WCA May 2017

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Wire & Cable ASIA – May/June 2017
Technologynews
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:
The benefits of vibration on
drawing dies
❍ Transducer/die assembly fitted to a
Schumag drawing machine