With　the　development　of　nondestructive　testing　(NDT)　technology　for　wire　ropes,　various　detection　methods　are　constantly　refined　and　improved.　The　primary　and　representative　NDT　methods　are　suitable　for　the　detection　of　wire　ropes　including　manual　inspection,　acoustic　emission　method,　acoustic-ultrasonic　method,　eddy　current　method,　electromagnetic　method　and　metal　magnetic　memory　method.　Meanwhile,　the　research　results　of　our　laboratory　based　on　the　theory　of　the　magnetic　flux　leakage　to　detect　wire　rope＇s　fault　detection　will　be　displayed.　Through　comparisons　of　methods＇　merits　and　weaknesses,　it　also　has　brought　forward　the　new　trends　about　adopting　metal　magnetic　memory　to　predict　the　lifetime　of　the　steel　wire　ropes,　which　has　greater　value　in　theory　and　application　for　improving　the　precise　detection　of　the　in-service　ropes.　©　(2014)　Trans　Tech　Publications,　Switzerland.