Common strand patterns are Filler Wire, Seale, Warrington and combinations thereof. Regular means that the direction of the wire lay in the strand is opposite to the direction of the strand lay in the rope. When combining separate ropes in a single line application always use ropes of the same lay pattern.
Different lays can increase rotation at connection points decreasing rope efficiency.
Proper preforming prevents the strands and wires from unlaying during normal use. The vast majority of wire rope sold today is preformed. Plastic coated wire rope is also available, usually galvanized or stainless steel cable. The most common plastic coatings are vinyl or nylon in either clear or white, although other materials and colors are available. These coatings do not add strength to the wire rope itself.