Industrial chains have several critical applications in various industries. They are durable, strong, and flexible. One of the typical applications of industrial chains is fastening the swing with the swing set. However, before buying an industrial chain, you have to know about their grades. It is an important parameter to consider.
Depending on your application, you have to choose the most suitable grade. We would recommend you get in touch with a reliable industrial hardware supplier. They will help you to find out the best quality for your application. Nevertheless, you have to fathom the differences to perceive the necessity of using different grades of chain for your project.
Here, we will try to sort out the list of different types of chain grades. It will help you understand everything that comes with different kinds of grades of chains.List of different grades of chains
- Grade 30
- Grade 43
- Grade 70
- Grade 80
- Grade 100
- Grade 120
1). Grade 30
You can consider grade 30 to be a general-purpose chain. You can use it for an array of applications. However, you have to make sure that those applications are not of high strength. Amongst all the grades, it is the least strong grade. It is capable of taking a workload between 600 and 3000 kgs. However, its diameter has a significant role to play.
Common coil chain or Proof coil chain are the other names of grade 30. It comprises carbon steel of low strength. The best part of this chain is that they are rust-resistant as well as malleable. But, compared to other alloys, it is not that strong. If you are planning to buy this chain, you don’t have to worry about money as it comes at quite a reasonable price.
Grade 30 chains are the ideal choice for numerous applications. Here, we will try to mention those applications as they will give you a brief idea.
- You can use it for light construction.
- Experts use grade 30 chains for guard rails.
- Logging is another application of this chain type.
- You can secure a lead with this chain.
- It has multiple agricultural uses.
- The marine industry also uses this chain grade.
Make sure not to use this chain for overhead lifting applications.
2) Grade 43
Grade 43 comes after Grade 30 in terms of strength. Therefore, you can use it for slightly heavier applications compared to grade 30. However, if you are thinking of using it for overhead lifting applications, we would not recommend that. Grade 43 is capable of taking loads up from 1200 kgs to 5,900 kgs. Here also, the diameter has a significant role to play.
The other names of grade 43 chains are G-4 chains or high-test chains. It consists of carbon steel, which makes it more convenient. For instance, carbon steels have high-tensile strength. Plus, it is a wear-resistant product. For that reason, people consider it to be ideal for numerous applications. If you are thinking of buying a grade 43 chain, you can use it for the utilizations such as:
- It is the perfect choice for towing.
- You can do heavy-duty trucking with the help of this grade.
- It has applications for construction works.
- Farming is another thing that you can accomplish with the aid of grade 43 chains.
- This chain is the perfect option for securing the container.
- You can use it for guard chains as well.
If you have projects regarding these applications, picking up a grade 43 chain is the best option.
3) Grade 70
Compared to grade 43, grade 70 is 20% stronger. Makers use heat-treated carbon steel to craft this chain type. Therefore, they are highly durable as well as sturdy. Gold chromate finish is one of the unique features of the chain. It will help you to identify the chain quickly.
Moreover, this gold chromate finish will protect the chain from scratches and abrasion.
The working load limit of the chain is impressive. It is strong enough to take a load up to 1400 kgs to 7100 kgs. The applications for which you can use the chain are:
- You can secure heavy loads.
- Oil rigging is possible with this chain.
- You can accomplish construction works.
- Towing is another application.
- It is compatible with logging and forestry.
4) Grade 80
It is a heavy-duty chain. You can use it for overhead lifting applications that require a lot of strength. Allow steel mixture is the main component of the chain, which makes it durable, strong, and rugged. They consist of a black lacquer finish, which protects them from scratching and wear.
The range of working load limit of grade 80 chains is 1600 kgs to 21,600 kgs. Its uses are:
- They are perfect for heavy-duty towing.
- Numerous companies use it for mining.
- Rigging is another application.
5) Grade 100
Grade 100 is the most robust industrial chain. It is 20% stronger than grade 80. The chain contains alloy steel, which is durable as well as strong. The working load limits of grade 80 chains are 1950 to 16,000 kgs.
It is suitable for several applications like:
- It is perfect for overhead lifting applications.
- Construction sites require them.
- Rigging and towing are possible with this chain.
- It is ideal for a manufacturing process.
Working load limit of the chain
When a load is being lifted, it is quite dangerous. However, moving the load along with the ground has certain advantages. But in that case, it has to overcome a certain coefficient of friction to move the load. It is not necessary to match the weight of the load and the working load limit of the chain. Whenever you are lifting the load, you have to overcome the gravity. Therefore the working load limit of the chain needs to have sufficient strength that can support the weight of the load. It will also help if you impose an additional force from different angles.
Using chain grades according to application type
For overhead lifting, one should use the alloy chain of grade 80 and grade 100. According to ASTM, the chain should elongate 20% before undergoing any fracture. To make sure that the alloy chain meets this requirement, the American Society of Testing and Material directs the use of certain alloy elements while manufacturing Steel that would be used for alloy steel chains. Moreover, these alloys can vary from company to company. However, every company has to maintain the key requirement that's the American Society of Testing and Material states. The alloy property is also known to improve the tear and wear of the chain.
The carbon grade 70 chain is generally a carbon steel chain that has undergone heat treatment. No amount of alloying elements get added to the Steel. This chain, however, does not have the property for overhead lifting. It tends to elongate before breaking. One can use this chain for transporting or for tying down any load. You can identify the grade 70 chain from its gold chromate finish. This finish helps to resist corrosion from different elemental exposure continuously. The grade 120 chain has a higher weight to strength ratio than the grade 100 chain. The reason behind this is the square links that are used in the construction of the grade 120 chain. Due to this, it creates a larger cross-sectional area per the link of the chain.
Constructing the square link chain comes with a large amount that one needs to incur. Therefore it is used in the creation of various expensive end products. Therefore, one would not see the grade 120 chain as frequent as that of the grade 80 or grade 100 chain during the overhead lifting.
During the overhead lifting
For load securement, the preferred chain should be grade 70. However, while tensioning or tying down any load, one can use any grade of the chain. First, of course, one has to know the tensions for proper selection of the chain. Next, however, one should refer to the load securement safety standards by Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and Web Sling Tie Down Association. You can also follow the state regulations for further information on the usage of different grades of the chain.
Problems related to chain grades
Whenever the chain is handled by any untrained or uninformed riggers, it is quite common that there would be mistakes while using the graded chain. Therefore you must appoint trained riggers as per the standards of OSHA and ASME for the safety of your equipment and personnel.
Some of the common problems that one encounters in the field are:
- Using the hoists load chain for various lifting applications
- General abuse and misuse of alloys chain
- Using the grade 70 chain while indulging in overhead lifting.
Conclusion
This article would help you to understand the different grades of chains and their differences from each other. The grade of the chain is said to be the strength of the chain that indicates the various types of material used in the manufacturing process. The higher the number of the grade of the chain, the harder and the stronger the chain would be. However, the higher WLL means that the chain would have a higher weight to strength ratio.
To sum up, the carbon steel chain comes with a grade of 30, 43, 70 and is used for tie-downs, bunching applications, and load securement. In contrast, the alloy Steel chain comes with a gradation of 80, 100, 120 and is used for overhead lifting.
