Wire Drawing
Wire Drawing Process:
Wire drawing is a metalworking process used to reduce the cross-section of a wire by pulling
the wire through a single or series of drawing dies.
The deformation is accomplished by a combination of tensile and compressive stresses.
The die geometry determines the final dimensions, cross-sectional area of the drawn
product and the reduction in area.
First of all wire is get fitted through the die then it is pulled through the dies. As the wire is
pulled through the die, its volume remains the same, so as the diameter decreases, the
length increases.
Applications: There are many applications for wire drawing, including electrical wiring, cables,
tension-loaded structural components, springs, paper clips, spokes for wheels, and stringed musical
instruments.
Process Characteristics of Wire Drawing:
Pulls a wire rod through a die, reducing its diameter.
Increases the length of the wire as its diameter decreases.
Improves material properties due to cold working.
Wire temperature can be controlled by swaging, drawing and annealing treatments.
Deformation in Wire Drawing:
The deformation is accomplished by a combination of tensile and compressive stresses.
The tensile force is created by the pulling at the exit end compressive force is arises from the
reaction of the metal with the die in deformation zone.
Process Parameters:
The major processing variables in drawing are
Degree of Drawing
Forces acting in Wire Drawing
Die Material
Die Angle
Lubrication Method
Temperature
Degree of Drawing:
The degree of drawing is measured in terms of “Reduction in Area” which is defined as the ratio of
the difference in cross-sectional area before and after drawing to the initial cross-sectional area.
Forces Acting in Wire Drawing:
Drawing force, F, represents the total force that must be applied at the die exit to overcome
friction at the die-work interface and resistance of the deforming material.
Die Material:
Die material for drawing typically are tool steels and carbides. For hot drawing, cast-steel dies are
used because of their high resistance to wear at elevated temperatures.
High Carbon Steels: Rod material for automatic processing, wire cables
Alloy Steels: Industrial springs, welding wires
Cu and Cu Alloys: Wires, screws, bolts and shaped parts, parts for the Electrical Industry
Al and Al Alloys: Screws and bolts, shaped parts, electrical lines etc.
Die Angle:
Die angle is crucial for the success of any wire drawing operation. Based on the fact that frictional
work increases with decreasing die angle and redundant work increases with increasing die angle, an
optimum approach angle should exist- one which minimizes both frictional and redundant work and,
as a consequence, the drawing force.
Lubrication Method:
Wet drawing, in which the dies and the rod are immersed completely in the lubricant.
Dry drawing, in which the surface of the rod to be drawn is coated with a lubricant by
passing it through a box filled with lubricant.
Metal coating, in which the rod or wire is coated with soft metal, such as copper or tin, that
acts as a solid lubricant.
Mostly various kind of mineral and vegetable oils, animal fats, graphite, soap and certain
emulsions are applied as drawing lubricant.
Temperature:
Mostly it is a cold working extrusion process.
The final operation before drawing is drying above 1000C.
Lubricant mostly used for control the temperature.
Flow Chart of Process of Wire Drawing
Principle of The Process for Wire Drawing:
The wire drawing die is conical shape. The end of the rod or wire, which is to be further
reduced is made into a point shape and inserted through the die opening.
Before the wire is drawn, The stock needs to be prepared for wire drawing. The material
should be sufficiently ductile since it pulled by the tensile forces. Hence, the wire may have
to annealed properly to provide the necessary ductility. Further, the wire is to go through
the conical portion and then pulled out through the exit by the gripper .In this process ,there
is no force applied for pushing wire into the die from the entrance side.
The other aspects of preparation needed are the cleaning of the wire and lubricating it as it
flows through the die. Cleaning is essentially done to remove any scale and rust present on
the surface which may severely affect the die.
For very large sizes, alloy steels are used in making the dies. The tungsten carbide dies are
used most commonly for medium size wire and large production. The tungsten carbide dies
are preferred are used most commonly for medium size and large productions. For very thin
wires diamond dies are used.
The drawing machines can be arranged in tandem so that, the wire is coming from one die is
coiled up to a sufficient length before it is re-entered into the subsequent die, and so on,
there is no change in volume ,successive drawing have to be done at higher speeds.
Features of a Wire Drawing Die
Four regions of the die can be distinguished: (1) Entry; (2) Approach Angle; (3) Bearing Surface
(Land); and (4) Back Relief.
Entry: Entry region is usually a bell-shaped mouth that does not contact the work. Its
purpose is to funnel the lubricant into the die and prevent scoring of work and die surfaces.
Approach Angle: It is the section of the die where the actual reduction in diameter occurs. It
is important process parameters. It is also known as Semi Die angle.
Bearing Surface (Land): Bearing surface, or land determines the size of the final drawn stock.
i) It does not provide sufficient reduction, but it produces a frictional drag on wire.
ii) It improves surface finish.
iii) It does not change the dimension of die exit.
Back Relief:
i) It allows the metal to expand slightly as the wire leaves the die.
ii) It also minimizes the possibility of abrasion taking place if drawing stops or the die is out
of alignment or misaligned.
The Die is encased in thick steel casing for better protection.
Approach Angle/Semi Die angle
Typical value of die angle: 6-120.
% Reduction is each pass: 20-25%.
1. The ideal work required for plastic deformation in wiredrawing (Up) is independent of die angle.
2. For a fixed coefficient of Friction, the work required to overcome friction (Uf) decreases with
increase in die angle.
3. The work required for Redundant work (Ur) increases with increase in die angle.
4. Total Energy: UT = UP + Uf + Ur.
5. Total energy for wiredrawing (UT) leads a curve which has a minima at some optimum die angle
(ά*).
6. Increasing the % reduction and friction also raises the optimum die angle.
Energy vs. Semi Die Angle
Patenting Heat Treatment:
Applicable: Steels with %C = 0.3-0.6
Process:
Heating: Above austenitization temperature (Above 9700C).
Holding: Definite period of time to produce homogeneous Austenite.
Cooling: Molten salt bath, slightly above or below nose of TTT curve (4500-5500C).
Holding: Till completion of transformation. Austenite is transformed to Fine Pearlite at the nose of
TTT curve. In some cases Upper Bainite also forms along with Fine Pearlite.
Cooling: Air or water spray.
Microstructure: Varies from Fine Pearlite to Upper Bainite depending upon transformation
temperature.
Applications: Wires, ropes and springs.
Defects in Drawing
1. Centre Burst/Chevron Crack:
Causes:
i) Low die angles.
ii) Low reductions.
Remedies:
i) As die angles increases, critical reduction for freedom from centre burst also increases.
ii) For a given reduction and die angle, critical reduction for freedom from centre burst increases
with friction.
2. Seams:
Longitudinal scratches or Fold in the material.
Causes:
i) Poor Lubrication.
ii) Poor Die condition.
Remedy:
i) Improved Lubrication & Die design.
3. Residual Stress:
It generates due to non uniform deformations.
For Light reduction: Compressive residual stress generates at surface, tensile residual stress at
centre. It will improve our fatigue life.
For Bulk reduction: Tensile residual stress generates at surface, Compressive residual stress at
centre. It will cause Stress Corrosion Cracking.
