WCA September 2014

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2014
Technologynews
BECAUSE of increasing electricity
demand in many countries, overhead
transmission lines are reaching
transmission capacity limit and
capacity problems of electricity
networks are growing.
These difficulties can be resolved by
upgrading the lines with High
Temperature Low Sag (HTLS)
conductors which provide many
opportunities for the design of
conductors and transmission lines with
optimum properties.
ACSS/TW conductors drawing: The
ACSS/TW HTLS conductors consist of
trapezoidal-shaped fully annealed
aluminium wires (TW), which are
concentrically stranded and
compacted around a steel support
core. These conductors have almost
double the current carrying capacity
compared to conventional
ACSR-conductors with a similar tensile
strength and can operate continuously
at temperatures of up to 250°C.
Maschinenfabrik Niehoff has
developed the equipment for the
production of the trapezoidal-shaped
aluminium wires. An ideal
manufacturing line is the electronically
controlled MSM 85 type rod
breakdown machine combined with an
RA 501 continuous resistance annealer
specially designed for the inline
annealing of aluminium and aluminium
alloys wires.
The MSM rod breakdown technology:
Niehoff’s MSM rod breakdown
technology has been successfully
operating in the international wire
industry since its market introduction in
1998.
The electronically controlled MSM
machines, which have seen continuous
development since their initial launch,
are equipped with the latest controls
and drive technology offering users a
vast range of benefits in terms of
process technology.
The controls allow wire drawing with
minimal slip, resulting in high quality
wire surfaces and a long operational
life of the drawing tools.
It is also possible to work with different
wire elongations for each draft
according to the wires’ material,
properties and shapes. Homogeneous
wire annealing is guaranteed from zero
to full speed operation. Energy savings
of more than 20 per cent can be
achieved with MSM machines in
comparison with rod breakdown
machines with conventional drives.
Additional features include an
optimised wire path, an enhanced wire
cooling and lubrication system and a
reduced consumption of oil and
drawing lubricant.
The machines were developed to draw
wires made of copper or aluminium,
and their respective alloys, as well as
other special materials like
superconductor wires to a finish
diameter from 1mm to 4.5mm.
Maschinenfabrik Niehoff
GmbH & Co KG – Germany
Website:
How to draw efficiently shaped aluminium wires
for HTLS conductors
❍ Electroncially controlled MSM 85 type rod breakdown machine with integrated RA 501
continuous annealer