Technical Bulletin: Proper Press Sequences, Wire Rope End Protrusion, and Thimble Clearance for Oval Sleeve Eye Splices

Eye splices with swaged sleeves are a secure method of terminating wire rope. But knowing how to swage wire rope correctly is crucial. Nicopress is often asked about the proper press sequence when pressing oval sleeves. Other related questions include the proper wire rope end protrusion (“tail”) and the clearance between the pressed sleeve and the thimble. These are important questions that we answer below with our swaging instructions.

Proper Press Sequences

If making 3 or more presses while swaging wire rope, it is important to press in the sequences illustrated here:

Proper Wire Rope End Protrusion “Tail” and Thimble Clearance

When making an eye-splice, extend the wire rope cut-end a sufficient distance out of the sleeve so that when pressing is completed, some portion of the cut end (or “tail”) remains outside the sleeve. Reason: The material flows and lengthens the sleeve as it is pressed and may cause the wire rope end to retract inside the sleeve. If the wire has retracted, the gripping strength cannot be predicted since less rope is gripped by the sleeve, which may reduce the gripping strength between the wire rope and sleeve.

When using a thimble, position the sleeve from the thimble at a distance of at least ½ of the wire rope diameter. Reason: When swaging, material flow tends to lengthen the sleeve, which may cause the sleeve to contact the thimble, possibly damaging the rope wires and/or compromising the grip strength of the sleeve. Note: Proper press sequences are also shown for the 3-press sleeve illustrated below.

Get All the Information You Need

Download a PDF of this technical bulletin. If you have any additional questions about Nicopress swaging instructions, please contact our team for a quick response.