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Wire & Cable ASIA – January/February 2009 42
Multipass dry drawing
Team Meccanica manufactures equipment for the production of steel wires with a
wide range of finished diameters, from very thin wires with a diameter of 0.2mm up
to 20mm diameter. Low-carbon steel, high-carbon steel, stainless steel and special
alloy wires can be manufactured with Team Meccanica’s drawing machine range
using both technologies of reduction by die and the newly developed reduction
by cold-rolling.
Capstan sizes range from
160mm for thinner wires up to
1,270mm for the thicker ones,
individually driven by AC motors
fed at a variable frequency by
vector inverters or DC motors
fed by digital converters.
The rated power ranges from
5 to 175kW. Machine configura-
tion is of the straight-through
type with tilted blocks and
sensing-arms for speed control.
The production speed reaches
50m/s, due to the robust construction, efficient wire cooling and a precise
electronic control system. Many optional accessories are available, such as
overhead pay-off on the first block, stripper capstan or double deck capstan with
accumulation (Barco type) at the last block; ecological casing with dust extraction,
laser gauge for control of finished wire diameter, production control through the
video-keyboard and centralised control through a remote computer.
Team Meccanica uses only forged-steel blocks, induction hardened with eventual
ceramic or hard metal coating. All major components are certified ISO 9001 and
are internationally available.
All process management is by microprocessor AC drive inverters and
communication is possible by PROFIBUS or similar network system.
Team Meccanica SpA – Italy Fax: +39 035 0779 728
Email: Website:
Straightening units for drawing
As a part of wire production the drawing process is indispensable. In each drawing machine, straightening units and
systems are essential components. Witels-Albert GmbH, a leading supplier of straighteners and guides, has recently
developed new roller straighteners for wire dry drawing applications. Minimised deformation under load, high precision
and a reliable quick response locking mechanism (suitable in particular for high-strength wires) are features of the new
RS straightening units. Roll adjustment mechanisms are located on one side of the straightener. The roll diameter and the
distance between straightening rolls have been optimised in order to straighten process materials with a wide range of
diameters. The straightening rolls can be re-greased and are prepared for resisting high speeds and high loads. As an
option, alternative roll materials or specific coatings can be realised. Straighteners in the RS series are available in five sizes
for straightening wires between 1.5mm and 9mm diameter.
Witels-Albert believes that the RS
series roll straighteners overcome the
disadvantages of using the drawing
die for wire straightening, such as
non-uniform distribution of tension and
variations in material structure across
the diameter. Using the drawing die for
straightening can result in a finished
product quality that makes handling
difficult in downstream processes.
Witels-Albert GmbH – Germany
Fax: +49 30 723 988 88
Email:
Website:
Dies and die
maintenance
Balloffet is a French manufacturer
with subsidiaries in the UK, USA and
Germany and a worldwide network
of agents. The Balloffet product
range includes:
natural diamond dies from 6µ to •
3mm
synthetic mono-crystalline dies •
from 6µ to 1mm
poly-crystalline (PCD) dies from •
50µ to 30mm
compacting, stranding and
•
special-shaped dies
enamelling guides •
extrusion tooling (guides and •
dies)
special tooling with diamond •
inserts
re-polishing machines and •
equipment
Balloffet helps ensure the surface
condition, diameter accuracy and
technical characteristics of wires
and cables. The scope of service
includes die re-polishing, training
of operators and technicians (either
at the customer’s own plant or at
the Balloffet showroom and training
centre) and control and technical
reporting of customers’ dies.
Balloffet – France
Fax: +33 474 357901
Email:
Website:
RS series precision straighteners ❍ ❍
Dry process wire drawing with Team Meccanica ❍ ❍