportations. Keep in mind that this grade may elongate before breaking, but the lack of the alloying elements makes it inappropriate for overhead lifting.

When you are lifting a load off the ground, it is important to keep the workload limit in mind. Therefore, always buy chain slings & fittings that are made from G80 alloy steel and have sufficient strength to support the weight of the load. You can find lots of manufacturers in the industry offering quality compliant grades in chain slings. For instance, Dutest is the widely recognized entity providing single and multi-leg formats of G80 chain slings, browse through their collection if you need equipment for overhead lifting applications.