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How To Choose The Right Lashing Wire For The Job

Lashing wire has a vital role to play in the telecom industry, providing structure and support for other kinds of wire, like fiber optic cables and messenger wire. As communications infrastructure expands and evolves, high-quality wire is key to creating dependable installations that power modern technology for years. Choosing the right lashing wire for your application and buying from a trusted lashing wire supplier are essential parts of these projects.

Bekaert has been delivering reliable, innovative steel wire solutions for over 140 years. As the leading lashing wire supplier, we know what goes into finding the right one for the job. Let's dive into what lashing wire is, the different types of lashing wire and how to find the right one for your project.

What is Lashing Wire?

Lashing wire is a type of stainless steel wire that holds — or lashes — other wires together. It has a uniform, fine-grain structure and is typically used in the telecommunications industry, which uses multiple wires and cables to transmit data.

These data cables, such as fiber-optic cables, often need physical support. That job falls to messenger wire, a stiff wire that doesn't carry a signal and exists to add stability and structure to an installation. It runs parallel to the cable and prevents it from sagging or otherwise moving in a way that would strain the signal moving through it. The lashing wire attaches this external messenger wire to the cables or other wires.

Lashing fiber optic cable, for example, requires wrapping the lashing wire around the messenger wire and the fiber optic cable to hold them in place. The lashing wire doesn't carry a signal either but holds everything together.

In many cases, you will need a specialized machine called a lasher to connect aerial cables to the lashing wire. After feeding the lashing wire into the machine and attaching it to the aerial cables, the lasher spins the wire tightly around the cables, fastening them together.

This wire, especially when used with a lasher, offers benefits like:

  • Easier installation: A lasher can greatly ease installation for a smoother, more accurate process and fewer labor demands.
  • Lower hardware costs: Good lashing wire can keep the aerial wire in place and minimize the need for additional structural components or sturdier — and costlier — communications wire.
  • Fewer maintenance requirements: If your wire installation is well-supported, you can limit the need for additional maintenance and repairs down the road, minimizing costs and avoiding service interruptions.
  • Increased installation life span: Structural integrity is key to a long-lasting installation, and lashing wire can help your project get as much life as possible.

It may seem simple, but lashing wire has an essential role. Like other telecom cables, it must withstand harsh weather and corrosive agents while staying within budget and allowing you to work with the wire in a way that fits your project. Thanks to various steel grades, you can find lashing wire with different physical properties to meet your needs.

What Are the Different Types of Lashing Wire?

Lashing wire comes in several different types, made with various stainless steel alloys. They primarily differ in how they prevent corrosion with resistant materials like chromium and molybdenum. You can also find annealed lashing wire, which improves the workability of your wire.

1. Type 430 Lashing Wire

Type 430 lashing wire is a general-purpose option that offers excellent all-around performance. It is made of low-carbon stainless steel with about 17% chromium. Type 430 is a magnetic, ferritic and thermally non-hardening type of steel. This alloy has a tensile strength ranging from 70,000 to 95,000 pounds per square inch (psi) and an average break load of 125 pounds. This lashing wire comes in 1,200-foot coils that weigh 6.5 pounds.

Without any nickel or molybdenum, Type 430 wire is susceptible to corrosion, and some conditions can cause dark surface staining. This wire is only suitable for use at normal atmospheric pressures and away from corrosive agents. Type 430 should not be used within 25 miles of saltwater or near industrial applications with pollutant emissions.

2. Type 316 Lashing Wire

On the other end of the spectrum is Type 316, which offers the best corrosion resistance. It can be used in places where Type 430 would typically break down, like coastal areas or industrial settings. Type 316 is made of 18/10 stainless steel, which comprises 18% chromium, 10% nickel and 2.5% molybdenum. It is non-magnetic and austenitic, meaning it has a specific crystalline structure that imparts many of its beneficial physical characteristics.

This composition allows Type 316 to stand up to threats that would corrode other grades. It holds up against most chemicals, including sulfides and chlorides, and salt spray, which causes pinhole corrosion and pitting in Type 430. Type 316 offers a tensile strength of 95,000 to 125,000 psi — slightly higher than Type 430 — and has an average break load of 145 pounds. Like Type 430, Type 316 comes in 1,200-foot coils that weigh 6.5 pounds.

3. Type 302 Lashing Wire

If you need something a little stronger than Type 430 but not quite as rugged as Type 316, Type 302 offers a great middle ground. Also called Superlash, this type of lashing wire can stand up to moderately corrosive environments in the air but won't provide the same resistance level as Type 316. The stainless steel alloy is 18/8, which contains about 18% chromium and 8% nickel for excellent resistance to rusting. Like Type 316, it is non-magnetic, austenitic and thermally non-hardening.

Type 302 lashing wire comes in two different diameters:

  • 0.038 inches: Even at the smaller size, a 0.038-inch Type 302 wire is as strong as a 0.045-inch Type 430 wire. It has better ductility and elongation, allowing it to withstand stress and bending. This wire offers an average break load of 115 pounds. A 1,600-foot coil weighs 6.3 pounds.
  • 0.045 inches: The larger size of Type 302 wire offers a higher breaking load of 165 pounds. A 1,200-foot coil weighs 6.5 pounds.

Type 302 offers a high tensile strength of 95,000 to 125,000 psi, along with high breaking loads.

4. Annealed Cable Lashing Wire

Another option is to buy any of the above options in their annealed forms. Annealed wire undergoes a heat treatment process that combats hardening, making the product more workable. The treatment process modifies the metal's mechanical properties by adjusting its crystal structure.

The first step is the recovery stage, in which the metal is heated to a temperature that relieves internal stresses. Then the metal is heated to its recrystallization temperature but stops short of its melting temperature. At this phase, new grains start to form, free of any flaws that were present beforehand. In the grain growth stage, the material is cooled at a specific rate, allowing the grains to develop fully. The result is a new atomic structure that is more resistant to work stressors.

Once the metal has these uniform grains, it takes on several useful properties, including:

  • Reduced hardness and increased ductility: These properties significantly improve the metal's flexibility, allowing it to be used for more diverse applications. By improving ductility, the annealing process also helps the metal retain its durability after being drawn into wire.
  • Minimized brittleness: Brittle wire is more prone to breaking under stress, reducing the potential life span of the overall installation. Decreasing brittleness through annealing can help your lashing wire absorb more energy and avoid breakage.
  • Improved machinability: Annealed lashing wire can better withstand machining processes, further increasing the flexibility of your application.
  • Eliminated complications from residual stress cracking: Residual stress occurs in a wire after it has experienced plastic deformation, such as fast thermal changes, phase transformations or mechanical processes like bending and drawing. These stressors can be virtually invisible but adversely affect the wire's structural integrity, making it prone to fractures. Annealing eliminates these stress cracks and potential complications.

The process of annealing is an easy way to improve the longevity and performance of your stainless steel lashing wire.

Guy wires are used in a range of applications, handling any number of challenges. With variables including high winds, tension and weight, guy wires need to provide stability, which only happens through quality products. If you're looking for reliable steel guy wire that can handle the unique needs of your application, Bekaert is here to help.

Bekaert is a leading manufacturer and supplier of quality steel guy wire, also producing the broadest range of guy anchors available. We strive to meet and exceed our customers' expectations with a range of manufacturing capabilities that allow us to meet every specification. However, our product range is just one of our many benefits. On top of our product selection, Bekaert offers unparalleled service.

Here are just a few reasons to choose Bekaert:

  • Quality production: At Bekaert, we have complete control over the production process from start to finish. This level of control, combined with our detailed quality assurance process, means we can achieve top quality in every order that we fill. Our guy strands meet and exceed every industry standard, from ISO to ASTM.
  • Global presence: Bekaert manufactures most of our steel wire solutions in North America in Van Buren, Arkansas, but our presence is global. With a worldwide manufacturing footprint across 70 countries and a worldwide network of sales and support professionals, we provide expert assistance at the local level.
  • Design flexibility: Bekaert's production facilities are capable of incredible manufacturing flexibility. We can manufacture steel wire with many characteristics, including unique shapes, compositions and mechanical properties. Our specialists will work with you to develop a plan for your customized order, so you can receive wire that meets the specific needs of your application.
  • Fast turnarounds: We know efficiency is essential to your bottom line, which is why Bekaert focuses on achieving some of the best lead times in the industry. We provide fast delivery for clients around North America and are competitive worldwide. This performance means your company can complete installations and projects faster.
  • Thorough documentation: Bekaert maintains comprehensive documentation throughout the production process to promote transparency. We can also provide documentation of quality for any of our products as needed.
  • Expert advice: Bekaert has served clients across a range of industries and regions for over 140 years. Our extensive understanding of client needs, industry trends and global markets means we can offer expert advice for practically any project.
  • Detailed support: Our technical support teams serve locations worldwide with our signature quality service and have the knowledge necessary to provide you with the detailed information, advice and assistance you need.
  • Extensive product range: Bekaert offers various items to meet numerous industry needs, from utility services such as energy and oil companies to agriculture and automotive applications.

With over 27,000 employees worldwide and global manufacturing capabilities, Bekaert proudly serves customers across 120 countries, delivering quality products and advanced solutions.

Which Lashing Wire Is Right for Your Application?

Lashing wire supports vital telecom transmissions and must withstand a range of threats, like harsh weather and high winds. Choosing the right one depends on several factors. In addition to selecting the right type for your application, you'll need to consider elements like third-party standards, your budget and your lashing wire supplier.

1. Third-Party Standards

Many industries must meet third-party standards to abide by government or industry regulations. Even if your wire doesn't need to meet these standards, they can provide peace of mind about the quality of your wire and show your commitment to proper installation.

Look for lashing wire that meets ASTM A580. This standard covers several styles of stainless steel wires designed for corrosion resistance and high-temperature use. ASTM A580 ensures the steel contains appropriate chemical compositions and has been cold drawn, annealed and pickled, which refers to a surface treatment that removes impurities. This standard provides unbiased confirmation and thorough testing to prove that lashing wire meets a certain performance baseline.

You may also want to look for standards from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 9001, for example, signs off on a company's quality management system, while ISO 14001 reflects a company's environmental management system and how well it measures and improves its environmental impact. While these standards may not directly assess the product, they can help you determine how your supplier runs the business and its manufacturing processes.

2. Environment

Of course, your lashing wire must be well-suited to its environment. If your application is near the coast or environmental hazards like industrial pollutants, you'll need to opt for Type 302 or Type 316. Type 430 is an excellent pick for less-demanding locations. Look for annealed wire, too. The heat treatment offers better resilience for a longer-lasting installation.

Other environmental factors to consider include the following:

  • Extreme temperatures and fast temperature changes
  • Harsh weather, including high winds and moisture
  • Installation characteristics affecting tensile strength and break loads

If you aren't sure what qualities your lashing wire needs, our team can help you find the right type of lashing wire for your project.

3. Price

Lashing wire will vary in price based on factors like:

  • Wire diameter: Like other types of wire, thicker lashing wire is typically more expensive. Since lashing wire doesn't carry a signal, thickness is mostly used to increase support for heavier cables and wires.
  • Steel grade: Steel comes in many different grades, with varied compositions and production demands that make some more costly than others. Thanks to its rugged corrosion resistance, Type 316 lashing wire is the most expensive, followed by Type 302, then Type 430. Although 430 is perfectly suitable for many applications, remember to consider the long-term costs of wire that may degrade more quickly. Placing 430 in a corrosive environment will likely lead to a quick replacement, increasing expenses in the long run.
  • Coil length: Coils can vary in length — unsurprisingly, larger coils generally increase the price of your wire.
  • Quality: Low-quality wire may cost less upfront but will likely cost more over time, especially if it doesn't meet manufacturer claims. Keep in mind that some suppliers offer lower costs by skimping on quality in other areas, like warranties, third-party standards and expertise.

4. Supplier

Suppliers can vary widely — not all offer solid products or a good buying experience. As you shop for lashing wire, consider whether your supplier has:

  • High standards: While ASTM adherence is a good sign, ensure your supplier is committed to quality at a deeper level. Look for a supplier that puts performance first, with robust quality control and research and development processes.
  • Expertise: Make sure your supplier understands their products and can help you with everything from simple product selection to more advanced customization needs. Consider where they stand on new technologies and solutions. Are they keeping up with the times, or do they lag behind the industry?
  • A good reputation: Your supplier should have a long-standing reputation for delivering good results. Look for a company that's been in business for decades with plenty of satisfied customers.
  • Support services: A lashing wire supplier can offer much more than supplies. A supportive company can help you with warranty needs, installation questions and freight arrangements.

Find the Right Material for Your Needs

As the leading steel wire and strand provider, Bekaert makes it easy to find the right lashing wire for your installation. We're the largest independent producer of steel wire products and solutions globally, with a team of experts, top-tier quality assurance and unparalleled customer support.

Our lashing wire comes in all of the grades we discussed. The individual hand coils come in boxes of six, with 63 boxes per pallet, and we ship throughout North America. If you're also in the market for messenger or guy wire, we offer bundled pricing and can help reduce freight costs by shipping mixed orders together.

Reach out to us today to learn more about our lashing wire and see what makes Bekaert the go-to steel wire solutions provider for businesses worldwide.