There are generally many classifications for steel wire ropes, which can be divided into different categories according to different classifications. According to the contact state between adjacent layers of steel wires in the steel wire rope strand, the steel wire rope can be divided into three basic forms: point contact steel wire rope, line contact steel wire rope, and surface contact steel wire rope.

     Point contact wire rope refers to a wire rope in which adjacent layers of wires within the strand form a point like contact, with each layer of wire having an equal diameter (except for the central wire), and the strand is formed by layering and twisting. Wire contact wire rope refers to a wire like contact between adjacent layers of steel wires within a wire rope strand, which is formed by twisting different diameter steel wires in one go.

     Among them, the steel wire rope with circular strand wire contact, and the layers of steel wire inside the steel wire rope are in linear contact. Not only are the wires in the same layer in line contact, but also the wires in adjacent layers are in line contact. Each layer of steel wire in the strand has the same lay direction and lay distance.

     Surface contact wire rope refers to the form of surface contact between adjacent layers of wire within the strand of the wire rope. Compared to point contact wire rope, wire contact wire rope has many advantages: the strand of wire contact wire rope is in line contact shape, so the internal structure of the wire rope strand is closer than that of point contact wire rope, which can reduce the relative sliding of the steel wire inside the strand when in use;

     The lay distance of the steel wires inside the strands of the wire rope in line contact is equal, so the lay angle of the inner layer of the wire rope is smaller. Therefore, the overall structural elongation of the wire rope in line contact (referring to the elongation caused by the internal displacement of the wire and the shrinkage of the fiber core when the new wire is subjected to load) is greater than the contact area of the point contact wire rope. The density coefficient of wire contact wire rope is relatively high, and under the same other conditions, the strength loss of wire contact wire rope is smaller than that of point contact wire rope.

     Therefore, in terms of load-bearing capacity, the general improvement of wire contact steel wire rope is about 8-10% compared to point contact steel wire, and the steel wire life of wire contact steel wire rope is about 20-40% longer than that of point contact steel wire, or even more.

    Especially for wire contact steel wire rope with thicker outer steel wire of the strand rope, its wear resistance will be better. Overall, wire contact wire ropes are much better than point contact wire ropes and are more practical in use.