Alloy chain lifting slings are some of the toughest and most durable crane slings in the material handling industry. They are not only cutting and abrasion resistant, but they are also able to lift high temperature loads with no reduction in capacity (up to 400° F / 200° C). Alloy chain slings can still be used at even higher temperatures, but at temperatures over 400° F / 200° C the crane sling has a reduced load rating both during and after the lift. Therefore, you must consult your manufacturer to correctly reduce the rated load of a crane sling that is subjected to extreme temperatures (above 400° F / 200° C). Any chain lifting sling that is exposed to temperatures at or above 1000° F / 535° C is to be removed from service and replaced.

All Tri-State Rigging Equipment chain lifting slings are constructed using industry standard grade 80 and grade 100 alloy steel chain. We can also provide other less common grades of alloy steel chain designated for overhead lifting. These special grades of alloy steel chain, designated for overhead lifting, can stretch up to 20% before breaking when subjected to overloading. This, however, is merely a safety feature and any visible amount of stretch is cause to destroy the crane sling and remove it from service.

Alloy chain slings are highly customizable due to the vast amount of designs and fittings you can add, making them ideal for almost any lifting application.

If you cannot find what you are looking for or if you don't know exactly what you need, call or email our sales team to talk with a rigging product specialist.

Chain Lifting Sling Applications and Configurations

Chain lifting slings are extremely popular wherever your rigging sling is lifting heavy-duty loads or may be exposed to very high temperatures. This makes alloy chain slings the sling of choice for the following work environments:

• Foundries
• Steel Mills
• Heavy Machine Shops and many more

Alloy chain lifting slings can be configured in single-leg, 2-leg, 3-leg, and 4-leg chain sling bridle assemblies. They can also be configured to be adjustable. Adjustable chain rigging slings are perfect for picking up irregular and non-symmetrical loads where the center of gravity is either not known or is concentrated on one side of the load. Adjustable chain slings allow the rigger to adjust the length of any of the bridle legs in order to ensure a secure and safe lift of nearly any load.

Alloy Chain Sling Advantages

• Can withstand the harshest operating environments due to their durability, high-strength and flexibility
• Can be repaired easily by either replacing individual chain links or entire link segments
• After chain lifting slings are repaired, they can easily be inspected, proof-tested and re-certified.
• Suitable for use in high temperature, as well as hazardous environments
• UV exposure, chemical and corrosion resistant
• Strength not affected by dirt, oil, or grease
• Will stretch 15-20% when overloaded to give a visual indicator that the crane sling has been overloaded and needs to be destroyed and removed from service

Alloy Chain Sling Disadvantages

• Very heavy at higher WLLs (working load limits), the bigger the chain diameter, the heavier the chain sling
• Depending on the application, chain lifting slings can be more expensive than wire rope or synthetic slings of similar capacity
• Can easily damage or crush fragile or finished parts

Chain Sling Inspection

It is important to inspect chain lifting slings regularly and to keep a record of all chain inspections. At Tri-State Rigging Equipment we offer a full range of rigging inspection and repair services. The standards that govern chain sling inspection are OSHA 1910.184 and ASME B30.9. These standards are the same for single-leg, 2-leg, 3-leg, and 4-leg chain slings.

It is recommended that chain rigging slings first undergo an initial inspection when you receive the lifting sling from the manufacturer. The purpose of this initial inspection is to:

1. Check sling tag for correct capacity
2. Check the length of the sling
3. Check chain markings to ensure it is the correct grade of chain
4. Make sure the lifting sling meets any other lifting specs or requirements you may have

In addition, alloy chain slings should be inspected by a designated and qualified individual every day before use to make sure that the sling is in working condition and will lift its rated capacity. In order to properly conduct a daily inspection of your chain lifting sling, standard or adjustable, we suggest following the process below:

• Before inspecting, clean the chain with a non-acid/non-caustic solvent so that marks, nicks and gouges, wear and other defects are visible
• Inspect each link for the following conditions
  • Nicks and gouges
  • Twists and bends
  • Excessive wear at bearing points
  • Stretch (any stretch is unacceptable)
  • Distorted or damaged master links, coupling links or attachments, especially widened throat openings on hooks
• Mark plainly with paint each link or attachment showing any of the conditions listed above to indicate rejection; remove from service until properly repaired

ASME standards also require a thorough periodic inspection to be performed at least once a year by a designated, competent individual. In addition, written records must be kept until the next periodic inspection. Each link is to be examined individually after being thoroughly cleaned; taking care to expose and examine all surfaces including inner link surfaces. The rejection criteria for periodic chain sling inspections are as follows:

• Wear
• Deformation (twist)
• Increase in length (stretch)
• Sharp traverse nicks and gouges
• Abrasion (dragging or pulling out from under loads)
• Corrosion (pitting)
• Heat damage (burn, weld spatter)
• Worn or distorted hooks, rings, or other attachments
• Missing or illegible sling identification

In the case of 2-leg, 3-leg and 4-leg chain slings it is especially important to thoroughly inspect all fittings and connecting devices that accompany the sling. If your alloy chain sling shows any of the rejection criteria above, you must remove the sling from service, and it must be destroyed. Properly disposing of rigging equipment is imperative because you can be held accountable for damage done by people who find and use your discarded slings. Therefore, crane slings deemed not suitable for service must be destroyed beyond use and beyond repair. The process for destroying a chain sling is as follows:

1. Cut sling into 3' or 4' sections
2. Cut or dismantle master links
3. Remove or separate any labels or tags

The purpose of daily and periodic chain lifting sling inspections is not to get anyone in trouble but rather to gain knowledge of the frequency of use, severity of conditions, and nature of lifts, and consider how all these factors affect your alloy chain sling. The most important reason to perform daily and periodic chain lifting sling inspections, however, is to keep you and your coworkers safe.

Tri-State Rigging Equipment is a custom manufacturer, service provider and distributor for all alloy chain lifting slings serving clients from coast to coast, Canada, Mexico, and especially focused in the states of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, Florida, and Oklahoma.