Research & Development .
The facilities, people, and research behind practical rope solutions.
Four Brothers Rope (FBR) combines synthetic rope research and development, laboratory testing, and application engineering. We study material behavior, develop rope constructions for demanding operations, and turn test evidence into useful engineering decisions.
Performance begins
with understanding
01 Our facilities
Built to test,
Equipped to learn
Research needs the right tools—and the ability to test at the right scale.
FBR’s in-house laboratory combines horizontal tensile systems with equipment for fatigue, creep, abrasion, weathering, low-temperature exposure, and sand ingress testing. This supports investigations from fiber and material behavior to finished rope performance.
2,500 t-class
Horizontal tensile test system
5 load classes
2,500 / 500 / 300 / 100 / 50 t-class
See what we test:
02 Our people
Expertise turns equipment into insight
Rope researchers, development engineers, testing specialists, and application teams work together to connect laboratory findings with operational needs.
Our technical center works with universities and research institutes on fiber and rope behavior, product development, testing methods, equipment, and engineering trials. Technical exchange with the wider rope industry brings additional perspectives to this work.
KNOWLEDGE IN ACTION
FBR at the CI–Eurocord technical conference, Faro, 2026
03 Research outputs & recognition
Progress with substance
Research platforms, documented inventions, technical contributions, and independent recognition support our development.
DISTINCT FORMS OF ASSURANCE
Evidence at the right level
Classification society approvals apply to the products and scope identified in each certificate.
TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Shared knowledge,
Better understanding
FBR contributes to technical exchange and standards work in the rope industry. In 2025, CTO Dr. Rafael Chou chaired CI braided-rope discussions covering CI 1305, CI 1310, and CI 1311.
Published collaborative work also examines yarn interaction and the stability of abrasion and friction measurements.
STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT / 2025
Cordage Institute braided-rope standards
Polyester single-braid, nylon double-braid, and polyester double-braid rope constructions.
PUBLISHED TECHNICAL PAPER
Improving yarn-on-yarn test stability
A collaborative investigation of abrasion test geometry and friction measurement.
SELECTED INVENTION PATENTS
Ideas developed into documented inventions
Selected Chinese patent records illustrate FBR’s work on offshore rope constructions and synthetic fiber assemblies.
Each record identifies a specific invention and publication. Product specifications are defined separately for the applicable rope or assembly.
04 Research in applications
Where the work takes shape
Explore products and applications supported by FBR’s rope development and engineering capabilities.
Ship mooring
POWERNEEMA® RRR
HMPE rope construction developed to reduce recoil risk in ship mooring applications.
Heavy Lifting
LIFTMAX™ Plus
Parallel HMPE core slings specified around load, length, connections, and protection needs.
offshore mooring
SINOROPE®
Polyester mooring ropes supplied for the 16 MW Three Gorges Pilot floating wind platform.
our commitment
Innovation drives development
Quality guides every decision
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