WIRE COATING

By :
 INTRODUCTION

Wire coating process is basically an extrusion operation

through crosshead die. The objective of the wire coating is
to coats, wrapped and insulate the wire. It is used as an
electrical insulation, to prevent the wire being exposed to
corrosion also to increase the durability of the wire.

• The coating can be done to wire and cables.

• Wire = single strand of metal
• Cables = two or more wire

Coated wire mostly used in the telecommunication,

electrical and electronic industry.
 Process of wire coating… Wire
coating
production
line

1) Unwind station helps to unreel the coil to the feeding line

2) Pretension station help to setting the tension over the process
3) Preheat station prepare the wire/ cable before coating process occurs.
4) Crosshead die station
5) Cooling station helps to solidifying the polymeric coating
6) Quality control station check the quality of the coating.
7) Puller station providing constant tension through out the process
8) Winder to reel/collecting the product.
 Preheat treatment

• The preheat treatment act to make a better adhesion along the wire and
the polymers.
• Its also reducing the shrinkage differences between the wire and the
polymer.
• Help to maintain the die temperature during the normal operation.
• Used to remove any moisture and other contaminants that might interfere
with adhesion of the wire and the polymer.
 Die

The crosshead die is the main element in wire coating extrusion. There
are two type of die in the wire coating processes. The pressure die and
the tubing die.

In the pressure die, its coats the wire inside the die. The molten
polymer is pressurized before exiting the die. In this cases it must be
done at a high pressure to ensure good adhesion of the polymer.

Meanwhile, the tubing die coats the wire outside the die. The melt
polymer will combine at the end of the die tip.
 Coextrusion
Coextrusion is an extrusion of
multiple layer of polymers
simultaneously. As the shown figure,
this type of extrusion adding two or
more extruder to delivery the molten
polymers to a pressure assembly
coextrusion die in a constant volume.
The thickness of the layer are controlled by the speeds and sizes of the
extruders (flow process). The core extrusion process is often used in
the industry because it is economical. coextrusion processes can be
done in blown film, overjacketing, tubing, sheet.

Advantages disadvantages

Low cost Size variances

Flexibility Product limitation

All of these die need the extruder that melt the polymer and
bring/forward it to the die in a constant melt pressure and temperature
(even).
 Cooling process…

The coated wire is then cooled in a water through, where the water is
uniformly applied along the surface of the product. The cooling process must be
control very careful because if the water to cold it can produces the vacuum
void and makes lot of differences in shrinkage on the polymer. Also the
preheater, die and cooling processes must be properly aligned to make sure the
wire not moving up, down or even sideways during this stages. Proper alignment
adjustment promotes uniform coating around the wire and uniform shrinkage in
cooling process.
 Quality control…

3 common gauges for quality control:

• Spark gauge
• Diameter gauge
• Eccentricity gauge

Spark tester
• Used to test any defection that occur along the coated wire using high
voltage Ac current such as pin hole at the coated wire that might
cause electrical shorts or carbon deposits in the polymer that can
cause electrical conductivity through coating.

Diameter gauge
• Used to measure the diameter of the coated wire. If the diameter is to
small slow the puller speed. If its is to large speed p the puller speed.

Eccentricity gauge
• Used to measure the uniformity of the coating along the wire. It can
be adjust by centering the guide tip.
Typical polymers used in wire coating applications

In wire coating, there are plenty/various polymers that can be use

by the crosshead extrusion process. For example:
• Polyethylene
• Polyvinylchloride
• Polyamide
• Polybutylene terephthalate
• Thermoplastic elastomers
• Ethylene propylene copolymers
• Polypropylene
• Fluoropolymers

This type of polymers have their own characteristics such as

flexibility, electrical properties, ability to withstand abuse, and
durability….etc. depending on what/where the wire will be used.
(n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.industrialextrusionmachinery.com/plastic_extrusion_crosshead_extrusion_process.html

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