types of slings

Most Commonly Used Types of Slings to Move Heavy Goods!

Are you planning to move heavy goods but have no clue which types of slings will suit your needs?

Across industries, several types of slings are commonly used and known for their reliability.

In this article, we’ll explain them and break down the explanation into their character, usage, and advantages and disadvantages so you can decide which one to use.

Let’s go to the details!

Understanding What Sling is and Why is It Frequently Used

So, what is a sling?

A sling is a flexible lifting device made from various materials that secures and moves heavy loads.

Most of the materials commonly used to produce slings are wire ropes, chains, and synthetic fibers.

Many industries rely on slings as their device to lift heavy goods because they have many benefits to offer. 

First of all, slings are flexible.

They are known for their ability to move and secure goods without reducing strain on the object and the lifting equipment.

Not only that, slings are also reliable for distributing the load evenly, so the goods remain stable when lifted or transported.

This popularity can also be linked to its versatility, as slings can accommodate various load shapes and sizes.

No wonder slings have become indispensable in the construction, shipping, manufacturing, and logistics.

Real-World Sling Usage Examples

It’s not hard to find examples of sling usage across industries.

For examples:

1. Construction

This industry commonly uses slings to lift and move heavy materials from one site to another. 

Several types of slings, such as wire ropes and synthetic slings, are often used to help lift steel beams and heavy materials.

types of slings

2. Mining, Oil, and Gas

Slings are also used to help with working operations in particular industries like mining, oil, and gas.

It’s often found that types of slings, such as chain and wire rope slings, are used to help the workers move or position the installment of valves, pipes, and fittings.

types of slings

This is possible because wire ropes and chain slings have a strong and anti-slip grip, so they can help the use of heavy equipment such as cranes to position the pipe installation at the right point.

3. Manufacture and Shipment

Besides its strength, synthetic slings are well-known for their flexibility.

Synthetic slings are lighter than other types of slings since they are made of textile materials.

This type of sling is used to lift heavy goods while keeping them safe, as its unsharp surface flexibly adjusts the form of the heavy goods.

Synthetic slings can be looped at the load point so that they can provide evenly distributed pulling power while maintaining the quality of the load.

Here are The Commonly Used Types of Slings 

1. Chain Slings

Chain slings are made from heavy-duty steel chains.

They are known for their high strength and durability, which allows them to handle the toughest jobs.

These slings are ideal for lifting extremely heavy and abrasive materials in harsh conditions, such as heat or sharp edges.

Chain slings come in different configurations, such as single-leg, double-leg, and even triple-leg, offering varying capacities depending on the lifting needs.

They are commonly used in heavy-duty construction, mining, and steel manufacturing industries.

The main advantage of this sling is its durability under extreme conditions.

However, due to their materials, they’re quite heavy and less flexible than other slings.

It’s not recommended to use this sling to maneuver more delicate tasks.

2. Wire Rope Slings

The next commonly used type of sling is wire rope slings.

As its name explains, this sling combines multiple strands of steel wire twisted together.

Wire rope slings are designed to handle large weights well, so they’re often used to lift heavy and rugged loads.

This is the type of sling to consider if you need to handle the heaviest loads in industrial settings.

For instance, in oil and gas, construction, and mining industries.

Wire rope is admired for its high durability in extreme worksite settings.

However, wire rope requires regular maintenance, such as periodical oil coating, to avoid issues like stuckness and corrosion.

3. Textile Slings

types of slings

Yes, you read it right. This type is made of textile materials and is used to handle heavy goods.

This sling uses high-tenacity synthetic fibers, such as nylon or polyester, woven into a flexible but strong web.

Though lighter, these slings can still handle moderately heavy loads but have a lower capacity than chain or wire rope slings.

These slings are widely used in warehousing, aviation, and logistics, requiring lightweight yet strong lifting solutions.

The biggest advantage of synthetic web slings is their flexibility and lightweight nature, making them easy to handle.

However, they can be easily damaged by sharp edges and chemicals.

Textile slings or synthetic slings come in various types that you can use to adjust to your needs.

Some of the generally known types are webbing slings, round slings, and endless slings.

Each of these examples is also available in different workload capacities and sizes.

In Sebatek, you can find many types of slings in a range of sizes, models, and capacities, according to your needs.

Synthetic slings also have stringent compliance requirements—the good news is that Sebatek accommodates it in their product!

Sebatek: Your Go-To Solution for The Best Sling Option

After reading this article on commonly used types of slings, do you know which slings you need?

Using synthetic slings from Sebatek could be the best choice for good handling, durability, and high strength.

Sebatek can ensure that all the products comply with European and American standards for safety lifting slings.

From the material-based picking, production process,  and strength test until labeling, Sebatek ensures the slings product can come to your hand in the best quality as it’s the leading sling brand that is already proven from Indonesia.

Although it’s made of textile materials, the strength can handle loads up to tens of tons, keeping balance well and treating your heavy goods gently.

Still unsure how to choose your slings? Ask our recommendation here!