Doyle Rigging

So, Simon asked me to write an article for each month on running rigging and some of the things that I do with fibres.

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I figured the first thing that any one should know is the history of the fibres that we use, and so the first article is where Dyneema came from. I like many other riggers use mainly Dyneema core rope for the bulk of our work. Dyneema is the trade name for the fibre, from the company that produced it, and that company is DSM. Dyneema fibre is manufactured by DSM and then sold to rope manufacturers to be braided into rope.

 

Dyneema fibre , as it became to be known, was first discovered in 1963, Dr Albert Pennings, when he managed to pull some wispy threads from the stirring rods in his beaker. He found it impossible to pull the strands apart. Dr Pennings was working on polymer research in plastics for DSM . He told DSM’s Director what he had discovered and was told “Fiber?!? Fiber!?! If I wanted a fiber I would pick up the phone and order some! Stop with this nonsense!”. At that time DSM was focused on coal mining fertiliser production.

 

He continued his research! By 1968, Dr Pennings was able to pull these wisps out in the form of a thread-like material. “In a sense it was simple: we’d have this string of swollen stuff and we’d hold it over a hot plate and stretch it out with our hands. The solvent would evaporate out, and we were left with a tiny string – a really strong polyethylene fiber.”.

 

In 1978 DSM started to look at commercial production of the fibre, at first they couldn’t scale up production, then in 1979 they worked out a way to do larger scale production. DSM wasn’t so keen on the project , especially after they were told by another fibre company, that their product was basically useless, so they stopped the project in 1982.

 

Dr Pennings had already left DSM by this stage, and Piet Lester and Chemical engineer Rob Kirschbaum then carried on secretly continuing to work after hours on the project. One of after hour team said “I was part of a team which you would call a skunk team. Mavericks. We did experiments on weekends and holidays because then we’d have the place to ourselves.

 

We’d jump over the gate to get into the lab and our wives would come by and slide us pizzas through the bars.” So from all of this and some more twists and turns in getting Dyneema to market, it finally happened. Dyneema is not only used in ropes, but also in body armour for soldiers, it’s used to moor oil rigs, and also to repair human joints…showing the fantastic discovery it really is. I use all types of Dyneema in my work, for specific jobs. These are DM20,SK62, SK75, SK78 and SK99. They all have their different characteristics which lend themselves to different jobs. Thanks to DSM for supplying information on the early years of Dyneema.

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