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How to Build the Perfect Chain Sling in 6 Simple Steps

Designing a lifting chain sling is more than selecting a chain and hooks. It requires accurate configuration, correct working load limit (WLL) calculations and a clear understanding of lifting angles, load distribution and operating conditions.

This guide shows how to build a compliant chain sling in 6 simple steps using the RUD Configurator, helping you improve safety, reduce errors and streamline your lifting design process.

The RUD Configurator is a free and straightforward chain sling calculator that helps engineers, riggers and lifting professionals design safer, more efficient slings with confidence. It helps save time on chain sling selection while improving application accuracy to create a safer lifting solution.

Click here to use the RUD Chain Sling Configurator to build your sling now.

Step 1: Choose the Chain Type for Your Lifting Chain Sling

The first step in any lifting chain sling configuration is selecting the correct chain type based on your lifting application and required working load limit (WLL).

The options we have included are:

Next, we need to determine the load capacity and choose between 2 grades:

Selecting the proper chain system ensures the sling delivers the required strength, durability and operational performance. Learn more about calculating Working Load Limits (WLL) for chain slings using ChatGPT (Opens a new browser tab with ChatGPT).

Step 2: Adjust for Operating Conditions

Correctly accounting for environmental conditions is critical for lifting safety and compliance with Australian rigging standards. Factors such as temperature, shock loads, and chemical exposure can affect WLL.

ICE components are recommended in challenging environments due to their wear-resistant materials. Choosing the right chain for your conditions ensures safety and longevity.

Step 3: Select Suspension Components

Suspension components are critical rigging equipment that connect the sling to the crane and the load. Options include master links, hooks, connecting elements, shortening elements and balancers. For guidance on selecting compatible components, see rigging hardware selection best practices using ChatGPT (Opens a new browser tab with ChatGPT).

The Configurator offers compatible suspension components based on your selections, helping ensure correct load distribution during crane lifting operations.

Step 4: Add Shortening Components

To balance loads or correct asymmetry, shortening components such as shortening hooks or shortening claws allow precise adjustment of sling length without compromising safety.

These components increase versatility and adaptability across different lifting scenarios. The Configurator highlights compatible options and shows how they integrate into the overall chain sling assembly.

Step 5: Add Intermediate Components

Intermediate components customise the sling for smooth operation and comply with Australian Standards (AS 3775.2).

This step ensures the sling functions safely and effectively under real-world conditions.

Step 6: Select End Components

End components attach the sling directly to the load.

Common options include:

Selecting the correct end fittings is essential for secure load attachment and overall lifting system safety. The Configurator allows you to compare compatible options and confirm suitability.

Review the 3D Model and Export the Design

Throughout the process, you can visualise the sling in 3D. As components are added, the Configurator generates a realistic model, helping confirm the configuration before finalising the setup.

Once complete, users can:

This integration ensures the chain sling design fits seamlessly into project planning and lift documentation.

Why Use a Chain Sling Calculator?

A chain sling calculator removes manual guesswork and improves accuracy in lifting load calculations. Instead of relying on charts or spreadsheets, users can configure a compliant sling based on real-world conditions. This makes it easier to standardise safe lifting practices across projects and teams.

Some of the key benefits are:

Removing the Guesswork from Chain Sling Design

Designing a lifting chain sling no longer requires manual calculations or complex charts. The RUD Configurator is a free, easy-to-use chain sling calculator that helps you design accurate, compliant and safe lifting solutions.

By improving selection speed, application accuracy and safety, it enables engineers and rigging professionals to make confident decisions for every lift.

Click here to start building your chain sling today. Email us or call us on 07 3809 1300.

Article copyright to RUD Australia. This information is accurate at the time of publication, and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise.

RUD Lifting Innovation Event.

RUD Australia’s October 2025 Lifting Innovation Event showcased live demonstrations, breaking tests and the Configurator sling chain calculator, highlighting safer, more efficient lifting solutions while connecting industry leaders and CICA delegates in Brisbane.

RUD Australia held a Lifting Innovation Event in October 2025, exclusively for the crane industry. We invited Crane Business Owners, Lifting Operations Managers, Lifting Engineers and Industry Partners to an engaging showcase and demonstration of lifting design, equipment technology, and innovation, timed alongside CICA 2025.

What did we showcase?

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us - your enthusiasm, discussions and collaboration made the event a fantastic success. We are proud to continue leading the way in lifting innovation and safety excellence across Australia.

Part 2 of the 2-part article. Click here to read Part 1.

This article explains how advanced motion control, compliant load securing and certified testing protect wind turbine components, improving safety, reducing crane time and supporting reliable wind farm development in Australia.

Motion Control for Wind Farm Installations

Lifting long and slender wind turbine components requires stability as well as strength. Motion control systems, including engineered lift points, guide mechanisms and controlled tag line systems, help minimise rotation and pendulum movement during installation. This is particularly important in outback Australian wind farm locations where wind conditions can change rapidly. Improved motion control reduces corrective crane movements, lowers crane time and enhances crew safety during complex wind turbine lifts.

Lashing Equipment & Load Securing for Wind Turbine Transport

Transporting wind turbine components across Australia requires certified lashing equipment and compliant load securing systems. Integrated lifting and lashing solutions are essential to prevent transport related damage before components reach site. RUD’s Grade 120 ICE chain systems and lashing equipment provide:

By integrating lifting and lashing equipment into a complete material handling strategy; wind energy operators reduce transport incidents and protect components across the supply chain.

Testing, Certification & Compliance

Compliance and traceability are critical in major wind energy infrastructure projects. Certified lifting and lashing equipment should include:

Comprehensive testing ensures load paths and fabricated components meet Australian standards before operation. For EPC contractors and project owners, this documentation simplifies audits and strengthens regulatory confidence across wind farm developments.

Planning Wind Turbine Lifting Early

For optimal performance, lifting equipment selection should begin during the wind farm design phase, not just prior to mobilisation. Project planners should:

Early coordination ensures lifting and lashing equipment is engineered specifically for each wind energy project, reducing installation challenges and improving long term reliability.

Supporting Australia’s Growing Wind Energy Industry

As Australia’s wind energy capacity continues to grow, so does the need for advanced wind turbine lifting and lashing equipment. Through modular spreader beams, component-specific lifting systems, integrated Grade 120 lashing equipment and certified testing and inspection services, RUD Australia supports wind farms across manufacturing, transport, installation and maintenance.

The result is safer wind turbine lifts, faster project schedules, reduced downtime and lower lifecycle costs, ensuring high value turbine components remain protected throughout their operational life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chains are used for wind turbine transport?
Certified Grade 120 lifting chains are commonly used for heavy duty load securing during wind turbine transport across Australian wind farms.

How do you ensure lifting compliance in Australia?
Compliance is ensured through load testing, certification, documented traceability and adherence to Australian standards for lifting and lashing equipment.

If you want more details of our wind turbine lifting and lashing solutions, email us or call us on 07 3809 1300.

Article copyright to RUD Australia. This information is accurate at the time of publication, and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise.

Where can you meet the RUD team in 2026?

We will be taking part in key industry trade shows in 2026 and we look forward to connecting, sharing ideas and demonstrating our products and solutions. 

Trade Shows Dates City Venue Type
Australasian Bus & Coach Expo 15-16 July 2026 Sydney Sydney Showgrounds Automotive
Landforces 6-8 October 2026 Perth Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre Defence
IQA National Conference 6-8 October 2026 Gold Coast Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre Quarrying
CICA 2026 28-30 October 2026 Hunter Valley Rydges Resort Cranes

This information is accurate at the time of publication, and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise. 

This is a 2-part article.

Australia’s growing wind energy sector demands engineered lifting and lashing solutions to safely and efficiently handle longer blades, heavier nacelles and taller towers across installation, transport and maintenance.

Delivering safe and efficient wind turbine lifting in Australia requires more than standard rigging gear. It demands engineered lifting equipment, certified lashing systems and technical expertise that protect high value components throughout the wind energy project lifecycle.

Engineering Support Across the Wind Farm Lifecycle

From manufacturing facilities to remote wind farm sites, lifting and lashing solutions must integrate seamlessly.

RUD Australia supports wind energy projects with:

This end-to-end capability ensures continuity between manufacturing, transport, installation and maintenance, reducing risk while improving efficiency across Australian wind farms.

Why Lifting Innovation Matters in Wind Energy

Every wind turbine lift carries risk. Incorrect rigging, unpredictable weather conditions or inadequate planning can lead to:

Engineered lifting equipment reduces these risks by aligning beam geometry precisely with designated lift points. Using in-house finite element analysis (FEA), lifting systems can be validated to control bending forces and ensure safe load distribution.

Certified lifting equipment manufactured and inspected to Australian standards minimises downtime, reduces corrective work onsite and offshore and shortens wind farm installation schedules.

Modular Spreader Beams for Wind Turbine Lifting

Modular spreader beams remain central to safe wind turbine lifting. Multi-point lifting reduces bending stress on long components such as blades and tower sections.

Modern modular lifting beams:

This modular approach supports reusability and lowers total lifecycle costs - a key consideration in large scale Australian wind farm developments. Custom lifting beam configurations further ensure correct load paths and safe lifting geometry for specialised turbine components.

Component-Specific Wind Turbine Lifting Equipment

Wind turbine components require precision handling to protect composite blade surfaces, machined interfaces and internal assemblies.

Specialised lifting equipment for wind energy projects includes:

Using purpose designed lifting equipment improves control, protects high-value assets and reduces reliance on improvised rigging methods. This shortens alignment time and enhances safety during wind farm construction and servicing.

Click here to read Part 2 ...

If you want more details of our lifting and lashing solutions for the wind energy sector, email us or call us on 07 3809 1300.

Article copyright to RUD Australia. This information is accurate at the time of publication, and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise.

Frequently Asked Questions

What lifting equipment is used for wind turbine installation in Australia?
Wind turbine installation in Australia uses modular spreader beams, blade lifting tools, nacelle lifting fixtures and certified Grade 120 chains to distribute loads safely and comply with Australian standards.

Why are modular spreader beams important for wind farms?
Modular spreader beams distribute loads evenly across multiple lift points, reducing bending stress on long blades and tower sections while ensuring safe wind turbine lifting.

The CICA (Crane Industry Council of Australia) Conference is one of the biggest crane industry events in the southern hemisphere. CICA 2025 will be held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from Wed, October 15, to Fri, October 17, 2025. RUD is proud to sponsor the Networking Dinner on 16 Oct and will showcase solutions for the crane industry's lifting, lashing, and engineering requirements at the show. 

RUD Australia is a certified supplier to the crane and infrastructure industry, providing solutions such as:

Check our blogs on the Legacy of Innovation for the Crane Industry, Safe Lifting with Spreader & Lifting Beams and Beyond the Hook.

Visit our stand #7 in the Main Hall at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from 15-17 Oct 2025 to discuss our Lifting, Lashing, Drive and Engineering Solutions.

For more information on RUD Solutions for the Crane Industry, click here to fill out our form or visit our contact page to send us an enquiry.

Established in 2008 by now co-Directors Ben Rose and Mitch Atkinson, Hulk Lifting seeks to supply high-quality engineered lifting solutions to whoever engages its services. Collaborating with German manufacturer and global supplier RUD Chains, Ben goes in-depth about the quality of RUD’s products and their impact on the lifting and rigging equipment industry.

In 2006, Ben Rose worked alongside his two colleagues Mitch Atkinson and Dan Bell in the gear locker for P&O Ports. The trio, doing their time in the stevedoring industry maintaining and inspecting lifting equipment, worked hard to keep all the products that came across their path up to a high standard while constantly seeking new ways to further develop the equipment on the Queensland port for cargo handling.

“Of course, it was at P&O Ports that we brainstormed and developed a self-equalising flat chain,” said Ben. “That was the inception of Hulk Lifting.”

Officially beginning in 2008 and now run by Ben and Mitch in the Brisbane suburb of Newmarket, the duo has expanded Hulk Lifting to distribute its lifting solutions across Australia. Designed predominantly for cargo handling in the stevedoring industry, Hulk Lifting products are capable of standing up in any environment: or, as Ben said, “to whoever wants to engage in our services and finds value in what we do”.

“We pride ourselves on creating innovative, engineered lifting solutions that are dependable, durable, and quality,” he said. 

To supply the market with high-quality, bespoke lifting solutions, Ben is well aware that the foundation products need to come from high-quality manufacturing. As luck, fortune, serendipity, or - most likely - the importance of maintaining good relationships in the industry would have it, the team at Hulk Lifting already held a relationship with one such manufacturer: RUD Chains.

Globally renowned for its technical expertise in manufacturing and recently receiving a high appraisal from SureLift Crane Hire owner Mark ‘Chopper’ Read in the October issue of Cranes and Lifting as the “only products” he’ll use for lifting and lashing solutions, the German-based manufacturer’s product range features more than 700 lifting slings and lashing points. For Ben, the introduction to RUD’s products came in 2004 through Product Manager Stuart Nolan.

Since then, akin to SureLift’s experience, Hulk Lifting has consistently turned to RUD for any lifting and lashing solutions it needs, according to Ben. 

“Knowing that we’re using RUD’s products provides us with a sense of comfort and reassurance,” he said.

“RUD really is ‘best-in-show’ for us: through the design, manufacturing and final build stages, everything is simply top-notch.”

Supplying its products across the country and, in some instances, globally, Ben is well aware of the importance of providing equipment that is structurally and physically sound, not least because of the safety element involved in the lifting, stevedoring and bulk-handling industries.

At the forefront of its products is the “globally renowned” flat chain sling that inspired the inception of Hulk Lifting; at the core of its flagship product is RUD’s Grade 120 chain.

RUD’s ICE Grade 120 chain carries 30 per cent less weight than the next nominal grade chain and a 60 per cent higher breaking force than a grade 80 chain, which offers a significant safety
advantage to anyone using its products. Designed and manufactured back at the company’s home base in Germany, the chain slings are then assembled and proof load-tested at its Australian facility in Brisbane, where the products go through a rigorous testing process to ensure the chains meet Australian Quality, Environmental and OH&S standards. On top of this, the global manufacturer also holds LEEA and NATA accreditation, ensuring it is part of the movement in the lifting and rigging industry that focuses on supplying the market with internationally accredited, quality products. For Ben, this gives the team at Hulk Lifting better peace of mind. 

“We sleep easier at night with RUD’s engineering because, in our experience, it really is the safest,” he said. “We’ve worked with other products, and we’ve seen RUD’s chains consistently exceed others in their performance.”

Supplying the Australian lifting and rigging market with high-quality, durable, sustainable products comes at a price compared to its single, two-time, and maybe three-time use counterparts. The price, however, is one well worth paying, according to Ben, with the environmental, financial and operational benefits all paying large dividends to those who decide to invest.

“People who’ve worked with high-quality lifting and rigging equipment know the value of manufacturing such as RUDs,” he said. “Safety needs to be paramount in the lifting and rigging industry, which RUD’s chains provide to anyone using them.”

It’s not, however, just the ICE Grade 120 chains that put Ben and Mitch’s minds at ease. As a manufacturer, RUD also designs and creates a host of lifting beams, spreader beams and lifting and lashing points, with over 700 tested boltable and weldable lifting point variants featuring load ranges all the way up to 250 tonnes. Working with RUD to provide customised lifting solutions,
Ben points to the first production lug in the world, which was the 31.5-tonne capacity ABA, which the manufacturers shipped to Australia for Hulk Lifting to weld onto a lifting beam. As Ben was
quick to highlight, it’s that high level of commitment to anyone using RUD’s products and services that ensures the German manufacturer remains a high-quality partner, from product through to post-sale service.

“Whenever we get something in from RUD, there’s always an engineer coming afterwards to inspect the product and ensure that it’s performing exactly as it should,” he said. “RUD gives a top-end
service supplied by top-end people providing a top-end product to the Australian market.”

Have you checked our YouTube videos? Click here to visit the RUD YouTube channel.

Article copyright to Cranes & Lifting; this information is accurate at the time of publication and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise. Some pictures are for illustration only.

For more details on how RUD can help with your lifting requirements, please call us on 07 3809 1300 or fill out an enquiry form here.

Sources:

This is taken from the article published in Cranes & Lifting Oct 2023 issue. Click here to read the original article.

Director of SureLift Crane Hire Mark ‘Chopper’ Read discusses his business and why the company consistently chooses RUD.

“They’re the best chains in the industry,” says Chopper. “All of RUD’s lifting and lashing equipment consistently performs on safety and durability measures; it’s because of the way we’ve seen RUD’s products perform that we don’t buy anything but RUD.”

Chopper himself holds an extensive career in the mining industry; working in and around shutdowns in the mining industry before starting Surelift; he’s seen it all; and that’s why when he labels RUD’s chains and slings as the “best”, he’s worked with, there’s an added element of legitimacy to his words.

SureLift Crane Hire was conceived in the mining town of Moranbah and began its operations with just one 20-tonne Franna crane. Since then, the Queensland-based company has expanded its fleet to include seven Franna P&C cranes, seven all-terrain cranes, a 280-tonne crawler crane and a variety of truck and trailer combinations.

“Initially, when I started the business, I reflected on my time in the shutdown industry and I saw the potential for more crane hire in the market,” he says. “I decided to try it out, and we’ve eventually grown into the business we are today.”

At the core of its operations, SureLift provides crane hire and transport services to businesses and individuals in Moranbah and its surrounding regions. Frequently employed by contractors working in the mining, construction, maintenance and industrial sectors, Surelift’s team of 48 full-time employees is well-versed in the crane and logistics industry, thanks to the company’s 17 years of experience. 

“The biggest problem that we experienced when starting SureLift was just attracting the work,” says Chopper. “But we kept our heads down and worked hard, and eventually, things fell our way; today, we own over 16 cranes and operate across a range of projects.”

Part of working across a range of projects in the crane industry requires versatile, durable, safe lifting and rigging equipment. 

“Although we’re general hire, the chains consistently stand up for us no matter what environment they’re placed in,” he says. “I initially came across RUD’s chains early on in my career and they have not disappointed me.”

The other blatant testimony to the working capacities of RUD's products is the industries in which they appear. According to Chopper, working with a range of clients in the defence, infrastructure, energy and engineering industries, RUD’s chains offer “capacity, versatility, and unique features” that other chains “just don’t have”. 

RUD ICE Grade 120 range of lifting chains weigh 30%  less than the next nominal grade chain but possess 60% higher breaking force than the Grade 80 chains. Also, when used with a balancer, a RUD ICE 16mm chain can lift up to 48 tonnes, the highest in its class.

“The balancer is a huge point of difference when compared to other options on the market,” says Chopper. “It allows us to lift at a higher capacity with the same level of safety.”

Aside from using its range of lifting chains and slings, Chopper is also highly complimentary of the lifting and lashing points that RUD supplies to SureLift. The German manufacturer offers more than 700 tested boltable and weldable lifting point variants with load ranges all the way up to 250 tonnes. Stringently tested and certified according to LEEA and NATA standards, Chopper says the versatility offered by the products is “incomparable”.

“Working in the shutdown industry, it’s imperative to get things right with dependable, durable products,” he says. “The weld on lift-points that we use are exactly that; having versatile gear that holds many applications at many ranges is essential.”

All these products collectively feature for Chopper are safety and excellent post-sale service and support. Talking about his relationship with RUD Chains and its after-sale service, Chopper says no stone is left unturned for RUD when it comes to ensuring the company supplies the right product according to Surelift’s needs. 

“Their post-sale service is excellent; anything you need to talk to them about – whether it be the maintenance of the product, a new range that’s just come out, or different lifting solutions – they’re there,” he says. “Additionally, if we need any advice for setting up new slings or purchasing any new items, RUD are always on the other end of the phone, ready and willing to give us a helping hand – or, in this case, a sling.”

For the team at Surelift, since RUD’s products are manufactured, tested and maintained in accordance with Australian Quality, Environmental, and OH&S standards, including LEEA and NATA accreditations, this is more important than RUD’s high-quality post-sale service. Chopper believes RUD’s products tick all these boxes.

“At the start of the day, everyone’s got a right to go to work; at the end of the day, everyone’s got the right to go home safely,” says Chopper. “We feel that using RUD’s chains embodies that message of safety.”

RUD will be exhibiting at the Crane Industry Lifting Conference - CICA 2023 from 26-28 Oct 2023. Visit us in Booth #27/28 at the Perth Convention Centre to discuss our Lifting and Lashing Solutions for the crane industry.

Article copyright to Cranes & Lifting; this information is accurate at the time of publication and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise.

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