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Technical & Quality Control
Materials & Finishes
Griplock® Premium Grippers are made of nickel-plated brass with a few exceptions. Internal mechanisms are comprised of brass and stainless steel. Type-50 and Type-80 Grippers are also available in a black zinc finish. Our Retail Display Grippers are finished in satin-chrome. Other finishes are available upon request. Griplock® Keyrings are made of anodized aluminum and come in several colors.
Satin Chrome |
Nickel |
Black Zinc |
Thread Sizes
Most Griplock® Grippers have either internal or external threads to attach them to the object being suspended. The following chart contains thread and KO (Knock-Out) size information that may be useful, particularly to our Lighting Industry customers.
About Aircraft Cable
Aircraft Cables, also known as wire ropes, have diameters ranging from 1/32” to 1/4” and are composed of six steel strands wound around a seventh steel stranded core.
This stranded steel core adds strength and crush-resistance to the cable. Aircraft cable is classified by the number of strands in the cable multiplied by the number of wires in each strand. For example, the notation 7×7 indicates that the cable has seven strands made up of seven wires in each strand. Similarly, the notation 7×19 indicates that the cable has seven strands made up of nineteen wires in each strand. The greater the number of wires, the greater the flexibly of the cable. Griplock® Cables are 7×7 or 7×19 galvanized or stainless steel (304 or 316) medium-to-high tensile strength aircraft cable.
NOTE: Aircraft cable was developed, and is still used today, to provide a direct mechanical link between an aircraft’s controls and its crucial and hard-to-reach control functions.
Galvanized & Stainless Steel Aircraft Cable
Galvanized Aircraft Cable (also known as GAC) is composed of wires that, prior to stranding, have been zinc-plated to prevent corrosion. These cables are an effective and economical alternative to stainless steel in mild environments. Griplock®’s standard stainless steel cable is constructed of 304 Stainless Steel. 316 Stainless Steel is also available to add extra corrosion resistance. Both 304 and 316 stainless steel cable have slightly lower break strengths than galvanized cable. Refer to the weight charts below. Stainless steel break strengths and safe working loads are shown in blue.
Cable Sleeves & Terminals
Sleeves and terminals (also known as stop-sleeves, stops, crimps and swages) are molded or crimped to the end of a cable, allowing the cable to be captured by a cable coupler or other non-mechanical holder which attaches the cable to a structure or fixture.
Zinc Die-Cast (ZDC) Terminals are molded to a cable end that has been “bird-caged”, allowing the molten zinc to adhere to each individual wire. This technology has proven itself in the automotive and aviation industries. Griplock® Systems offers a comprehensive range of ZDC terminals.
Swaged Terminals can be made of steel, stainless steel, aluminum or copper and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Both types of Griplock® terminal are guaranteed to hold the full published break weight of the cable. U.S. Wire Rope Specifications
NOTE: Griplock® Systems does not recommend field-installing swaged terminals onto cable. Griplock® Systems waives any liability for accidents resulting from field- or non-factory-installed swages and terminals.
Griplock® Premium vs. Griplock® ZF Standard
GRIPLOCK® PREMIUM GRIPPERS are designed and engineered by Griplock®. Produced by technically sophisticated manufacturers under Griplock®’s stringent Quality Control program, the shells and moving parts are machined to three decimal point specifications, assuring 100% reliability of performance. Arguably the finest grippers available, Premium grippers combine an immense range of applications with a beautiful finish and extraordinary holding power. The Griplock® Premium Gripper line ranges from Type 10 Micro-Grippers for 1/32″ cable to the new Type-66 Grippers for 1/4″ cable, and encompasses over 400 different designs
GRIPLOCK® ZF STANDARD GRIPPERS are born from our long experience in the cable suspension field. They are U.S designed and are built to Griplock®’s specifications. The product range is limited to the most commonly used grippers in the industry. They are designed and priced to compete in an increasingly budget-driven market, while giving engineers & specifiers more pounds of reliable pull-strength per dollar than any other gripper on the market. This group of grippers is designated by “ZF” at the beginning of their part numbers.
Weight loads for Griplock® ZF Standard Grippers are lower than for Griplock® Premium Grippers. Please refer to our Weight Load Chart.
Quality Control
As all manufacturers and installers know, suspending objects safely over people’s heads is their first and most critical responsibility. At Griplock® Systems Safety is our number one concern. In our eyes each and every gripper is a precision-built machine. Failure is not an option. Prior to assembly, all individual Griplock® Gripper components are tested to meet ISO 9001 quality control standards.
Quality Assurance
All Griplock® Premium and Griplock® ZF Standard Grippers undergo a second rigorous inspection upon arriving at our U.S. facility. A percentage of every shipment, regardless of the vendor, is pull-tested to destruction and ongoing records of these tests are maintained and reviewed.
Griplock® Cables are proof-loaded at manufacture to 60% of their published break strength. Upon arrival at our facility all cable batches are sampled and several cables out of each batch are pull-tested to destruction.
