Understanding the History of Nylon Web Slings |
Posted: December 8, 2017 |
Nylon web slings are one of the most popular sling types in the heavy lift industry. Their comparative durability, strength, and softness make them one of the most surprisingly effective materials for lifting large loads. As with all heavy lift equipment, understanding the nuances of each piece is important to ensuring a safe, effective job. When moving heavy loads, there is a greater risk for injury and damage to property if the equipment is not properly understood. With this in mind, this article is devoted to the history and details of nylon web slings. After this article, you should have a better understanding of the material that revolutionized so many industries. The history of nylon begins just before the beginning of World War II. Chemical giant DuPont had been experimenting with synthetic plastic fibers for a few years with early versions of nylon being developed as early as 1935. However, the greatest breakthrough in nylon’s design came in 1939. DuPont announced their new development at the World’s Fair, originally showcasing the versatile material as a women’s legwear that would come to be handily known as “nylons.” It didn’t take long for DuPont engineers and other designers to find other creative uses for the synthetic. When World War II began, nearly all of DuPont’s nylon production went not towards commercial products or even clothing. Instead, nylon was almost exclusively bought up by the U.S. military for use in parachutes and parachute straps. The durability, strength, and flexibility of nylon lent itself to this use. As time went on, nylon proved to be one of the few savior products that helped lift DuPont out of its financial hard times during the Great Depression. The craze over the new fiber actually got somewhat out of hand, with some marketing originally claiming that it was as “strong as steel.” While the synthetic is certainly strong, the original claims were not 100% accurate. However, the excitement over the new product can serve as a fascinating measure of the impact of the product. Nylon has remained in popular use since its invention, with the primary factory that manufactured the fibers actually being so influential on the chemical manufacturing industry that it has been historically recognized. Nylon’s chemical structure proved to be remarkably flexible and, therefore, applicable to many different uses. In the modern day, nylon can be found in a number of products including nylon web slings, which utilize tightly interwoven nylon strands to provide a wide surface area of smooth lift. The nylon webbing is flexible enough that it will not tarnish surfaces or cut into softer materials. Many nylon slings are actually made up of multiple plies of nylon webbing, which gives them greatly increased strength. In conclusion, nylon’s legacy as a synthetic fiber is remarkable, and understanding the history of the material can help you understand its use, its application, and which companies have the greatest history with the production of reliable nylon products. Nylon, in many ways, changed the world. It is still changing the world today by enabling productivity, safety, and quality on job sites in countries all around the world. If you find yourself looking for new slings or heavy lift supplies, come visit our site at www.empirerigging.com. Our professional staff is well-informed on all of our products and is ready and waiting to help you find the equipment you need to get the job done right. We believe in legacies of quality products, so we sell American-made products from trustworthy manufacturers. Come see what we can do for you today!
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