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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2007
63
Wire & Cable ASIA – January/February 11
Abstract
The roll form stranding process com-
bines the advantages of two highly
productive processes, namely roll
forming and double-twist stranding.
These two systems are forged
together to create one high-speed
continuous manufacturing cell. This
system not only produces compact
strand at high speeds, but also
allows significant savings to be made
throughout the stranding process,
from wiredrawing all the way through
to the extrusion process.
Introduction
Recent years have presented a great
challenge to the cable industry,
especially through the current world
recession when demand for cable has reduced, in some
cases, by 50 per cent. At the same time raw material prices
and energy costs have continued to rise. This has made the
competition between manufacturers increasingly aggressive
in terms of product range, product quality and costs.
The aim of this paper is to present a cost saving
technological solution for the wire drawing process. This is
the use of the roll form strander, which allows the use of
a single input diameter wire to be utilised throughout the
stranding process giving significant process savings and
advantages, including:
Higher stranding productivity (typically 40 tonne/day
I.
compact Al)
Higher productivity in wire drawing
II.
Lower drawn wire scrap
III.
Lower insulating costs
IV.
Lower capital investment
V.
Improved return on investment
VI.
Quicker set-up
VII.
Reduced work in process
VIII.
Shorter cycle times
IX.
Smaller input wire storage area
X.
75% more energy efficient than a typical rigid strander
XI.
The roll form stranding process combines the advantages
of two highly productive processes: roll forming of shaped
wire and double twist stranding of conductors. These two
systems are forged together to create one high-speed
continuous manufacturing cell.
This system not only produces compact strand at high
speeds, but also allows significant savings to be made
throughout the stranding process, from wire drawing
through to the extrusion process. Round wire is paid off
from stem-type payoff packages allowing up to 1,000kg
(2,000lb) of aluminium or 3,000kg (6,000lb) of copper
conductor material to be staged behind the roll form
strander. The stem package allows continuous operation
and is the preferred solution for this process, maximising
productivity when the single input wire method is an
integral part of the manufacturing process. The round wire
passes into the external roll forming section, an integral
part of the roll form strander.
Reducing cost in
manufacturing compact
conductors using roll
form stranding
By Sean Harrington, sales and marketing manager for Ceeco Bartell Products
Process steps
Double twist
Coil payoff
Roll forming
Round
wire
Roll formed
profiles
Assembly into
compact conductor
Process steps
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