WCA May 2017

Technology news

The benefits of vibration on drawing dies

THE traditional method of drawing wires and tubes can be quite restrictive due to the friction created at the point of draw. Ultraswage International has developed technology that uses a computerised vibration management system to vibrate the drawing die. The resulting virtual elimination of friction against the die leads to a range of production and product benefits over current drawing methods. • Greater reductions per pass: Without friction, the strain on the tag is reduced, allowing greater reduction per pass. In general, the softer the material the larger the ratio between force used traditionally to overcome friction and that used to deform the material through the die. Often this can be achieved in one pass rather than the traditional two. • Improved surface finish: The resulting surface finish is excellent. • Improved lubrication: There is a wider choice of lubricants, which can mean a cleaner product and in some cases avoid the need for cleaning after annealing. • Simple die changes: Dies simply screw into the base of the transducer unit making for uncomplicated changes. • Greatly enhanced die life: Due to the virtual elimination of friction the life of the die is massively increased. • Energy savings: The elimination of friction in the die saves more power than is used by the ultrasonic equipment. The reduced capstan power consumption gives the financial benefit of reduced energy costs and often the productivity benefit of increased draw speeds. • Reduced stock inventory: The greater reductions per pass possible by using ultrasonic technology can lead to fewer stock sizes having to be kept, reducing stock and therefore cost. • Operator control: Though advanced technology, it has been designed to make for uncomplicated control and does not need extra operator involvement.

• Increased output: In cases where older machinery is not producing efficiently, output can be increased where the force needed to draw traditionally is reduced when using ultrasonics. The Ultraswage 2000 Power Source is stand-alone while the transducer/die assembly replaces the existing die, usually by fitting a simple, custom-made mounting frame. The system can accept both wet and dry lubricants, enabling a wider choice of lubricant to be considered. The drawing die is a standard tungsten carbide die inserted into a ring of stainless steel. This enables the die to vibrate because tungsten alone is a very difficult metal to vibrate. The Ultraswage 2000 system allows for the drawing of rounds to shapes and is suitable for both ferrous and non-ferrous metals. As a unit it is also versatile in the sense that it can be retro-fitted to existing drawing equipment, can be designed into new equipment and can, with the addition of pay-off and take-up reels, capstan, etc, form a dedicated drawing line. Ultraswage International Ltd – UK Website : www.ultraswage-int.co.uk ❍ Transducer/die assembly fitted to a Schumag drawing machine

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Wire & Cable ASIA – May/June 2017