Abstract: The open and close of the gate of a river were finished by steel wire ropes, whose testing was carried out by the traditional artificial methods of visual and touching methods, resulting in poor reliability and dangerous consequence. Virtual instrument-based equipment with electromagnetic technology was used for the wire rope testing. The testing principle, path design, testing results and accepting standards were introduced. The testing case proved the feasibility of the virtual electromagnetic wire rope testing technique. Finally, based on the current growing wire rope testing needs, as well as the not so satisfied testing status, a suggestion was proposed that more attention and more application promotion should be paid to wire rope testing technology.