Wire Drawing - Influence of Manufacturing Practice on Wire Quality

Abstract

Manufacture of wire and wire products date back to several thousand years and wire was being made in large quantities from hammered strips around 1800 B.C. This is evident from the findings of jewellery, zari work, decorative and utility wares made from wires dating back to over four thousand years. The basic technique of wire drawing has undergone practically no change over the years. However, today super fine and ultra fine wires of the non-ferrous metals and alloys are being pro&lced at theoretical limits of drawing speed of several kilometers per minute. This has been possible due to modern high speed machines supported by newer wire drawin2, dies, lubricant systems, tandem annealing and finishing lines etc. In todays context, the manufacturing practice has a great bearing on the properties and quality of finished wire required in continuous length for a wide range of applications. Some of these practical aspects relating to manufacture of non-ferrous wires are discussed in this lecture.