Guest Perspective

By Linda Summars

In Light of It All Owner of FIRST® Sling Technology

in Mustang, Okla., Linda Summars
A discussion of the effects of UV on synthetic slings is the inventor of The Inspectable
Roundsling, US Patent #747926 and
Testing was done to 100 and Canadian Patent #2,614,374. She
currently serves on the board of direc-
500 Xenon Arc Hours, respec- tors for the Web Sling and Tie Down
tively. Note that 500 simulated Association, and is an active member
UV hours equates to years of of the Association of Crane and Rig-
ging Professionals, Associated Wire
service in natural exposure. All Rope Fabricators, and the Specialized
reductions in breaking strength Carriers & Rigging Association. She
were within the average unex- has 35 years of experience in the
sling industry. She can be reached at
posed yarn break range. Re- lindasummars@firstsling.com.
sults confirm that a transparent
cover provides protection equal to that of opaque polyester and
nylon covers. Charts outlining those results are shown below.
The Inspectable Roundsling For a copy of the scope, methods, and other details, contact me

M
y brother and I are slingmakers. Our father was a
slingmaker. Now my son is also, and I’m instilling in
him the same message I heard my daddy tell many
riggers: “Men’s lives depend upon the quality of our
slings.” So, although, I am very proud to be the inventor of The
Inspectable Roundsling, the idea is rooted in his passion for a
better and safer product.
As part of our product development, the transparent cover
technology used in The Inspectable Roundsling endured a test
in August 2008 to compare the potential for UV degradation of
the load bearing core yarns to those of both polyester and nylon
opaque covers. For the test, FIRST Sling Technology provided the
Inspectable Roundsling technology, Filtec Precise Inc. provided the
core yarns and break testing, and Murdock Webbing provided the
jackets and Xenon Arc machine for exposure testing. Textile engi-
neers had no doubt that the transparent jacket would offer equal
protection from ultraviolet light, but good companies test their
own products in support of their claims.
directly for information.
What the standards say
When discussing the sun’s effect on synthetic slings, it’s im-
portant to know what the standards have to say about it. In its
most recently published version, ASME B30.9-2006 Slings has
three chapters that address synthetic slings. Chapter 4 is dedicat-
ed to Rope Slings, Chapter 5 to Webbing Slings, and Chapter 6
to Roundslings. Both Chapters 4 and 5 address sunlight and UV,
but Chapter 6 is silent on the issue. Why? Because roundslings
are the “baby” of slings. Until 2003, B30.9 Chapter 6 Roundslings
did not even exist!
Notice in these excerpts from Chapters 4 and 5 that the exact
same UV statement is made for both synthetic rope and web-
bing slings.
Chapter 4 Synthetic Rope Slings, section 9-4.8.3 Sunlight and
Ultraviolet Light: The strength of synthetic rope slings is degraded
by exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light. The sling manufacturer
Continued on page 17 >

Polyester Core Yarn Reduction in Breaking EHP* Core Yarn Reduction in Breaking Strength
Strength After UV Exposure After UV Exposure
Polyester-Single EHP-Single Wall
Wall OPaque Opaque Polyester
Polyester Cover Cover

Polyester-Single EHP-Single Wall

Wall OPaque Opaque Nylon
500 Xenon Arc Nylon Cover 500 Xenon Arc Cover
Hours Hours
Polyester-Single EHP-Single Wall
Wall Transparent Transparent
100 Xenon Arc Cover 100 Xenon Arc Cover
Hours Hours
EHP Yarns-No EHP-No Filter
Filter
0% 20% 40% 60% 0% 20% 40% 60% * EHP=Extra High Performance

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Guest Perspective Linda Summars

< Continued from page 15 submitted to the AWRF Technical Committee to Bill Gerrow,
or qualified person should be consulted for additional retirement or president of Performance Textiles Inc. of Greensboro, N.C. and
inspection requirements For additional degradation information, Duxbury, Mass., and the Executive Adviser to the PIA. He has
see CI 2001-04. (CI 2001-04 is a Cordage Institute publication numerous credentials in textile engineering, more than 40 years
found at www.ropecord.com.) of industry experience, and has written various expert articles for
Chapter 5 Synthetic Webbing Slings, section 9-5.8.3 Sun- publications such as the Textile Research Journal. According to
light and Ultraviolet Light: The strength of synthetic webbing Gerrow, and based upon scientific research and evidence, these
slings is degraded by exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light. The are some of the replies that we may expect to receive regarding
sling manufacturer or qualified person should be consulted for roundsling cover questions.
additional retirement or inspection requirements. For additional • Will the color of the roundsling cover make a difference in
degradation information, see WSTDA-UV-Sling 2003. (WSTDA- UV protection? –No. “It is not as simple as picking the right color.
UV-Sling 2003 is a Web Sling and Tie Down Association publica- Any given color can be good or bad. The exception is the neon-
tion found at www.wstda.com). style colors which always have a shorter life. Solution-dyed yarns
Note that testing done by these associations may provide ad- are better than piece-dyed products. There can be a good dark and
ditional useful information. Meanwhile, the Technical Commit- there can be weak dark materials. There can be good light colored
tee of the Associated Wire Rope Fabricators voted in February products, and there can be bad light colored products.”
to develop a plan to test the effects of UV on roundslings. The • Will the thickness of the roundsling cover make a dif-
member request stated, “Currently there are cover questions as ference in UV protection? –Yes. “The heavier the material, the
to what color, thickness and weave effectively protects the inter- longer the life.”
nal core yarn from ultra violet light damage.” WSTDA will most • Will the weave of the roundsling cover make a difference
likely consider additional UV testing also. in UV protection? –Possibly. “The chemistry used in process-
Likewise, the standards acknowledge what the industry al- ing the webbing is extremely critical. Each company (manu-
ready knows—that UV exposure facturer) has their proprietary for-
may damage roundsling cores and mulations. Finally, the chemistry
cause loss of strength. For example, and processing of material have as
WSTDA’s Recommended Standard much to do with the end results as
Specification for Synthetic Polyester the choice of yarns.”
Roundslings, WSTDA-RS-1, Section
4.9.1 states: “Roundslings should be At the heart of the matter
stored in a cool, dry, and dark place Future safety advancements de-
to prevent loss of strength when not pend on the study of roundsling core
in use through exposure to ultravio- yarns. Traditional (color-coded by
let rays.” And B30.9-6.10.3 makes a cover) roundslings have a polyester
similar recommendation. core which is a UV-resistant poly-
mer. But with the introduction of
Current evidence Extra High Performance (EHP) core
All types of synthetic slings have In this application, high performance Inspectable Round- yarns, there are many questions that
at least one thing in common – slings are used with removable edge protection made of a slingmakers need to ask of the core
filaments or yarns. Whether laid, heavy nylon buffer. yarn manufacturers of products such
plaited or braided (rope slings), wo- as Spectra®, Hybrid®, Technora®, and
ven (rope jackets, flat web load bearing material, and roundsling Dyneema. Slingmakers and sling users will ultimately rely on the
covers) or loose (roundsling load rated core yarns), they all arrive answers to come from their yarn suppliers, regardless of the cover
from the yarn manufacturer as large spools of bundled extruded – transparent or opaque, polyester or nylon.
filaments. As makers of wire rope and chain slings rely on the As the industry conducts additional UV testing, we hope to
manufacturers for technical data regarding their raw material, learn exactly how much protection different cover materials offer
so do synthetic slingmakers, who rely on the yarn and webbing the rigger. As more is learned, usage procedures may change, just
manufacturers for technical information. as the practice of cut protection has advanced from simply protect-
Manufacturers of critical parachuting equipment, using the ing slings from sharp edges to protecting them from all edges.
same woven yarns of nylon and polyester that the sling industry Whatever the approach, maintaining the integrity of the core
uses for roundsling covers, give us some insight into UV’s affects yarns and making it possible for riggers to thoroughly inspect those
on synthetic roundslings. The Parachute Industry Association core yarns is the heart of the matter. Sling users should continue to
(PIA) spent nearly $500,000 to answer similar questions about UV use protection suitable to the given mechanical and environmental
protection. A small portion of what they learned is very helpful to conditions. They should invest in education and training from
us in anticipating what we will learn and what we will do with what firms specializing in slings and other rigging gear. And, when it
we learn from future association testing. comes to synthetic slings, they should always remember that it’s
FIRST Sling Technology directed the same questions that were the yarns that “men’s lives depend upon.”

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