Comco-Cast Nylon for Crane and Lifting Technology
Centrifugally cast polyamide 6 (PA6G) for sheaves, sliders, wear pads, rope guides and elevator sheaves. COMCO EPP manufactures these components to drawing, as a casting blank or as a fully machined CNC part.
The Material: Comco-Cast Nylon
Comco-Cast Nylon is a cast polyamide 6 (PA6G) for highly loaded technical applications. The material is produced by centrifugal casting: liquid caprolactam polymerises directly in the rotating mould. The result is a high-crystallinity, high-density polymer structure with no internal stress. Tensile and compressive strength are up to three times higher than extruded PA6, dimensional stability under load is high, and the material machines cleanly to tight tolerances.
Comco-Cast Nylon components replace steel, cast iron, brass and copper alloys in dynamically loaded applications. They reduce operating weight, extend rope and cable service life, do not corrode and extend maintenance intervals. Standard colour black, natural on request. Supplied as semi-finished stock, casting blank, near-net-shape casting or fully machined CNC component to drawing.
Material properties
- Mechanical strength: tensile and compressive strength up to three times higher than extruded PA6, high fatigue resistance
- Wear behaviour: low friction coefficient, suitable for sliding and rolling contact, self-lubricating grades available (oil-filled, MoS2, graphite, wax)
- Weight: density approx. 1.15 g/cm³, about one-seventh of steel
- Corrosion resistance: inherent, no coating required, unaffected by moisture, salt water, oils and industrial environments
- Damping: elastic material structure absorbs shock loads, vibration and running noise
- Machinability: precision CNC machining of bores, grooves and complex geometries
- Temperature range: -40 °C to +100 °C continuous, short-term up to 120 °C
Cast Nylon Sheaves for Cranes and Hoists
Sheaves are among the most demanding components in any crane system. They carry continuous dynamic load, run against steel wire rope at high cycle rates and must maintain dimensional accuracy over long service periods. Comco-Cast Nylon sheaves are suited to these applications where weight, rope protection, corrosion resistance and quiet running are the main requirements.
A cast nylon sheave weighs about one-seventh of an equivalent steel sheave. In telescopic and mobile cranes with several sheaves at the boom head the saving adds up, and every kilogram removed from the boom tip is available as lifting capacity. The more elastic groove surface distributes contact pressure more evenly than a metal groove: groove contact pressure drops to about one-tenth to one-twelfth of that of a steel sheave. In service, wire rope life is extended by a factor of 2 to 3.
Cast nylon is inherently corrosion-resistant and needs neither paint nor metallic coating. The elasticity of the material absorbs shock and vibration from rope movement and protects bearings, pins and brackets. Running noise is significantly lower than with steel or cast iron.
Specification
- Outer diameter 140 mm to 1,272 mm, custom dimensions on request
- Solid disc or spoke geometry
- Groove profile machined to rope diameter
- Bore for standard rolling bearings
- Minimum D/d ratio 18:1 (ISO), 24:1 per European preferred practice
- Single lubrication at installation sufficient, self-lubricating grades available
- Supplied as blank for final machining or assembly-ready to customer drawing
Sliders and Wear Pads for Telescopic Booms
Telescopic booms of mobile cranes, crawler cranes and aerial work platforms rely on sliders and wear pads between the boom sections. These components guide extension and retraction, absorb lateral and compressive loads and prevent metal-to-metal contact. They operate under high static and dynamic pressure, continuous sliding movement and frequent shock loads, often in dusty, wet or oil-contaminated environments.
Brass, bronze or steel sliders are the traditional solution. Their limitations are known: wear under load, dependence on regular re-greasing, corrosion. In direct comparison, Comco-Cast Nylon sliders achieve four to five times the service life of brass. A single lubrication at installation is sufficient in most applications.
Advantages
- Service life four to five times that of brass sliders in equivalent applications
- No stick-slip: low, consistent friction coefficient, no jerky boom movement
- Impact and shock resistance: absorbs dynamic loads without cracking or deformation
- No galvanic corrosion at the metal interface, unaffected by hydraulic fluid, oils and lubricants
- Steel inserts for bolted attachment, hole patterns to drawing
- Supplied as plate stock for customer machining or as finished pads ready for installation
Applications
- Boom extension guides in telescopic truck cranes, all-terrain cranes and crawler cranes
- Wear pads for boom sections and lateral guide blocks
- Sliding guide elements for hydraulic cylinder guidance within the boom
- Guide elements in aerial work platforms and wear components in construction machinery
Rope Guides and Cable Rollers
Rope guides and cable rollers control the movement of ropes and cables during spooling, deflection and reeving. They prevent tangling, overlapping and damage to rope and drum. In winches, electric hoists and crane systems, the material choice for these components determines the maintenance effort of the whole system.
Comco-Cast Nylon rope guides offer low friction at the rope contact surface, cushion rope impact and run more quietly than metal guides. Rope and drum wear are reduced. This is relevant for hoists in production halls, warehouses and urban installations.
Advantages
- Rope protection through low contact pressure and friction on the outer rope strands
- Reduced lubrication intervals, modified grades for special load cases
- Unaffected by water, humidity, oils and typical industrial environments
- Low noise, the elastic material structure absorbs rope impact
- Wear resistance significantly above copper and white-metal solutions
- Lightweight and precisely matched to drum and housing geometry
Structure
- Rope guide nut
- Rope guide plate
- Connecting steel belt (where applicable)
- All elements supplied to drawing or matched to existing hoist geometry
Gears, Rings and Drive Rollers
Gears, ring elements and drive rollers in cast nylon are used where low weight, quiet running, damping and reduced lubrication are required. The material is suited to low- to medium-speed drives with moderate to high mechanical load. Cast blanks are machined to tight tolerances: tooth geometries, bores, fits and bearing seats to drawing.
Properties
- Structurally stable under sustained load and impact
- Tight tooth and bore tolerances, smooth running with low energy loss
- Lower wear rate than cast iron in meshed transmission with a suitable mating material
- Significantly quieter than steel-on-steel or cast iron transmission
- Oil-filled grades reduce or eliminate external lubrication
- About one-seventh of the weight of equivalent steel components
Typical applications
- Worm gears and helical gears in low- to medium-speed drives
- Ring gears in slewing drives and rotation systems
- Drive rollers and idler rollers in conveyor and handling systems
- Sprocket wheels in chain drives
- Coupling elements where damping of torque peaks is required
Components for Aerial Work Platforms
Aerial work platforms and mobile elevating work platforms need lightweight, reliable and low-maintenance components in their boom, lifting and guide systems. Weight determines platform capacity and stability, maintenance frequency determines availability. Comco-Cast Nylon is used in aerial work platforms for sheaves, guide rollers, slide blocks, wear pads and pipe clamps.
Sheaves for lifting systems provide the same rope-life and weight advantages as in crane applications, at smaller diameters suited to platform geometry. This is particularly relevant for scissor lifts and articulated booms, where the weight of the arm determines working height and capacity. Slide blocks and wear pads are manufactured to the boom geometry, without stick-slip and with long maintenance intervals; oil-filled grades for high-cycle applications. Pipe clamps secure hydraulic, pneumatic and oil lines without metallic edge contact and dampen vibration in the pipe run.
Advantages
- Suitable for the full load range of lifting and guidance systems
- Outdoor use in all weather conditions without surface treatment
- Extended lubrication intervals, self-lubricating grades available
- Supplied to drawing, sample or component specification, also for series and spare parts programmes
Slide Blocks, Pipe Clamps and Brackets
Cast nylon slide blocks guide linear movement in conveyor systems, rail guides, machine axes and automated equipment. Low friction, wear resistance and dimensional stability under load make the material the suitable choice where metal-to-metal contact must be avoided and lubrication intervals extended. Supplied as blank or finished to drawing, with custom hole patterns and groove profiles.
Comco-Cast Nylon pipe clamps secure hydraulic, oil, pneumatic and compressed air lines against movement, vibration and mechanical damage. High clamping force under dynamic and impact load, no metallic edge contact, therefore no paint damage and no fretting corrosion on the pipe surface. Resistant to hydraulic fluid, lubricants and fuel, weather-resistant without surface treatment, lighter than aluminium or steel clamps.
Outrigger Pads, Support Feet and Leaf Spring Pads
Support elements, pads and brackets in Comco-Cast Nylon are suited to static and quasi-static high-load components in machinery, vehicles, lifting equipment and construction machinery, wherever compressive strength, weight and surface protection matter.
Crane outrigger pads and support feet distribute the load from outrigger cylinders with lower bearing stress than steel plates. The lower weight simplifies on-site handling, the resistance to oils and fuel eliminates surface maintenance. Available in standard geometries or to drawing; dimensioning for support force, bearing area and ground conditions must be verified per project.
Leaf spring pads and intermediate layers for commercial vehicle and machine suspension separate the contact surfaces, absorb vibration and provide defined support properties across the temperature range of vehicle operation. Multi-support geometry for uniform load distribution, standard or custom hole pattern.
Stage Equipment
Stage and entertainment technology places its own demands on lifting, guide and positioning systems: alongside safety and reliability, quiet running, low weight and low maintenance are decisive. Fly systems, counterweight rigging, scenery drives and lighting grids need high-cycle components in hard-to-access positions.
Comco-Cast Nylon deflection pulleys, guide rollers and slide elements are suited to rope- and cable-guided systems, counterweight mechanisms, scenery drives, lighting suspensions and moving stage structures. The elastic material structure absorbs rope and cable impact, which is critical in acoustic environments. Long service life minimises access requirements in overhead rig positions, corrosion resistance allows use on outdoor stages and in high-humidity venues, and low weight helps with counterbalance calculations.
Components
- Deflection pulleys for fly system lines and counterweight rigging with rope-protective groove geometry
- Guide rollers for scenery track systems and motorised flying rigs
- Slide elements for lighting positioning guides and adjustable pipe grid systems
- Bushings and connectors for rotation and pivot points in lighting adjustment hardware
Elevator Sheaves and Elevator Wheels
Elevator sheaves, deflection pulleys and guide rollers must run durably, quietly and gently on the rope. Rotating mass, positioning behaviour, rope life and noise are the central requirements. In elevator technology, Comco-Cast Nylon is a technically and economically sound alternative to cast iron and steel components.
Weight is the first argument: a cast nylon sheave weighs about one-seventh of an equivalent steel component. Lower rotational inertia shortens stopping distance and improves positioning accuracy; in modernisation projects it can enable motor downsizing. The rope interface is the second argument: the more elastic groove surface extends rope life by a factor of 2 to 3. Noise is the third: elevators running on cast nylon sheaves are quieter, which matters in residential buildings, hotels and offices. The homogeneous cast structure gives inherently low imbalance, so no balancing is required.
Delivery programme elevator wheel
- Manufactured to elevator speed, number of grooves, rope diameter, bore, hub and flange geometry
- Wheel diameter ø320, ø400, ø520 and ø640 mm as standard versions, special dimensions on request
- Suitable for machine rooms without surface treatment
- Lower friction coefficient contributes to reduced drive energy
Supply Forms and Services
- Comco-Cast Nylon semi-finished stock: plates, rods, tubes and cut pieces
- Centrifugal casting blanks and near-net-shape components
- CNC-machined finished parts to drawing, sample or component specification
- Modifications: oil-filled, MoS2, graphite, wax, depending on requirements
- Application engineering support and project-specific design
Technical note: The suitability of Comco-Cast Nylon for a specific application depends on load case, component geometry, environment, speed, temperature, media contact, mating material and maintenance concept. The properties and performance data stated here are general material and application guidance and do not replace project-specific design or approval by the equipment manufacturer or operator.