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WIRE JOURNAL

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I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

CONTENTS

Volume 42 | Number 11 | November 2009

F EATURES

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Industry News . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Asian Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Fiber Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Fastener Update . . . . . . . . . 28

Lubricants & Filtration . . . . . . . . . .38 This feature presents a range of technology from lubricant and filtration suppliers as well as some comments on their field and a list of questions a manufacturer might want to pose to a prospective supplier.

WAI News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Chapter Corner . . . . . . . . . . 36 Technical Papers . . . . . . . 52-71 Products/Media . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Career Opportunities . . . . . . 77 Advertisersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Index . . . . . . . . 79

T ECHNICAL P APERS Improved cold-drawn eutectoid steel wires based on residual stress measurement and simulation, Part 2: optimization and mechanical properties Jose Miguel Atienza, Jesus Ruiz-Hervias and Manuel Elices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Estimation of the effect of heat treatment of wire rope with different C and Mn content on values of new quality indicator W Bogdan Golis, Jan W. Pilarczyk, Ryszard Budzik, Marek Gala and Rafal Wludzik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Effect of mechanical properties on diameter of drawn bars Yuichi Tanaka, Motoo Asakawa, Ryosuke Komami and Hiroaki Kubota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Cover: Basic essentials such as lubricants and filtration serve a role that manufacturers should not overlook. See p. 46. Cover designed by Adrienne E. Simpson.

NOVEMBER 2009 | 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE CONTENTS

O CEAN

CABLES AN N EDUC C ATION

. . . .16

The University of Washington became a major customer of cable—some 500 valueadded miles worth—when the U.S.-based university became a lead player in the Regional Scale Nodes project that entails the establishment of an underwater research facility on the seafloor off the Pacific Northwest that will gather real-time scientific data.

N EW E NGLAND GOLF . . . . . . . . .37 WAI Past President Brian Bouvier, Lloyd & Bouvier Inc., and Marty Kenner, Commission Brokers Inc., are all smiles at the New England Chapter’s 15th Annual Golf Tournament. A longtime sponsor of the $10,000 hole-in-one contest, Kenner insists that he was not smiling because the prize once again went unclaimed.

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EDITORIAL WIRE JOURNAL

EDITORIAL

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

São Paulo, Brazil, chosen as the site for Association’s 2010 Technical Conference

Publisher | Steven J. Fetteroll Editor-in-Chief | Mark Marselli Senior Graphic Designer | Bill Branch

Long before Rio de Janiero was selected as the site of the 2016 Olympics, Brazil was getting attention from a variety of interests around the globe. The country is mentioned just behind China and India in terms of economic opportunity, and there are many positive indicators, one of which is that Brazil’s President Lula, now in his second term, has an approval rating greater than 80%. Of course, for those in the wire and cable industry, Brazil is an established marketplace with a compilation of domestic and internationally owned operations, meaning that there is plenty of competition. According to their respective associations, there are 60 electrical wire manufacturers and 80 ferrous companies. In recent meetings I had with representatives from several companies in each sector, the people I spoke to sounded like many of the people I have talked to in North America: they too are concerned about the overall economic picture but they are motivated to integrate continuous improvement initiatives and pursue innovation. Brazil did not escape the effects of the global economic downturn, but overall it has fared better than many countries. Foreign Direct Investment for 2009 is estimated to be US$25 billion, climbing to US$30 billion in 2010, and the Central Bank of Brazil has projected GDP to be positive for 2009. A recent article in Forbes.com cited Brazil for its relatively healthy fundamentals and financial systems and pointed out that Brazil had benefited from being a relatively closed economy and from having diversified export markets and products. With that backdrop, WAI has decided to return to São Paulo in November 2010 to organize what will be its third International Technical Conference (ITC) in Brazil. We rarely work alone on such a project and we are hoping to collaborate with several local key stakeholders, including one or more of the key manufacturers. The formula was successful for WAI in 1996 when we conducted our second ITC in Brazil (first was Rio in 1992) and it has become SOP since. For those interested in participating, either as presenters in the program or via the tabletop component, more details will be announced in subsequent issues of the WJI and on wirenet.org.

Steve Fetteroll WAI Executive Director

WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL (ISSN-0277-4275) published monthly by The Wire Journal, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Wire Association International, Inc., which is located at 1570 Boston Post Road, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA, and can be contacted at tel. 203-453-2777; fax 203-453-8384; Internet wirenet.org; e-mail mmarselli@wirenet.org. Address all correspondence concerning advertising production, editorial and circulation to the above address. WJI is printed in USA. Subscription rates: $110 per year, USA; $120 per year, Canada and Mexico; other countries, $140 per year (includes air mail). Back copies: $10 WAI members, $15 non-members. Periodicals postage paid at Guilford, CT 06437, USA, and at additional offices. Wire Journal International grants photocopy permission to libraries and others registered with Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), 21 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970, USA, for a fee of $0.50 per article. Payments should be sent directly to the CCC. Requests for bulk orders or reprints should be sent to the Wire Journal International, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA. © 2009 by Wire Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. The Publisher of WJI assumes no responsibility for the validity of manufacturers’ claims made herein. Back issues of WJI are on microfilm and available from University Microfilm, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. Phone: 313761-4700. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wire Journal International, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA.

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CALENDAR

CALENDAR Apr. 12-16, 2010: wire Düsseldorf Düsseldorf, Germany. To be held at the Messe fairgrounds. Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, tel. 312-781-5180, info@mdna.com. May 12-13, 2010: Wire Expo 2010 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. To be held at the Midwest Airlines Center, this event includes the WAI’s 80th Annual Convention, trade show and technical program. It will be co-located with The National Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo. Contact: WAI, tel. 203-453-2777, www.wirenet.org. May 12-13, 2010: The National Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. To be held at the Midwest Airlines Center, this event will be co-located with Wire Expo 2010. Contact: Jay Partington, Expo Productions, Inc., tel. 262-367-5500, www.expoproductionsinc.com Sept. 2010: wire China 2010 Shanghai, China. To be held at the Shanghai New

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International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, tel. 312-781-5180, fax 312-781-5188, info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com. Oct. 27-Nov. 3, 2010: K 2010 Düsseldorf, Germany. This event for the plastics and rubber industry will be held at the Düsseldorf Fairgrounds, Halls 1-17. Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, tel. 312-781-5180, fax 312-781-5188, info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com. Nov. 7-10, 2010: 59th IWCS Conference™ Providence, Rhode Island, USA. Contact: Pat Hudak, IWCS, www.iwcs.org, phudak@iwcs.org, tel. 732-389-0990. November 18-20, 2010: Wire & Cable India 2010 Mumbai, India. This event, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry, will be held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Goregaon. Contact: Confederation of Indian Industry, tel. 91-22-24931790, www.cii.in/.

CALENDAR

May 2011: Interwire 2011 Atlanta, Georgia, USA. WAI returns to the Georgia World Congress Center for the trade show and the Association’s 81st Annual Convention. Exact dates to follow. June 19-23, 2011: JI Cable Versailles, France. This multi-organizer international conference on insulated power cables, which has multiple organizers and was last held in 2007, will present a comprehensive forum about power cables as well as exhibits. Contact: J1Cable 11, www.jicable.org. ■

WIRE ASSOCIATION I NT’L E VENTS For more information, contact the WAI, USA. Tel. 001-203453-2777; fax 001-203-453-8384; Internet www.wirenet.org. May 12-13, 2010: Wire Expo 2010 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. To be held at the Midwest Airlines Center, this event includes the WAI’s 80th Annual Convention, trade show and technical program. It will be co-located with The National Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo. Contact: WAI, tel. 203-453-2777, www.wirenet.org. May 2011: Interwire 2011 Atlanta, Georgia, USA. WAI returns to the Georgia World Congress Center for the trade show and the Association’s 81st Annual Convention. Exact dates to follow.

WAI

CONTACT INFO

Steven J. Fetteroll, executive director 203-453-2777 x 115, sfetteroll@wirenet.org David B. LaValley, treasurer 203-453-0593, dlavalley@wirenet.org Mark A. Marselli, editor-in-chief 203-453-2777 x 132, mmarselli@wirenet.org Charles H. (Chip) Marsh, membership director 203-453-1748, cmarsh@wirenet.org Marc Murray, education director 203-453-2777 x 121, mmurray@wirenet.org Janice Swindells, director of marketing services 203-453-2777 x 117, jswindells@wirenet.org

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INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS Delphi exits Chapter 11, plans to close Clinton wire plant by the end of year It took nearly four years, but U.S.-based Delphi Corporation has finally exited Chapter 11, emerging as a new smaller company, DPH Holdings, with operations that have been greatly pared down since the filing. Delphi’s global workforce has shrunk from 180,000 to 124,000, with most of the cuts made in the U.S., where the company will have plants in Warren, Ohio; Vienna, Ohio; Brookhaven, Mississippi; Rootstown, Ohio; and Vandalia, Ohio, along with the headquarters in Troy, Michigan. While much smaller, the new company will still have more than 100,000 employees in 32 countries. Delphi was the victim of multiple factors, but much of its ills could be traced back to high operating costs and a slumping auto market, even though the company had made efforts to reduce those costs and its dependence on the automotive sector. The latest news, reported by the Warren Tribune Chronicle, is that the company plans to cease operations by year’s end at its plant in Clinton, Mississippi, where it produced cable and did plastics modeling for connectors. It will shift work to its plant in Warren, Ohio, which will add some 70 jobs, which could include call backs of laid-off employees. Asked by e-mail about future plans for its remaining sites, the company did not offer any information. The reply noted that “…as a private company, we will no longer provide updates on plant status, plans for real property, employment updates, etc.” A prior press release from the company noted that Rodney O’Neal will remain President and CEO, and that the current leadership will continue to manage the company’s global operations. In it, O’Neal said that Delphi’s balance sheet will be sufficiently capitalized to invest in technology, and to absorb planned restructuring and resultant social costs as the company consolidates excess capacity around the world. “We expect 2010 gross engineering and R&D spending to be about 11% of sales, allowing us to maintain our intense focus on technologies, products and services that help our customers deliver vehicles that are safer, greener and allow purchasers to remain connected to their busy lives.” The acquisition of Delphi was led by Elliott Management and Silver Point Capital in their capacity as senior creditors of Delphi. In a joint statement, representatives said, “As major investors in the new Delphi, we believe this transaction will provide a solid financial foundation for the company’s growth and success as a world leader in the global automotive industry. We are extremely pleased to have played a significant role in the creation of the new Delphi.”

An article at Financial Times.com noted that since October 2005, Delphi has paid more than $400 million to lawyers, financial advisers and consultants for itself as well as six unions representing its US workers. Almost 19,000 documents have been filed with the New York bankruptcy court overseeing the case, it said.

Nexans reports Saudi cable deal Nexans announced that it has won a deal to supply power cable from The Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Company for the construction of the Saudi Kayan industrial complex, located at Jubail Industrial City. The deal, worth about US$3 million, calls for Nexans to provide low-voltage and medium-voltage power cables as well as instrumentation cables through its distributor, Noskab, that will be manufactured at Nexans’ plant in Turkey and should be delivered before year’s end, a press release said.

AMSC to connect 3 U.S. power grids American Superconductor Corporation announced that its technology will be used as part of the first renewable energy market hub in the U.S., a project in which The Tres Amigas LLC will connect all three of America’s power grids to enable the transfer of green power from region to region at an electric transmission superstation near Clovis in eastern New Mexico. AMSC/LS Cable also reported separate news items that are combined on p. 16. A press release said that AMSC will provide transmission planning services and its high temperature superconductor (HTS) technology to the hub, which will be used to provide access to transmission lines to generators of renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, hydro and geothermal, that do not currently have access to transmission lines. The Tres Amigas superstation will be able to serve as a power market hub, enabling both buying and selling of electricity between the three U.S. power grids, it said. A Rueters article said that the station will include three voltage-source AC/DC power converters connected to gigawatt-scale superconductor DC power cables. The structure, it said, will create a triangular electricity pathway similar to highway rotaries used to control traffic flows. The project, an AMSC spokesman said, should take about 10 miles of superconductor cables. The company also reported that it has acquired a minority stake in Tres Amigas for $1.75 million. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said that his state is a leader in green and renewable energy development, “but we need the ability to send energy produced in New Mexico to surrounding states. Tres Amigas will break that barrier, creating a larger market for our energy.”

Does your company have news that belongs here? E-mail it to the WJI at editorial@wirenet.org.

10 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

INDUSTRY NEWS

Core beliefs and new products are the basis for company’s expansion A generally down period for the global wire and cable industry has not quelled the ambitions of Cable Component Group (CCG), which sees great potential for some of its new products that it believes can provide an edge for their customers. “The cards aren’t perfect, but we’re very optimistic about our outlook, and what we can offer to help U.S. cablemakers be more competitive in the global market,” declared Managing Director Charlie Glew, who along with Vice

Standing l-r with framed product patents on the wall behind them, Cable Component Cable Group’s David Braun, Charlie Glew and Ed Fenton, display some of their company’s technology at their new, larger facility in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, USA. President David Braun and Marketing & Business Development Director Ed Fenton recently discussed why the company moved this year to a larger facility (58,000 sq ft) in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, USA, and expanded its workforce, which includes a new national sales manager, Glen Goldreich, four full-time process engineers as well as three Ph.D. level consultants. The trio explained that CCG has evolved from providing custom designed crosswebs and separators to a company that now has a wide spectrum of engineered components for the wire and cable, fiber optic and other new industrial markets. They have high expectations for several new CCG products, including one innovation, FluoroFoam®, that provides a unique cable approach. Used over the years to make its own crosswebs, tapes, and tubes, CCG’s newly developed, chemically foamable perfluoropolymer pellets are now available to cable manufacturers for foamable wire insulation. CCG took a hard look at what was inside a data cable, including the insulation, and saw potential. “We looked at the solid insulation in a cable and asked ourselves, ‘Can we foam that plastic?’ Well, it turns out that we could, and based on more than three years of research and test runs at our facility, we believe that we have something pretty unique,” Glew said. “That’s what FluoroFoam has done.

NOVEMBER 2009 | 11

INDUSTRY NEWS

Every solid fluoropolymer can be chemically foamed as CCG’s extruded profiles have been over the last few years.” Using a dedicated R&D extrusion line, the company found distinct advantages to using its patent-pending fluoropolymer pellets, which are recyclable and RoHS-complaint, Glew said. FluoroFoam can be used to insulate all Cat. 6 grade cables with wall thicknesses as small as 6 mils at processing speeds over 800 fpm. The foamed insulation material provides better electricals, weighs less, is more flexibile and has good crush resistance. With some minor tooling changes, the product, UL-recognized for plenum cable insulation, can be pressure-extruded on existing lines without the expense of gas injection, making it “self-skinning,” all of which results in a process with reduced die corrosion, he said. Braun said that several U.S. cable manufacturers have been testing the technology in recent months, with positive results, and that more such efforts are in the works. “We could have come out with this product a year ago, but we spent the extra time to make sure that it could do exactly what we thought it could.” The process has been bolstered by industry experts who have joined CCG and have offered critical input. Glew estimated that there are some 40 to 50 North American cable producers that could benefit from FluoroFoam. FluoroFoam products are available for PVDF, ECTFE and ETFE, and can be used to insulate or even jacket other electrical cables, but at this point CCG is focusing on its core expertise of LAN cable component design where chemically foamed FEP and MFA is a technical innovation. CCG is not depending solely on FluoroFoam for its growth. Fenton stressed that CCG has other products that are quite appealing, such as its foamed crosswebs and separators; solid, foamed and co-extruded tubes; slit-fibrillated tapes; foamable fibrillated fillers; high flame-retardant FluroSpun™ yarns and fibers for use as ripcords or fireretardant bedding materials in premise optical fiber cables requiring a plenum rating; new technology for multiple slitting of films; Cat. 6 grade cable designs that do not have traditional separators; and aramid blended with FluoroSpun yarns that offer greater fire retardancy. Braun said that CCG has the resources to customize solutions, noting a company motto: “If you can draw it, we’ll make it.” CCG also represents and is a stocking representative of a line of tin-plated copper wire conductors from Israeli-based Assaf Conductor Ltd. “Our picture is good for wire and cable, but we are drifting into other areas,” said Glew, who explained that CCG’s nonwoven technology can apply to applications in other sectors, from battery separators, hose reinforcements and filtration products to gaskets and protective materials that could be used by police and fire departments. He added that CCG is in an acquisition mode, but strictly for complementary component businesses. “The ideal situation over the next few years is to broaden CCG component offerings in a tandem fashion with systemic internal growth plus external growth from a synergistic acquisition,” Glew said.

12 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

U.S. university becomes a cable customer for major ocean initiative If one ever wondered whether federal stimulus funds would trickle down to the wire and cable industry, one needs to look no further than the University of Washington (UW), which with a $126 million research grant plans to install nearly 500 miles (800 km) of fiber-optic and power cable and seven science nodes. The contract is part of the Regional Scale Nodes project, an underwater research facility on the seafloor off the Pacific Northwest that will gather real-time scientific data.

An artist’s depiction of the University of Washington contribution to the Regional Scale Nodes project. Graphic courtesy of Regional Scale Nodes and the Center for Environmental Visualization, U. of Washington.

Per Wikipedia, the fiber-optic cables of the Regional Scale Nodes “will carry unprecedented levels of electrical power and telecommunications bandwidth into the oceans.” The observatory, it said, designed to have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years, is an important element of the National Science Foundation’s Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) in the Northeast Pacific Ocean, which will include the cabled observatory, a high-latitude mooring in the Gulf of Alaska, and moorings for coastal studies off Oregon and Washington. The collective technology will provide realtime data, including high-definition imagery, “from a vast array of sensors that will be available 24/7 over the Internet, forever changing the way scientists, educators, and the public access the oceans.” The project, which represents one of UW’s largest-ever grants, will pay for the laying of cables offshore, with University of Washington Oceanography Professor John Delaney serving as director of the underwater research facility. A primary node on the cabled system, about the size of a Volkswagen, will provide power and communication from the main cable to instruments and sensors measuring such things as earthquakes and changes in water temperature and chemistry. When scientists detect major changes they can

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remotely start video cameras rolling, activate instruments and dispatch autonomous robots to investigate. A UW representative told WJI that the university sought bids for the cables, and that “the leading telecom submarine cable suppliers were invited to participate.” The information gathered from the Pacific Northwest project will be collected along with similar ocean installations in Canada, Chile, Greenland and Argentina. The projects are being funded over five years with some $385 million, that include nearly $106 million in first-year funds from federal stimulus dollars. Of that, UW will receive approximately $35 million to begin installing nearly 500 miles (800 km) of fiber-optic and power cable and seven science nodes on the seafloor off the Pacific Northwest. By autumn 2010, some 30 UW staff will be working on the Regional Scale Nodes. Per UW/Wikipedia reports, “The UW-operated Regional Scale Nodes cable network will provide unprecedented levels of electrical power and communications bandwidth (tens of gigabits per second) to instruments on the seafloor and in the waters of the Northeast Pacific Ocean. (It) will address the societal benefits of understanding big earthquakes and volcanic activity associated with the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate, one of the Earth’s dozen or so major tectonic plates.” The UW portion of the project will use submarine electrooptical cables for power and real-time, two-way communication with many hundreds of sensors offshore. Science nodes

installed on the cable become, in essence, electrical outlets and Internet connections in the oceans for many scientists to plug into for pursuit of their discovery-oriented research or educational activities. Instruments, moorings, and robots plugged into the nodes will draw power, transmit data to shore and receive instructions from operators on land almost instantaneously. For more details about the project, go to UW’s website at www.interactiveoceans.washington.edu/.

Canterbury and GENCA to maintain brands under new organization The operations of Canterbury Engineering Co. Inc. and GENCA Corporation are now part of a holding company called CanGen, but both companies will continue business under their own names, with the goal being to further develop and market the brands. “This is a new company,” said CanGen CEO Randy Johnson, who explained that his vision is to see each brand as highly targeted manufacturers of individualized engineered components. “We’re not just selling parts, we’re selling solutions.” Ken West, Canterbury Engineering and GENCA’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, projects modest growth through 2010. The current economy and changes within

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said represents the first time a South Korean company has exported such cables. LS Cable will supply medium- and low-pressure electric power cables, industrial special cables and communications cables for signal transmission to be used in the railway construction in Saudi Arabia linking Mecca to Jeddah until the end of November, said a report in media.daum.net/Maeil.

Kinrei to represent Candor Sweden AB Kinrei of America announced that it will represent the product lines of Candor Sweden AB in North America, which it notes to date has supplied more than 300 plants and equipment in 25 countries. Kinrei’s technicians will support technology from Candor, which supplies equipment and processes for in-line wire and strip surface treatment, including custom manufacturing plants for both wire and strip applications, a press release said. It noted that Candor’s single-wire plating applications include nickel, tin, silver, copper and solder coatings on base metals of copper and multiple copper alloys wires with speeds up to 15 m/s for wire from 0.4-2.5 mm. In addition to its own bunchers and cablers and related equipment, Kinrei of America represents product lines and technology from Donnelly Reels; Kopilowitz Engineering (payoffs and take-ups); PD&T (cold pressure welders and dies); and HofmannCeramics as well as parts, drawings and repairs for New England Butt, Wire Machinery Corporation of America and Edmands rotating equipment. For more details, contact Mitch Jacobsen, Kinrei of America, tel. 973-677-9500, x 145, mjacobsen@kinreiusa.com.

LS Cable wins railway contract from Siemens South Korea’s LS Cable announced that it has won a US$11.8 million contract to supply railway cable to Germany’s Siemens, a deal that it NOVEMBER 2009 | 15

INDUSTRY NEWS

CanGen, has allowed these two industry leading brands to build their long-term strategy of attention to customer satisfaction and engineering solution initiatives, he said. A press release said that, under Johnson’s direction, “Canterbury Engineering and GENCA’s growth in plastics, rubber and medical verticals are already being realized, as key market indicators illustrate.” Lean manufacturing technology, it said, is also being implemented as part of the customer and engineering focus, with lean topologies, applied to manufacturing, order entry, engineering and quality control to improve customer response and performance.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Business Newspaper. The contract is notable, the report said, because it was made possible by the company’s collaboration with SPSX, the U.S. firm that LS Cable took over last year. It added that LS Cable “is projected to expand its collaboration with world-renowned railway system and fleet providers, including France’s Alstom and Canada’s Bombardier.”

AMSC and LS Cable enter alliance, plans include 10 km of HTS wires U.S.-based American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) and South Korea’s LS Cable announced that they formed a “strategic alliance” to advance commercial sales of superconductor cables. Per the release, AMSC and LS Cable will seek to deploy at least 10 km of superconductor power cables in commercial power grids over the next five years. LS Cable’s superconductor cable systems, it said, will use AMSC’s proprietary second generation (2G) high temperature superconductor (HTS) wire, branded as 344 superconductors. The two companies have worked together before, but this deal marks a furthering of the relationship that AMSC hopes will bolster efforts to sell its HTS wire on a commercial basis. “LS Cable is committed to advancing the broad adoption of superconductor cable systems to address the power

16 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

AMSC’s headquarters in Westborough, Masachusetts, USA. demands and grid reliability challenges faced by electric utilities today,” said Joon Hyung Cho, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of LS Cable, which is Korea’s largest power cable manufacturer. “With several superconductor demonstrations already complete, Korea’s power grid is set to undergo continued upgrades in the years to come. We formed this strategic alliance with AMSC to advance the commercial production of superconductor cable systems to support Korea’s grid of the future.” AMSC first established its relationship with LS Cable in

Gauder Group reports the opening of a new service center in Bahrain Belgium’s Gauder Group announce the opening of its new service center in Bahrain to represent the company’s lines of rotating equipment from its Pourtier and Setic operations. (continued on p. 20)

NIMSCO to represent SB2C in N. America U.S.-based NIMSCO LLC announced that it will represent SB2C, an Italian company that supplies wire forming machinery. A press release said that SB2C “is uniquely suited with its highly experienced staff to offer solutions to the wire forming industry.” It noted that the company was founded in 2006 by three persons who worked for a French business that was a leader in that segment. All of the machinery offered from SB2C is designed, developed, assembled and tested in its factory in the French Ardennes, which it said is located near many airports and motorways. SB2C offers design software and works with leading technical partners and suppliers from all over the world, supported by a knowledgeable sales department, customer service and now a U.S. representative that will sell and service North American customers. For more details, go to www. sb2c-fr.com or www.nimsco.com.

NOVEMBER 2009 | 17

INDUSTRY NEWS

2005 when the company purchased AMSC’s first generation (1G) HTS wire for use in a 30-meter, 22.9 kV superconductor cable demonstration. LS Cable and KERI successfully tested the cable system in 2006. In 2008, the companies completed testing of a 100-meter, 22.9 kV superconductor cable system also powered by AMSC’s HTS wire. “This strategic agreement sends a powerful message about LS Cable’s near-term plans for building the superconductor power cable market,” said AMSC’s Dan McGahn, noting that there are “tremendous opportunities inside and outside Korea for commercial deployments of transmission and distribution superconductor cable systems.” AMSC also announced that LS Cable is currently working with the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) to develop a 100meter, 154 kilovolt (kV) superconductor cable system that it plans to install in Gochang, South Korea’s power grid in 2011. The system, which will use approximately 13 km of AMSC’s 344 superconductors, will be Korea’s first superconductor power cable demonstration at transmission voltages (greater than 69 kV), it said.

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Nobody knows your product better than you and your customers do. But that’s about to change. Because the 2010 Wire Expo expands your territory by colocating with The National Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. For the first time the shows will run side by side giving exhibitors and visitors the benefit of crossover participation. The schedule is compact. Just two days. And the audience is specific so you’ll spend less time qualifying leads and more time engaging valuable prospects. Considering the cost of international travel to some of the larger scale shows, the new Wire Expo format offers a friendly, affordable, and efficient option for exhibitors who want both a panoramic view of the wire making and wire processing industries and direct access to these viable manufacturing sectors. Zone in on Milwaukee. Home in on prospects. And begin building new business relationships in an established show setting. Wire Expo 2010. Low cost. Expanded value. A wise marketing decision.

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Wire Expo 2010

EXHIBITING COMPANIES as of October 2009

Leoni Wire Inc.

Roteq Machinery Inc.

Lesmo Machinery America Inc.

SAMP USA Inc.

Lloyd & Bouvier Inc.

SB2C/NIMSCO LLC

MacDermid Inc.

SIKORA International Corp.

George Evans Corp.

Madem Reels USA Inc.

SIMPACKS

Fabritex Inc.

Magnetic Technologies Ltd.

Sivaco

Filtertech Inc.

The MGS Group (MGS-HallNorthampton)

Sonoco Products Inc.

ACIMAF/Italian Trade Commission

Engineered Machinery Group Inc.

Amacoil Inc.

Esteves Group

Amaral Associates

Eurowire Magazine/Wire & Cable Asia Magazine

Anbao Wire & Mesh Co. Ltd. Axis Computer Aztech Lubricants LLC B & H Tool Co. Inc. Balloffett Die Corp. Bartell Machinery Systems LLC Bekaert Corp. Beta LaserMike Bongard Machines USA LLC Butt Welders USA Inc. Caballe SA Canterbury Engineering Co. Inc.

FMS USA Inc. Foerster Instruments Inc. Fort Wayne Wire Die Inc. Frontier Composites & Castings Inc. Gauder Group Inc. Gem Gravure Co. Inc. GENCA Corp. W. Gillies Technologies LLC

Micro Products Co. Morgan-Koch Corp.

Northwire Inc.

Tubular Products Co.

NUMAMERICA/NUMALLIANCE

Tulsa Power Inc.

Ohio Rod Products

Vandor Corp.

Oklahoma Steel & Wire

Vollmer America Inc.

Paramount Die Co. Inc.

Wafios Machinery Corp./ Witels Albert USA Ltd.

Heany Industries Inc.

Phifer Inc.

Heatbath Corp.

Pittsfield Plastics Eng. Inc.

Henkel Corp.

PolyOne Corp.

Houghton International Inc.

Properzi International Inc.

Huestis Industrial

Queins & Co. GmbH

IDEAL Welding Systems LP

Radyne Corp.

Krueger Steel & Wire

Rainbow Rubber & Plastics Inc.

Die Quip Corp.

Lamnea Bruk USA

Refractron Technologies Corp.

Engineered Control Systems Inc.

LaserLinc Inc.

Rockford Manufacturing Group

Leggett & Platt Wire Group

Rosendahl Nextrom Technologies

Clinton Instrument Co. Commission Brokers Inc. Condat Corp. Conneaut Industries Inc. Cortinovis Machinery America Inc./Eurolls Group

Taubensee Steel and Wire Co. Traxit North America LLC

Parkway-Kew Corp.

Central Wire Industries Ltd.

Talladega Machinery & Supply

Niehoff Endex North America Inc.

Guill Tool & Engineering Co. Inc.

Carris Reels Inc.

T & T Marketing Inc.

Weber & Scher Mfg. Co. Inc. Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp. Wire Association International Wire Journal International Wire Lab Co. Woodburn Diamond Die Inc. Worth Steel and Machinery Inc. Zumbach Electronics Corp.

INDUSTRY NEWS

The service center, a press release said, will provide support to numerous customers in the Middle East, which it noted has seen strong, sustained development for its cable industry in this area. The office, it said, will help ensure efficient commissioning and after sales service through their new local presence. It added that the Gauder Group also plans to use the site to stock spare parts for the main machine components for even faster service to customers in the region. The release said that Bahrain was chosen due to its central location in the area, being a short distance from main hubs such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and the entire Arabic peninsula.

Carlisle Companies expands cable interests with acquisition of ECS U.S.-based Carlisle Companies Incorporated (CSL) reports that it has acquired Electronic Cable Specialists, Inc. (ECS), a designer and manufacturer of electrical and structural products and services for the aviation, medical and industrial markets. ECS’s core products, a press release said, include highly engineered wire and cable assemblies, control panels and instrumentation to support avionics systems for general aviation, air transport and military aircraft. Based in Franklin, Wisconsin, it will be part of Carlisle Interconnect Technologies, which was created from Tensolite Company and other acquisitions, with products that include the design and manufacture of high performance wire, cable, fiber optic cable and assemblies for the aerospace and defense industries. “ECS complements our specialty wire and cable operations and broadens our product and engineering capabilities for our commercial and defense airframe customers,” said Carlisle CEO David A. Roberts.

Severstal-metiz notes 2 service centers officially opened in Russia and Turkey Russia’s Severstal-metiz reports at its website that it has opened two service and distribution centers, Teci Rus and Teci Istanbul, to handle the group’s wire rope business in Russia and Turkey. The company’s announcement noted that the steel wire and wire products Group, which has production facilities in Russia, Ukraine, U.K. and Italy, holds a market share of 25%, in the Ukraine 18%, in the U.K. 23% and 30% in Italy (wire rope market). The release observed that that the Severstal-metiz Group and its Italian subsidiary company, Redaelli Tecna, have made the development of a network of service centers their initial joint project. The two new retail outlets, it said, will serve wire rope and provide service to customers in the two key markets. The service centers are an extension of the Teci service and distribution chain, a specialized Redaelli division providing products and service for more than a century, it said. 20 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Alps Wire Rope expands its distribution locations U.S.-based Alps Wire Rope Corporation (AWRC) reports that it has added distribution locations with the addition of Denver Wire Rope in Colorado and additional locations in the central states. A press release said that with the expansion, AWRC will be able to meet customer demands and supply better service to specific markets. Denver, it noted, will service the elevator, specialty crane, and oilfield markets for Alps in the Rocky Mountain region. The company notes that its other locations include Delta Wire Rope in Louisiana, Thomas Wire in Oklahoma, Atco Wire Rope in Connecticut and other strategically placed U.S. locations offering support to its locations in Chicago, Florida, Ohio and California.

Windak reports sale of new-generation coiler Swedenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Windak AB announced that it has developed a new generation of automatic coilers, the FC5, with the first model sold to Kajote Oy, a wire and cable manufacturer in Finland. Urban Bollo, managing director of Windak Sweden, said that the FC5 automatic flex coiler is the first model of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new generation of Affordable Automation Packaging Solutions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We understand that the market today demands cost effective solutions that have a short pay-back time with maximum flexibility and output,â&#x20AC;? he said, describing the FC5 as being compact in design and able to accommodate a wide range of cable diameters and coil sizes. It

features fully automatic coiling with or without a strapper or binder. Without a strapper or binder the coil is stretch wrapped before it exits the coiling head. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the most flexible and affordable coiler on the market today,â&#x20AC;? he declared. â&#x2013;

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NOVEMBER 2009 | 21

INDUSTRY NEWS

In other news, Severstal-metiz reported that a multi-strand, non-rotating steel wire rope has been tested and proved to be successful at its Yurga plant in the Kemerov region of Russia. The new wire rope, the announcement said, is uniquely suited for use in hoisting equipment. It has 24 steel strands, twisted in opposite directions, that provide the rope with high durability, perfect endurance and virtually eliminate the rotation of rope on its axis during use, it said. The innovative product, the release said, will be included in the rope set on all mobile cranes to be produced by Yurmach.

ASIAN FOCUS

ASIAN FOCUS Indonesia: the country needs more manufacturing safeguards, power Two recent stories in the Jakarta Post highlight the country’s perspective that it needs to support its domestic industry as well as provide more electricity. The Indonesian Trade Security Committee (KPPI) has agreed to a second request from the Indonesia Iron and Steel Industry Association (IISIA) to impose temporary tariffs on Chinese wire imports, the newspaper reports, citing comments from Ario N. Setiantoro, the head of IISIA’s nail and wire cluster, who said that the petition was filed on behalf of at least 10 domestic wire producers. In the story, he said that organization’s previous petition would only have helped three or four factories, and that their supporting evidence was not sufficient at that time. The KPPI investigation into the impact of the spike in

Indonesia’s KPPI has taken protective steps to support its nail and wire industry. imports found that an increase of imports of nails and wire from the two countries had impacted local manufacturers, and it recommended the Finance Ministry to impose the additional fee, the story said. The Jakarta Post reported that Indonesian domestic wire producers have seen their utilized capacity drop from 80% to only 40% because of a jump in imports of much cheaper Chinese wire in the past four years The government, the article said, agreed to impose a WTO safeguard measure, which call for an additional fee worth 145% of the import value of goods in the first year, 115% in the second year and 85% in the final year that ends in September 2012. The fee, it said, is charged on top of the 12.5 percent import duty on both products. The IISIA hailed the government’s decision. “We are very relieved, Alhamdulillah [praise God]. After 200 days...we have finally got the safeguard measure,” Setiantoro was cited as saying in the report. He noted that the spike in imports from China was first felt in 2005, and domestic players

began to see their sales rapidly decline as Chinese exports rose from from 40,000 metric tons in 2007 to 120,000 metric tons in 2008. At least 10 nail and wire producers closed in 2008, with thousands of jobs lost, he said, as Indonesia’s production capacity fell from 80% in 2006 to 30% at the end of 2007, he said. “(The closed companies) may not be able to resume operations (but) the remaining producers can now boost production again, increasing national utilized capacity. Hopefully, there will be no more dismissals and factories shutting down,” Setiantoro said in the Jakarta Post story. In a separate story in the Jakarta Post, Indonesia’s state power company, PT PLN, plans to invest US$2.2 billion for a 700-kilometer power grid linking Sumatra to Java in a project that calls for some 40 km of underwater power cables passing through the Sunda Strait, said PLN Planning and Technology Director Bambang Praptono. In the report, Praptono said that the grid will be used to transmit power from Sumatra to Java so it would not be necessary to build big power plants there, he said. The cables, he noted, will transmit power produced by six coal-fired plants in South Sumatra to PLN’s distribution channels in West Java. The six power plants would produce a total 3,600 megawatts (MW) of power, of which up to 3,000 MW will be transmitted to Java through the grid, the remainder to go to PLN’s Sumatra system, he added. PLN plans to bid the project out in 2010, with work being done in 2016, said the article, which notes that while PLN has a monopoly on electricity distribution in the country, private companies can now enter the distribution business. Power management, it said, has hampered Indonesia’s economic growth, with frequent blackouts common across the country. Nationally, only 65% of the country’s territory is connected to PLN’s grid, most of which is located in the country’s more developed western islands. By contrast, only 45% of eastern Indonesia is connected to the grid, it said. PLN, which plans to build large power plants in the main island of Java and elsewhere, is currently rolling out two massive power generation programs that each will add 10,000 MW to the grid, the story said. A total of 35 power plants are expected to be built, 10 of them in Java with 4,337 MW of output, while the rest, located outside the main Java—Bali system, will generate 5,626 MW, it said. Under the second program, 83 power plants will be tendered out, including 65 outside Java, it said. The first 10,000-MW program relies entirely on coal-fired plants while the second 10,000-MW program will generate 12% of its power from hydroelectric plants, 48% from geothermal plants and 14% from natural gas plants, the remainder from coal plants, the article said. It added that PLN plans to sell 144.52 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity this year, up from 127.42 TWh in 2008.

Have news that belongs here? If so, e-mail it to editorial@wirenet.org.

22 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Chinese company expands cable capacity Reuters reports that Lihua International, Inc., a Chinese manufacturer of copper-clad aluminum wire (CCA) and recycled scrap copper wire that is sold in China either directly to manufacturers or through distributors, has expanded the capacity of its plant in Danyang. The story said that four new proprietary high-speed manufacturing lines have increased Lihua’s copper wire capacity from 1,000 mt to 1,500 mt per month and CCA wire capacity from 500 mt to 600 mt per month. It said that Lihua began using refined or recycled copper to manufacture and sell low-oxygen content copper cable and copper magnet wire at the end of the first quarter of 2009. Its copper recycling facility runs two horizontal smelters with production capacity of 25,000 mt a year, it said. “As CCA and recycled copper magnet wire are increasingly accepted as alternatives to pure copper wire magnet wire, we are leveraging our fine wire expertise to develop new products and processes while aggressively growing our production capacity to meet surging domestic demand,” said company Chairman and CEO Jianhua Zhu.

E-mail: fukaseco@ja2.so-net.ne.jp http://www.fukase.co.jp

AMSC continues expansion in South Korea American Superconductor Corp., which recently announced the opening of a subsidiary in India, announced that it has now opened one in South Korea. A press release said that AMSC Korea, based in Busan, South Korea, will house engineering, sales, business development and field-service operations for AMSC, a U.S.-based supplier of superconductor and renewable-energy component maker. It said that AMSC officials described the South Korean office as representing “an important step in serving a nation which plans to invest $85.8 billion in new and renewable energy projects by 2030.” “Korea has long been a key area for AMSC given its focus on energy technology innovation and manufacturing excellence,” AMSC Vice President and General Manager Dan McGahn said in a statement. “The country is investing billions of dollars to bolster its power grid and become a leading exporter of clean energy technologies such as wind turbines. With the formation of AMSC Korea, we can accelerate the adoption of our power electronics and superconductor solutions in the region.” AMSC also announced that it has formed a strategic alliance with South Korea’s LS Cable to advance commercial sales of superconductor cables. See p. 16. ■

Sk Bldg #1 2- 6 -1 Hamada Mihama -Ku Chiba Bhiba-Ken 261-0025, Japan FAX 81-43-276-0463 TEL 81-43-276-0630

NOVEMBER 2009 | 23

ASIAN FOCUS

ASIAN NEWS BRIEFS

PEOPLE

PEOPLE U.S.-based Allied Wire & Cable has named Debbie DeBowes as an outside sales representative. Based in Pennsylvania, she will cover that state as well as Maryland, New Jersey, West Virginia, Ohio, and Delaware. She has 23 years of experience in the electronics industry, most recently as a regional distribution sales manager for Amphenol. She previously worked in sales and management positions

at Allied Electronics and PEI Genesis, with her experience including wire and cable and accessories. Based in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, Allied Wire & Cable is one of the largest U.S. privately owned value-added manufacturers and distributors of electrical wire and cable products.

Debbie DeBowes

Elgin Fastener Group (EFG) has promoted Phil King to the position of Vice President/Manufacturing. He most recently served as plant manager of Ohio Rod Products, a division of EFG, a position he has held since 2004. He had joined the company as a sales correspondent in 1986

OBITUARY Vincent A. Rego, the co-founder and chairman of Encore Wire Corp. in McKinney, Texas, USA, who attained industry icon status for starting the company in 1989—at an age (65) when others might have gladly settled for a comfortable retirement—and growing it into a major enterprise, died October 8, at age 85. A resident of Richardson, Texas, Rego had been active at the company until he suffered a stroke in 2005, and continued to serve as chairman emeritus. Rego’s legacy and contributions over the years were lauded by Encore Wire President and CEO Daniel L. Jones. “(He) was a giant in this industry and touched the lives of countless people over the years. To those of us at Encore Wire, he was also a dear friend and mentor.” He described Rego’s strategic vision and pressing for innovation contributions, both at Encore Wire and the previous wire and cable companies he founded and managed since the 1960s, as being “too numerous to recount.” Born and raised in Bristol, Rhode Island, Rego was a Vincent A. Rego paratrooper at The Battle of the Bulge during World War II. He earned a B.S. degree in chemistry from Providence College. He became a lab technician at Narragansett Wire, where he learned the wire business. In 1953, he moved to the Narragansett plant in Plano, Texas, where over the next 35 years he and his partners bought and sold that company, then called Capital Wire & Cable, several times. In 1988, it was sold to General Cable. A year later, Rego, age 65, founded Encore Wire at a 68,000-sq-ft abandoned mobile-home plant in McKinney, Texas. The company name came from his wife, Dorothy, who told him that since he was starting over, why not call it “Encore.” Its first full year in business, Encore Wire sold $11

24 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

million of building wire. The company saw revenues grow to $123 million in 1994 and to $603 million in 2004. The company, which has won numerous business awards, expanded eight times under the guidance of Rego, whose own accolades include being named the 1990 and 1992 Entrepreneur of the Year by Inc. Magazine and a 1990 Charles D. Scott Distinguished Career Award winner. A WAI Life Member, he was best known, however, for his work ethic and dedication to his employees. Rego won the WAI’s Mordica Award for his contributions to the wire and cable industry in 2006. In a preview of the award presentation, Encore Wire CFO Frank Bilban said that it was Rego’s fostering a culture of doing whatever it took to serve the customer that made Encore stand out in a commodity field. “Vince used to say that anyone can buy the equipment, but it’s the people who make the wire.” Rego constantly encouraged employees to try new ideas, he said. Rego did not have managers spend long hours doing formal budgets, instead meeting monthly to review actual spending and hear about their plans and what was needed, he said. He would make sure money was available to improve efficiency. “Rego created a unique working atmosphere that would be hard for people outside here to understand,” he said. Due to poor health, Rego was not able to attend the award ceremony at Wire Expo 2006, and the award was accepted by company staffers Gary Spence, David Smith, Melvin DeBord and Scott Warren. One month later, a special ceremony was held at Encore Wire, where Rego was honored for his achievements by both customers and competitors. At that occasion, WAI representatives presented him the Mordica Award. After the ceremony, Rego said that, looking back, he was most proud of the friends he had made worldwide and the respect that he had earned in the industry. He is survived by two sons:, Paul Rego and Daniel Rego; a brother, Ralph Rego; several nieces and nephews; and a granddaughter. He was predeceased by his wife of 54 years, Dorothy, and a sister.

and the African continent. An electrical engineer, he has helped commission equipment/plants, worked with sales and facilitated cooperation between the headquarters and its Southeast Asia operations. Based in Germany, Niehoff GmbH supplies capital equipment to the global wire and cable industry.

Phil King

Niehoff GmbH has transferred Thomas Konrad from the company’s headquarters to Niehoff-Herbon Maquinas (NHM), its subsidiary in Brazil. He will be in charge of sales of NHM-built machines in Brazil and neighboring countries, as well as sales of German-built Niehoff machines in South America. He joined the company in 1983 and has served in a range of positions, both technical and sales. He is fluent in Portuguese and holds a degree in mechanical engineering. It also reported that Thomas Bauer, who joined Niehoff in 1989, will now oversee providing support to customers in Portugal, Spain, Israel

Olindo Savi has joined Hitachi Cable Manchester (HCM) as a signal integrity engineer. Formerly of Siemon, he will represent HCM on technical advisory boards, industry trade associations and standardsmaking bodies as the lead engineer for transmission performance of existing and future HCM products. He will also be the primary liaison Olindo Savi with customers relating to transmission performance and specification development. Located in Manchester, New Hampshire, HCM is a U.S. operation of Japan’s Hitachi Cable, which supplies copper and fiber optic cables for the communication industry. ■

NOVEMBER 2009 | 25

PEOPLE

and was promoted to stocking supervisor in 1994. In 2001, he transferred to the production side. He has been active in the Lean Program implementation at Ohio Rod and will work with EFG team members at Chandler Products and Leland Powell Fasteners to incorporate Lean principles there. Based in Versailles, Indiana, USA, the Elgin Fastener Group is composed of four domestic industrial fastener manufacturers.

FIBERWATCH

FIBER WATCH DPG military contracts reflect potential for fiber to replace copper for aviation U.S.-based Defense Photonics Group, Inc. (DPG) has delivered fiber optic systems on two contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense that are notable for their long-term potential. The first contract, with the U.S. Army, is a Technical Risk Reduction Program evaluating DPG’s advanced Optical Harness™ technology for potential applications across their rotary wing aircraft fleet, a press release said. The technology “is a direct replacement for the wiring harnesses used on today’s aircraft, and does not require replacing the aircraft’s existing systems,” DPG CEO John Husaim said. “By using fiber optic technology, DPG can reduce copper wire harness weight by more than Fiber optic technology may displace more 50 percent.” wiring harnesses for both military and The technolo- commercial aviation. gy, he said, uses multiple signals and formats on a single optical fiber using a single laser diode. One of the advantages of the fiber optic systems, Husaim said in the release, is that it provides immunity to electromagnetic and radio interference, making aircraft less susceptible to potentially catastrophic lightning strikes or dangerous electromagnetic pulses (EMP). The second contract, which has been filled, was to deliver initial prototypes to the U.S. Air Force, the release said. The prototypes consist of fiber optic RF links, which are components of DPG’s Optical Transport System that are to be used by the U.S. Air Force for applications in a critical Electronic Warfare simulator, it said. DPG Chief Technology Officer Jason Stark said the fiber optic technology offers compelling advantages. “The large amounts of copper wires bundled in aircraft can make them susceptible to severe disruptions like EMP and lightning. The resulting electric and magnetic fields may couple into electronic systems to produce damaging current and voltage surges that render entire critical systems useless in the event of an emergency. DPG’s fiber optic systems remove this source of vulnerability.” At its website, the company highlights, as follows, just how extensive the use of electronic technology is an how important it is to control it. Computer-based systems are used for: command and control of the platform; display sys-

26 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

tems for the pilot; display systems for the pilot’s helmet; systems for managing weapons; electronic warfare and defense; radar systems; long range observation systems; laser systems; operation systems for “smart weapons”; navigation systems; and a range of audio, video and data communication between platforms and communication with command and control centers. Tens of kilometers of copper cables are scattered all over the aircraft for communication and interconnecting black boxes on airplanes, between power systems and sensors, it states at the website. Further, the number of black boxes on fighter airplanes and helicopters, for example, in the sixties was 3-10 (depending on the aircraft). Today the number of black boxes on fighter airplanes is about 25 and on helicopters about 30. Currently, the volume these cables occupy is 25-30% of the available volume dedicated for avionics. The average weight of the wiring harnesses on an airplane is about 60-80 kg (150-200 kg in helicopters) and constitutes 25-30% of the total weight of the avionics systems in the airplanes. The average price of the wiring harnesses on a single aircraft is between $100,000 and $300,000. Beyond the military applications, Husaim notes that he believes his company’s technology “holds great potential for commercial aviation as the industry strives to improve aircraft performance and safety.”

Kao a winner of 2009 Nobel Prize in physics for his early work in fiber optics Charles K. Kao, a pioneer in improving fiber optic cable technology, was one of three winners to share the 2009 Nobel Prize in physics. Per Wikipedia, in 1965, Kao found that the fundamental limitation for glass light attenuation is below 20 dB/km, but at the time optical fiber commonly exhibited light loss as high as 1,000 dB/km and even more. The Shanghai native led a team that precisely measured the attenuation of light with different wavelengths in glasses and other materials. He identified the impurity of glass material as the main cause for the decay of light transmission inside glass fiber, rather than fundamental physical effects, such as scattering, as commonly believed at the time. He said the high purity of fused silica (SiO2) would made it an ideal candidate for optical communication. When Kao began working on fiber optics, the most advanced cables could only carry a light signal about 65 feet. By determining how the purity of the glass and the manufacturing methods influenced the transparency of a fiber optic cable, he laid down the principles that would lead to a half-mile-long cable within four years. The other two award winners, Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith, were honored for their work for digital cameras. ■

esteves group

the global die company

FASTENER UPDATE

FASTENER UPDATE Anti-dumping cases filed against fasteners from China and Taiwan Antidumping and countervailing duty petitions have been filed with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission against imports of standard fasteners from China and Taiwan. PR Newswire reports that the petitions, filed on behalf of Nucor Fastener, a division of Nucor Corp., allege that Chinese exports of standard fasteners, such as structural bolts, nuts, and capscrews, have received subsidies from the Chinese government, and that Chinese and Taiwanese producers of fasteners are dumping their products in the U.S. “The Chinese and Taiwanese producers have been dumping their products in the U.S. at unfair prices, and the American producers of standard fasteners have suffered,” said Alan Price of Wiley Rein’s International Trade Practice, counsel to Nucor Fastener. “To keep manufacturing, and manufacturing jobs, in the country, it is essential that the U.S. government vigorously enforce our trade laws, especially during hard economic times like we are experiencing now.”

ducers benefit from subsidies and a favorable currency exchange rate, though the industry believes the exchange rates involve actual manipulation on the part of the Chinese government.”

JohnDow buys fastener company JohnDow Industries has acquired the assets of Dynamic Merchandising Inc. in Madison Heights, Michigan, USA, which now becomes a new division called Dynamic Automotive Fasteners & Supplies. Ohio.com reports that Dynamic’s inventory and equipment will gradually be moved to JohnDow’s 110,000-sq-ft production and distribution facility. JohnDow Vice President Mark Pfleeger said that Dynamic, which employed about half a dozen people, would benefit by its parent company’s processes and procedures. JohnDow, which currently employs 26, will add an undetermined number of workers in the near future. Its former owner, Mike Davidson, will serve as the division’s national sales manager. JohnDow supplies fasteners, hardware and parts, including brake and fuel lines, wheel studs and nuts and electrical components. A company representative said that the purchase helps JohnDow diversify its offerings in the automotive after-market industry. JohnDow already has a small line of nuts, bolts and fasteners, but the acquisition of Dynamic “will turn that into a significant business for us,” Pfleeger said in the report.

Indonesia steel association supports decision for safeguards for 3 years

Anti-dumping petitions filed by Nucor target standard fasteners from China and Taiwan. The petitions allege average dumping margins for Chinese imports of 145% and of 74% for imports from Taiwan. If successful, the petitions could lead to the imposition of special antidumping and countervailing duties on fasteners imported from China and Taiwan. The European Union has already imposed dumping duties on imports of fasteners from China. An article in Bloomberg noted that the timing of the case being filed before October 1 was noteworthy because of the timing and other issues related to troubling relations between the U.S. and China. “Complaints filed after October 1 can only use market data from the third quarter and as the Bloomberg article notes, import prices had increased making the complaints harder to prove. ...The dates have significance because the method of calculating a perceived harm depends very much on the data set included. ...The steel industry relies on anti-dumping laws as one of only a few vehicles from which they can defend their claims that Chinese pro28 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

The Jakarata Post reports that the Indonesia Iron and Steel Industry Association (IISIA) supports a government decision to protect the domestic nail and wire producers for three years from competition from China. The report cited Ario Setiantoro, who heads the IISIA’s nail and wire group, as saying, “We are very relieved, Alhamdulillah. After 200 days we have finally got the safeguard measure.” In the story, Ario said that the spike in imports from China was first felt in 2005 when domestic players began to see their sales decline. The Chinese exports, he said in the article, increased by a threefold increase to 120,000 metric tons in 2008. The article identified producers as saying that the increase in import volume was a result of a free trade agreement signed by China and ASEAN, of which Indonesia is a member, in 2004. The agreement allows a gradual cut on import tariffs on most products including nails and wire. That, the story said, resulted in Indonesia’s production capacity to drop from 80% in 2006 to only 30% at the end of 2007. Ario said that at least 10 nail and wire producers in Indonesia closed in 2008, losing jobs for thousands of workers.” With the government protection, “hopefully, there will be no more dismissals and factories shutting down.” ■

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WAI NEWS

WAI

NEWS

2010 Wire Expo Points Meeting: 143 booths allocated for Milwaukee Approximately half the space for Wire Expo 2010 was taken at WAI’s Points Meeting, which was held Oct. 6 at the Association headquarters in Guilford, Connecticut, USA. At the meeting, exhibitors were able to choose booth locations for Wire Expo 2010, which is to be held May 12-13, 2010, at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. The event, which includes the WAI’s 80th Annual Convention, trade show and technical program, will be co-located with The National Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo. “It got a bit hectic there at times,” observed W. Gillies Technologies’s Mark Spencer, a member of WAI’s Conference Programming Committee, who was there to help out with the process, which included a lot of telephone work with companies calling in. “Considering what’s happened to the industry the last year or so, I think we’re off to a good start,” said WAI Sales Director Bob Xeller. He noted that while the number of booths that were allocated (143) was down from two years ago, what he saw was that there was a base of

W. Gillies Technologies’s Mark Spencer, l, a member of WAI’s Conference Programming Committee, joined WAI Sales Director Bob Xeller and Sales Representative Anna Bzowski during the Points Meeting for Wire Expo 2010 that was held at WAI’s headquarters in Guilford, Connecticut.

WAI Q&A This occasional section will discuss a topic of general interest involving WAI. This one is by WJI Editor Mark Marselli. Q: How can I get information about my company in WJI? Marselli: WJI offers a range of opportunities for companies to present their information to readers. The best place to start is by taking a look at the magazine, as each issue has departments each month where news can be provided. These include People, Products/Media and Industry News. If you look at the items that run in these sections and have news of a similar nature, send it to us at editorial@wirenet.org. While we appreciate advertisers, you do not have to be an advertiser to get your information in. That said, it helps if it is sent in a format that will fit our style. For instance, the items in the Product/Media section typically run 200 to 250 words, so sending in a press release that is 40 words or 1,000 words long (we’ve had both!) does not help. We much prefer submissions that present facts about a given product or process, not general statements such as “the industry’s leading supplier of...,” which we do not run. A good photo (JPG, 150 kB to 1-2 MB) is also a plus in getting your item noticed. “People” items are similar in nature. Where did someone work before and what will they be doing now? Was it a new hire or a promotion? Is this part of a bigger organizational

30 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

change? If so, then that item may also be an Industry News story. Industry News is the most widely read section of WJI, and by looking at it you should be able to figure out whether your particular story should be there as well. What matters is the news value, and even that can change over the years. For instance, WJI used to print news of companies getting ISO 9001 certifi- WJI Editor Mark cation. Today, that designation is so Marselli commonplace that we don’t print those unless there are other factors. If in doubt, e-mail your information and we’ll get back to you. The above approach will also work for the FiberWatch, Fastener Update and Asia Focus sections. Finally, if you ever wondered why your company was not included in a feature story that is part of your scope, it may be as simple as us not having heard from you. There are opportunities, and if you go to wirenet.org, and click on WJI, then the media kit, you can see what topics we will be covering in the coming year. If you think your company has something to offer, let us know, but make sure to do so at least two to three months before the month of the specific issue.

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November 09 International Technical

Conference Proceedings

Activity at the 2009 staging of the National Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo. The 2010 event will be co-located with Wire Expo 2010. As in past WAI co-located shows, attendees will be able to visit both events. The Hyatt and the Hilton will be the two principal hotels for Wire Expo 2010. WAI President Antonio Ayala observed that another plus for exhibitors and attendees is that the Wire Expo schedule will be compressed because of the two day format, “and as a result, time out of the office and associated expenses will be less.” The WAI’s Fundamentals Course will be held Tuesday, May 11, but all other events will be held on either Wednesday, May 12, or Thursday, May 13. The Awards Breakfast and Opening Reception are set for May 12. Most exhibitors will be able to move in on Tuesday, May 11, but those who need more time can begin on Monday, May 10.

2-part WAI webinar covered a wide range of descaling and coating topics The concept of offering back-to-back webinars in a related field took a step foward in September with the presentation of two separate sessions that covered descaling and coating wire before drawing. “I thought they both went pretty well,” said Paul Kulongowski, Henkel Corporation, who presented the two webinars, the first, on Sept. 15, covering stainless steel wire, and the second, on Sept. 22, covering ferrous wire. “We had very good response back from participants, and I think that it would be worthwhile for people involved in steel wiredrawing who couldn’t take part to go on-line and listen in. That’s a great attraction of webinars.” Kulongowski, a Henkel technical service manager, has over 34 years of metal-working industry experience, the last 24 of which have been with Henkel. His career has been evenly split between R&D and technical services. He has experience in developing and commercializing new products. He holds a B.S. degree in combined sciences from the Detroit Institute of Technology. “We had some good questions and discussions, and that’s what we’re looking for,” said WAI Director of Education Marc Murray. The webinars, he said, offered a combination of shop-floor practical information as well as addressing bigger issues, such as environmental aspects, which are increasingly important for just about any company in the wire and cable field. The 38-minute-long stainless webinar, “‘Green’ Descaling and Polymer Coating of Stainless Steel Wire,” discussed nitric-free descaling of stainless steel and onestep polymer lubrication for cold deformation. It included a new, more environmentally friendly way to descale stainless steel, as well as an economically improved lubricant for drawing stainless steel wire. It also covered the history and chemistry and the new nitric-free process of descaling stainless steel, along with the mechanical, chemical, and process advantages of a polymer lubricant for cold deformation of metal. The second webinar, 55-minutes long, “Descaling and Polymer Coating of Ferrous Wire,” addressed descaling ferrous steel and a one-step polymer lubrication for cold deformation. It covered acid pickling of ferrous metal, the removal of scale and protection of the base metal. It explained the correct method for pickling ferrous steel and what makes it correct. It also presented a polymer lubricant for drawing of ferrous wire along with the mechanical, chemical, and process advantages. The webinars can be accessed at WAI’s website by clicking on “Events” then “Webinars.” Access is free for WAI members. Other webinars that can be accessed include: “The State of Manufacturing,” 1 hr., 14 min. “Wiredrawing Lubrication,” 1 hr., 26 min. “Lubricación en el Trefilado de Alambre – Versión en Español,” 28 min.”

NOVEMBER 2009 | 33

WAI NEWS

potential exhibitors that said they did not want to commit at this time. “As we get closer to the event, I expect that we’ll see more of those companies signing up,” Xeller predicted. “One reason I believe that is our co-location, which is going to give more reasons to attendees to want to come to Milwaukee.” The National Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo features new products and services for electronic cable assemblies, cord sets, wiring harnesses and other products within the wire processing industry. Jay Partington, president of Expo Productions, Inc., which puts on NEWPT, said that the 2009 staging of the twoday event on May 21-22 at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, fared surprisingly well considering the harsh time for industry trade shows. “We experienced a small decline in attendance,” Partington said. “Adding up the numbers, it was less than a 20% decrease.” He added that he believes co-locating next year with Wire Expo will bolster both events.

WAI NEWS

“Copper: Managing Price Risk”, 1 hr., 3 min. For more details about accessing or presenting a webinar, contact WAI Director of Education Marc Murray, mmurray@wirenet.org, tel. 203-453-2777, ext. 121.

tions must be sent to the WAI by December 1. For more details, along with rules, regulations and an application form, visit WAI’s website at: http://www.wirenet.org/technical/wirelink.htm. ■

Wanted: wire industry ‘scholar’ Applicants have until Tuesday, December 1, to file an application for the Wire Link Traveling Scholarship, a program that sends a wire professional to Europe where the winner can see how different companies operate as well as attend the wire Düsseldorf show. The WAI is looking for ambitious wire professionals who have been employed for at least three years in the wire and cable (or related) industries, including manufacturers and suppliers. The program alternates between a U.S. representative going to the U.K., and a U.K. representative going to the U.S. through the program’s co-sponsors, the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers alias Wire Workers of England and the Wire Foundation. All trip expenses will be met by the sponsors. Candidates must be: involved in the wire and cable or related industries; employed full-time in the U.S. for at least three years with a U.S.-based company; and a Wire Association International member in good standing at the time of application and travel. As noted above, applica-

WAI

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Visit our stand # 300 at IWCS

Distributor and Manufacturers Representative offering: • Cold Pressure Welders and Dies

• Diameter/Measurement Systems

• Braiding Machinery, Parts and Controls

• Contact and Ink Jet Printers

• Extruders, Cross Heads, Tips/Dies, Stranding

• Talc Machines

• Servo Motors/Controls/AC/DC Drives/Motors

• Melt Pumps/Screen Changers

• Pressure/Temperature Transducers/Controls

• Pay-offs/Take-ups/Spoolers

• Wire Guides, Mechanical Traverses

• Material Handling Equipment

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• Equipment Installations

P.O. Box 7816, Cumberland, RI 02864 • Tel: 401-405-0755 • Fax: 401-405-0757 e-mail: insidesales@amaralautomation.com • www.amaralautomation.com 34 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

CHAPTER CORNER

CHAPTER CORNER WAI New England Chapter Golf Tournament: another solid event Moving to a new location, the Mount Pleasant Country Club in Boylston, Massachusetts, did nothing to diminish the popularity of the 15th Annual New England Chapter Golf Tournament, as 153 golfers teed it up for another very successful event on Thursday, September 17, 2009. As tournament chair Mike Mathiasen of Mathiasen Machinery, Inc., said, “We had an opportunity to try a new course this year, and the folks at Mount Pleasant really welcomed the chapter and helped make the day a big success.” The course was in great shape, yet three teams tamed it with tie scores of 61 to pace the field. After matching scorecards to determine first through third, it was announced that the winning foursome was made up of Phil Dupuis and Pat Staffiere of The Kerite Co., Mark Mathiasen of Mathiasen Machinery Inc. and Steve Navarette of Chase Coating and Laminating. The second place team was the threesome of Brian Bouvier of Lloyd & Bouvier Inc., Marty Kenner of Commission Brokers and Michael Weiss of Whitmor/ Wirenetics. Finishing third was the team of Billy Harold

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The winning team (l-r) at the 15th Annual New England Chapter Golf Tournament was Mark Mathiasen of Mathiasen Machinery, Inc.; Pat Staffiere of The Kerite Co.; Steve Navarette of Chase Coating and Laminating; and Phil Dupuis of The Kerite Co. The team, which was one of three that tied at 61, was named the winner following a matching of scorecards.

of CN Wire, Greg Gitto of Color Resources Inc. and Dave Fisher and Jason Thomas of James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp. The fourth through sixth place teams shot respectable scores of 65, 66 and 67. Taking fourth were the defending champions from Davis-Standard, which included Ken Deremiah, Rick Stannard, Mark Daniels and Chris Johnston. The fifth place team included Vincent Griffin and Mike Swift of Premier Wire Die along with Dave Simpson of Sumitomo Electric and Chris Winkel of World Wide Superabrasives. Bringing home the 67 for sixth place was the team of Ralph Marcario and Dave Ely of Chromatics Inc. with Dimitri Maistrellis of Comtran Corp. and Arkema Inc.’s Don Gaynor. A number of skills contests were spread throughout the course to challenge the golfers, including the $10,000 hole in one contest which, unfortunately, no one aced to win the grand prize. That being said, Christine Moody of AlphaGary Corp. and Greg Gitto were the big contest winners on the day. Moody hit the long drive for women on hole #2 as well as sinking the long putt on #15 while Gitto was the men’s long driver on #2 and also won the chipping contest. Hole #10 provided the other long-drive challenge, with Cathy Deloria of Leoni Wire and Mark Daniels winning the women’s and men’s prizes, respectively. The accurate drive contests were on holes #4 and #14, with Don Gaynor and O’Tech’s Jim Grimley getting closest to the line on these two holes. There were three closest-to-the-pin contests, with Tom Rosen of IWG High Performance Conductors stopping five feet away on hole #3, Joe Goncalves of Q-S Technologies stopped four feet, two inches away on hole #13 and Proctor

The skills contest sponsors were Wire & Cable Machinery Corp. for the Putting Contest; NEPTCO for the Chipping Contest; Accurate Drive hole sponsors were Beta LaserMike and Breen Color Concentrates; Long Drive sponsors were Huestis Industrial and Lloyd & Bouvier Inc.; the Long Putt sponsor was Whitmor/Wirenetics; and the three Closestto-the-Pin sponsors were W. Gillies Technologies LLC, Rosendahl & Nextrom Technologies and Zumbach Electronics Corp./Amaral Automation. Delaware Marketing Services was the Driving Range sponsor. Corporate hole sponsors included: Anixter OEM Solutions, Bayshore Vinyl, Cable Components Group, Carris Reels, Chromatics Inc., Davis-Standard, Fluoropolymer Resources Inc., Gem Gravure Co. Inc., Horizon Wire & Cable, Huestis Industrial, IWG High Performance Cables, Leoni Wire Inc., Mantec, Plasticolor, Premier Wire Die, Q-S Technologies, Inc., Quirk Wire Co., Sonoco Crellin, T & T Marketing Inc. and WCMA. The chapter is already looking ahead to next year for its 16th annual tournament. The next event is 16th WAI New England Chapter Annual Dinner Meeting, which will be held at the Mohegan Sun Conference Center on Wednesday, January 27, 2010. â&#x2013;

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NOVEMBER 2009 | 37

CHAPTER CORNER

& Gambleâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Duracellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dennis Biegger won the third contest at five feet, nine inches. Kevin Weaver of Zumbach Electronics Corp holed a 30-foot putt to win the putting contest. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The WAI New England Chapter really appreciates the support and turnout this event gets from the wire and cable industry,â&#x20AC;? said Chapter President Joe Snee of Amaral Automation Associates. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The number of golfers and companies who support the tournament are what make the difference. Of course, the biggest beneficiary of the day is the WAI New England Chapter Scholarship Fund, for which over $2,100 was raised.â&#x20AC;? Many companies provided support for the tournament as sponsors. The various contests and refreshment options carried exclusive sponsorships, with the $10,000 hole-inone sponsored by Commission Brokers/Martin Kenner. The refreshment sponsors included Amacoil/Uhing Traverse Winding Drives for the Snack Shack; Dyneon-a 3M Company, for the Tee-Off breakfast; on-course refreshment stations by Amaral Automation Associates and Carris Reels. The 19th Hole reception sponsors were Amacoil/Uhing Traverse Winding Drives, Electronic Drives and Controls, Mathiasen Machinery Inc., Mossberg Associates Inc. and T & T Marketing Inc.

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his feature presents information provided by producers of lubricants and filtration technolgy as well as comments on their field (borax has become the “enviro-villain”) and questions one might pose to a potential supplier.

Aztech Lubricants Aztech Lubricants is now concentrating on developing a continuous process that will yet see further gains in production efficiency. This will be critical when it comes to our high-carbon, high-speed lubricants, such as EZDraw 595, or to EZDraw 36, a unique product specifically developed for machines with new wire rolling technology. Product consistency is paramount in these applications and a continuous process offers a great improvement over the industry standard batch process. As part of our efforts we are working to further improve the flexibility of our manufacturing processes, but lubricants remain specialty products and ultimately must be focused on specific applications. An example of this is our fence weaving lubricant and our line of galvanizing lubricants, both of which were specifically developed to serve a purpose rather than as a general “off the shelf” application. As such, our EZDraw WV semisynthetic weaving lubricant and our EZDraw JWax Galvanize coatings will both work Product from Aztech Lubricants. better than

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generic solutions. When some suppliers are reducing product lines, Aztech Lubricants is dedicated to efficiently producing specialty products designed for a particular application or machine. We feel this will give a distinctive advantage in the marketplace when we can provide our customers with products optimized for their processes. Michael Colvin, Aztech Lubricants.

Baum’s Castorine Co. Inc. Baum’s Castorine Co. Inc. has added a new product to its line of drawing lubricants: Macson 303AL, which has been developed for drawing light intermediate electrical conductor aluminum and aluminum alloy wire. This is

now offered with Macson 606AL, which is used for rod and heavy intermediate drawing. Both products are used as sold (not emulsifiable). Both oils are formulated using a high-viscosity index paraffinic base oil that is inherently stable to oxidation. They contain synthetic viscosity index improvers with synthetic and non-corrosive lubricity and

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operations. It offers a higher softening temperature range that makes it possible to produce at higher speeds; higher adhesion on the wire surface, resulting in improved lubrication, die life and surface quality; reduced consumption due to the reduction of compacted black soap in the die bock, improving productivity; and reduction of dust for a safer and healthier environment for operators. Nathalie Vidal, Condat SA.

Etna Products, Inc. The Masterdraw® product line from U.S.-based Etna Products Inc. has been designed to meet the increasingly demanding needs of aluminum rod breakdown and wiredrawing products. Bolstered by its joint venture EtnaBechem Unopol product line of copper wiredrawing products, Etna Products offers one of the most comprehensive lines of nonferrous wire drawing lubricants available from one supplier. The proprietary lubrication package incorpo-

What to ask a prospective lubricant supplier Below is a list of suggestions, compiled from a range of sources, that a manufacturer considering a new lubricant or lubricant supplier might want to ask.

Powders • What is lube consumption per ton of drawn wire? • How well does your soap recycle? • Can a lube leave a bright surface on the final wire? • Can a lube leave a good coating on the final wire? • Is the lubricant coating easily removable? • How can the lube residual be removed from wire? • Is the lubricant free of any harmful or toxic substance?

Liquids • Is lube emulsion stable and resistant to acid and polluting agents? • Is the lube easy to use in a whole range of temperatures? • How does emulsion foam formation work? • Is an emulsion biodegradable, and can it assure a low consumption of drawing dies? • How can we take the emulsion under control? • Are your instructions (technical data) complete and exhaustive?

General • How do you recommend the best lubricating solution for a given application? • Can you offer environmentally friendly products and alternatives? • How is your R&D laboratory organized? • How do you ensure that your products comply with the latest regulations? • Does your range cover all required applications: powder, greases and coatings? • Can you supply a consistent product quality worldwide? • Do you offer complementary services, like customized assessment, lube management and technical training? • Do you offer associated materials: storage equipment, application systems, maintenance products? • Can you help us increase productivity by suggesting lubes that can reduce consumption and increase the service life of lubricants and tools? • How can you help dispose waste materials? • Do you inform customers when you change your production process?

What to ask a prospective filtration supplier (and why) • Can you suggest ways to improve our existing system to increase capacity, improve production and reduce waste? Sometimes there are ways to inexpensively improve existing systems, such as by adding a small compartment to a single compartment tank and adding a small recirculation filter feed pump, which can make a big difference in system performance. • Does your company supply filter media? Can you show us how to use less and improve filter media performance? Having a company that not only supplies equipment but offers a wide variety media is a plus because then the filter company can also be the filter media expert, making it more able to offer comprehensive services to a wire producer. • Does your filter company have an extensive technical support team that will travel worldwide to support the system? Equipment supplied today must be supported in the future on a “willing to go anywhere in the world” mode, if need be. • Does your company partner with wiredrawing machine manufacturers and lubricant suppliers? Such relationships are needed to be able to be responsive to producer needs before, during and after filter equipment is sold. • Are you able to provide technical advice if and when we change/expand our production lines? Changes that increase line speeds could require an increase in lubrication/filtraton capacity. • Is the wire industry your company’s main focus? A filter company should demonstrate a strong commitment to the industry by volunteering time, skills and resources to the industry associations.

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Carl Bechem GmbH Germany’s Carl Bechem GmbH, a sixth-generation family business, this year celebrates its 175th anniversary. With more than 400 employees and capabilities/ventures in Europe, North America, Asia and Africa, it is a global player in specialty lubricants, offering new methods and products for aluminum wiredrawing. The company has

Carl Bechem GmbH focuses on lubricants for aluminum wiredrawing. focused on various new special lubricants in the automotive area and new coolant products for metalworking. For aluminum wiredrawing, it offers low-viscous drawing oils of the BERUDRAW AL product family that have special additives and antioxidants. New standards were set in connection with a filter system. The drawing lubricants allow full-stream filtering that retains particles as small as 5 μ. These lubricants excel by their low maintenance and extended lifetime. Another success story are the company’s emulsions of the UNOPOL AL product family for medium and fine drawing, which represent a new and most beneficial way. The UNOPOL emulsions, with their lower viscosity, allow considerably improved filterability and thus almost residue-free drawing processes as well as higher drawing speeds thanks to their better cooling properties. Bechem offers more than 800 products for the application fields metal working, forming technology and special lubricants. Carl Bechem GmbH.

Condat SA During this critical period when companies are looking to reduce their production costs, Condat offers VICAFIL SL 3500 as the solution for most wet process requirements. This versatile lubricant is adaptable for low- and high-carbon steel and all types of plated steel wires and copper alloys, for the largest range of diameters. The watersoluble lubricant has been designed for easy use and maintenance; fast solubility; high resistance towards foaming, bacteria and fungi; and easy concentration measurement by refractometer. This “all in one” approach is a completely new concept, as VICAFIL SL 3500 also protects steel wires Condat’s VICAFIL SL 3500 lubriagainst corrosion. cant (top) and TN 1630, its new Its low operating water soluble sodium soap. concentration offers substantial savings for the customer. The product was developed in partnership with a customer producing staples from electro-galvanized low-carbon steel who was able to achieve the brightest finish aspect at a concentration rate of 1.5%. The product has been a huge success in the global wiredrawing market. A second important product, VICAFIL TN 1630, was developed to help reduce the use of borax, the target of environmental legislation. For certain wiredrawing applications and processes, borax remains an exceptional additive, specifically for formulation of soluble sodium soaps due to: binding qualities, solubility and thermal stability. To meet new regulations/anticipate future application needs, Condat now offers a wider selection of dry drawing lubricants with either very limited or no amounts of borax, the result of years of research and extensive field testing (in partnership with leading wiredrawing companies). The product’s borax content is below the limits set by the European Commission, and provides improved performance for even the most severe high-carbon wiredrawing

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anti-wear agents. They contain oxidation inhibitors [antioxidants] that protect and preserve the additive package and the base oil from oxidation. Paul Berger, Baum’s Castorine Co. Inc.

Filtertech Inc. U.S.-based Filtertech Inc. has recently developed two different unique filter systems for the wire industry as an answer to manufacturers’ requests to improve production and quality. The first system is its patent-pending caster

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rated into the Masterdraw®5100 series of products enables high quality drawing of even the most difficult of aluminum alloys over a wide range of diameters and speeds. The high viscosity index and shear stability properties of the unique synthetic frictional modifier in the Masterdraw 5100 series provide unparalleled lubrication throughout an extensive sump life. The line includes Masterdraw 5129, for rod breakdown and wiredrawing of EC and mechanical alloys, with high and low speed capabilities; Masterdraw 5127, for rod breakdown and wire drawing of EC and mechanical alloys, with a highly refined base oil that has very high viscosity; Masterdraw 5126, for intermediate wiredrawing of EC and mechanical alloys; Masterdraw 5124, for intermediate to fine wiredrawing of EC and mechanical alloys; and Masterdraw 5122, for fine wiredrawing of EC and mechanical alloys; as well as the company’s line of copper drawing products: Unopol G 600U, semi-synthetic rod breakdown and intermediate drawing for increased sump life; Unopol G 560U, semi-synthetic rod breakdown and intermediate drawing; Unopol G 500 series rod breakdown and intermediate drawing lubricants; Unopol F 812U, semi-synthetic intermediate drawing; Unopol S 803U, synthetic intermediate to fine wire drawing; and Unopol SPG 623U, annealing fluid. Etna Products Inc.

Schematic of Filtertech’s caster water filtration system (top) and its RS System for individual drawing machines. water filtration system, which is useful for the continuous casting copper rod with a wheel-type caster, where acetylene soot is applied to the caster wheel and band as a release agent and insulator optimizing heat transfer. The amount of soot that remains in the water is critical to the process; if soot levels become too concentrated, it could cause reduced component life, increased maintenance, lower production and poor quality rod. Filtertech’s side stream system continuously removes the carbon from the water in a controlled manner using dry separation chemistry. The caster water is delivered to the system, with the dry chemistry introduced by the volumetric feeder and mixed. A predetermined retention time plus variable speed mixing allows the flocculent to be fully established.

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Dry soot solids are captured on the media and very clean water is returned to the tank, maintaining precise desired turbidity levels. Encore Wireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gary Spence reported in a technical paper that this system provided multiple process benefits with significant and continuous cost savings, including full amortization of the project in less than 12 months. The system has also had good results in tests on Contirod or twin belt copper rod production installations. The second system, the RS System, provides a unique, high performance and economical alternative coolant system for individual drawing machines. It uses a new RGF filter design with positive side seals in lieu of the cylindrical type units found on typical OEM style filter systems. The RS system features a low profile tank with pump and heat exchanger and RGF gravity filter. The positive side seals keep the solids on the media with no bypass back to the clean coolant. The small system foot print is ideal for saving space on new installations or for integration on existing lines. The compact physical size allows low cost container shipping for emerging markets worldwide. Filtertech focuses on providing high returns on equipment investment for our customers through lower initial costs, years of trouble-free service and continuing savings in longer coolant life, longer tool life, faster line speeds and better quality wire produced. Tom Horn and Joe Scalise, Filtertech Inc.

Germ-Allcard/KP America, Inc. Germ-Allcard, part of the Q8 Oils family of brands and represented in the U.S. by KP America, Inc., provides a full range of wet lubricants for all nonferrous drawing applications, from rod rolling right down to drawing superfine wire. It provides wet lubricants for drawing applications from rod rolling to drawing superfine wire. It

In the U.S., KP America, Inc. represents Germ-Allcard and the Q8 Oils family of brands. has introduced new technology to create a versatile, costeffective, long-lasting wire drawing fluid called Priamus V12. The lubricant is based on new synthetic esters, so the product is extremely clean and low-foaming. It is a low soap emulsifiable lubricant that uses a new technology emulsifier and surfactant systems that exhibit low reactivity in the presence of copper. Priamus V12 contains boundary lubricant additives to provide a low coefficient of friction between copper/ceramic and copper/steel components, and as a result, a low reactivity provides consistent performance over long periods. Further, special addi-

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tives are incorporated in the formulation to keep copper fines from coagulating. Low reactivity also results in excellent cleanliness and exceptionally long life, even at elevated operating temperatures. Another noteworthy product is Priamus X11, an emulsifiable lubricant that produces a highly stable emulsion, with unique biostable properties in copper rich environments. The stability is achieved by a careful balance of non-soap emulsifiers and lubricity additives ensuring the cleanliness required for fine wire sizes, especially on multiwire machines. This emulsifier and lubricity system enables Priamus X11 to provide, with increasing concentration, the lubrication required for larger wire sizes up to rod without compromising cleanliness. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products are sold extensively throughout the world. Andrew Turner, Germ-Allcard/KP America, Inc.

Houghton International Houghton International, founded in 1865, offers a range of lubricants for the wire and cable industry that are designed to be efficient, consistent and reliable. Some of its noteworthy products include HOUGHTO-DRAWÂŽ WD 4810, a water-soluble lubricant drawing copper and tin-coated copper wire that is suitable for use in most wire drawing applications, from rod breakdown to intermediate and multi-wire applications with variance in concentration. It is formulated with additives that reduce capstan wear, build-up of fines and improve drawing performance while extending solution life, and concentration can be easily controlled with Babcock testing. It has a new additive that is compatible with tin coatings and enhanced emulsion stability and it can be used in quench/annealing systems to inhibit oxidation of the wires. Besides being cost-effective, it can help manufacturers reduce both their chemical inventory and maintenance costs. Another product, HOUGHTO-DRAW WD 4814, is emulsifiable in water, developed for drawing rod, medium and fine multi-wire copper wire drawing machines. It has additives for high lubricity, and good cleaning properties allowing multi-wire machines to operate at high speeds. The lubricant helps prevent oxidation on copper wire and aluminum machine parts, and can also be used to draw copper-coated steel wire, providing excellent brightness and smooth surfaces as well as improved anti-foaming properties and excellent biological properties. Chuck Faulkner, Houghton International.

U.S.-based MacDermid Inc. continuously works to provide its customers a recognizable competitive advantage. As general examples, our focus will be on any combination of the following: improved surface quality, extended sump life, reduced tool life, improved biostability,

reduced chemical usage, increased filtration efficiency, resolved bonding issues (cleanability), etc. To cite specific examples, we recently developed two unique processes for continuous copper rod casting applications. The first process, Relubro Syncast, is described chemically as a “true solution.” The second process, Relubro Rodcast 2, is described chemically as a micro emulsion. These processes are used to produce world-class copper rod at a fraction of the chemical usage of competitive processes. Customers have reported extended roll life beyond all expectations. Both of these processes are manufactured locally. This is exactly what we mean when stating that “MacDermid’s goal is to provide its customers with a true competitive advantage.” These two processes are excellent examples of MacDermid’s continuous efforts to do just that. While enjoying the lowest possible use cost (increased roll life, reduced chemical usage, etc.), customers produce a higher quality end product. Steve Leonetti, MacDermid Inc.

Pan Chemicals SpA

MacDermid lubricants at work in a rod mill.

Italy’s Pan Chemicals offers innovative products that address specific manufacturing needs. Our new series of PANLUBE S 1500 sodium lubricants are free of borax, nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, carbonates and chlorides. They are safe and ecologically friendly, suitable for high-

e-mail Dave.Evans@george-evans.com

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MacDermid Inc.

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speed drawing of high-carbon steel wire, steel cord wire and stainless steel wire. With this same philosophy in mind, Pan Chemicals has also designed new precoatings such as the PANCOVER 4700 Series, which can meet the most stringent demands for drawing carbon and stainless steel wires. A synergistic application of Pan Chemicals’ Panlube S 1550 and the two products Pancover 4700 lubricants. offers consistent performance in the production of steel fibers at extremely high speed. For example, a steel-wire fiber drawing process, drawing 5.50 mm, low-carbon steel (1006) to a final size of 1.0 mm, 12 blocks, with rod descaling by an in-line orbital belt (Model SBH80), uses a PANCOVER 4780 in-line precoating. The drawing is done at speeds of 40 m/s by pressure dies (from 1 to 9), using PANLUBE S410 (calcium) and PANLUBE S 1506V (sodium) as lubricants. Luigi Vago, Pan Chemicals SpA.

Resy Filtration/Reber Systematic GmbH Many methods used for filtration have inherent drawbacks, including sedimentation, the most common and oldest method, where particles must have a lot of time to settle in important drawing lubricant volumes; hydrocones, which cost more and create higher discharge costs as well as persisting contact time between the copper particles and the medium; flatbed filters, which are prone to foam and sludge discharge into the clean tank; and different types of endless-band filters, which can work, depending on use, with more or less good results. These, however, are not satisfactory for wiredrawing lines as they require too wide a mesh width. In response, Resy has developed and introduced the CompactBand Filter (KBF) which has gained The Resy Filtration’s Compact-Band Filter (KBF) model.

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acceptance all over the world. On the smallest floor spaces, a flow rate of 1000 l/min requires only 1 sq m, which compares very favorably to the flatbed filter. Various grades of filter paper are available to achieve the desired filtration effect. The high hydrostatic pressure, due to the optimal side sealing inside the filter, allows this small space. To combat waste, it is possible to equip the filters with a paper rewinder for used filter paper. These rewinders are also fitted with sludge wipers that scrape the biggest part of the copper off the paper and discharge it separately. Now, the drawing lubricant is cleaned with good results in the main stream with the usual paper filter systems of the sophisticated KBF filter. With this additional installation, accumulation of the finest particles in the medium is at an acceptable level. This considerably increases the life of the media and the wire dies, assuming use of stable and fully synthetic drawing lubricants that are not influenced by the fine filtration. This is the future course. Reasonable costs for the periphery are the best solution for the drawing wire process, Klaus Eichelmann, ResyFiltration/Reber Systematic GmbH.

RichardsApex Inc. Much like the worldwide markets, we at RichardsApex keep reinventing ourselves and our product line by having the latest technological advancements in regards to raw materials available to work within our R&D laboratories. That is not to say that some of our older formulations, like HSDL24MW, HRAL or AD200, are not still great products that continue to run well, but we do have newer products that use the latest technology, such as our S120, SK16 and AD510. In particular, one of the fastest growing semi synthetic copper wire drawing lubricants in the market today is our S120. This product is economical for our customers to use because it runs at low concentra-

From l-r at RichardApex’s U.S. plant are employees Gary Luckey, Victor Crowley and Howard Luckey.

Tecnovo Srl/TKT Group The innovative products that Tecnovo Srl has developed over the last two years have identified and solved problems posed by the change in the quality of wire rods and the relative methods of preparing it. A good example of this is TECNOLUBRE FM/262S, a calcium-based soap designed to draw low-carbon content wire for welding

(CO2). The lubricant was developed to meet requirements for high-speed drawing of wire rods with very smooth surfaces, a combination of factors that can create serious problems with lubricant adhesion on the first pass, and consequently compromise die life and the quality of the final wire. This new product is recommended in all A drawing operation using lubricants cases where a from Technovo Srl. very thick film of lubricant is desired that will guarantee excellent subsequent wet wiredrawing, without compromising later electrocoating treatment. Another innovative product, TECNOLUBRE FM/909, is a sodium-based soap specially formulated to comply with new regulations that limit the use of

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tions, runs clean in the machines, is easy to filter and provides excellent tank like. Another recent product of ours to capture market share in the aluminum industry is our AD510. This product is a straight (neat) oil used for breakdown mainly of EC grade aluminum rod. We have seen a high interest from our customers for an effective aluminum drawing oil with the increased activity in the aluminum market. Again, the AD510 runs very clean, is easy to filter and is very economical for our customers to run in their operations. When customers ask us for a recommendation, it is very important for us to understand their operation as there can be multiple products that can work. That being said, the best choice is a product that gives the customer what they need production wise, but also from an economic standpoint as well. The most expensive lubricant is not always the best for the job. Drew Richards, RichardsApex Inc.

Traxit GmbH/Traxit North America LLC Germany’s Traxit International GmbH, whose U.S. operation is Traxit North America LLC, has been providing the wiredrawing industry with a complete range of lubricants to suit all types of wire, for all applications, since 1881. Currently one of the largest manufacturers of drawing lubricants, coatings and emulsions, the company operates from its manufacturing bases in Germany, China and the U.S. Traxit’s more than 200 different product formulations guarantee that it has the right product for all your needs, general and specialized. Its lubricants are of the highest quality and are constantly updated to ensure maximum environmental and health friendliness. The company is focused on providing solutions to real-world concerns, such as long-delayed European Legislation that will now in fact take effect at the end of 2010, which will classify all products containing borax and borax compounds above a certain level as toxic. Traxit intends to be completely free of boron compounds in our lubricant formulations, specifically for the U.S. operation, by the first quarter 2011. By then we will have changed all dry powder soap formulations and coatings for the North Lubricants from Traxit GmbH. American mar-

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borax. The product is recommended for drawing high-carbon content wires for the production of springs and PC wire to provide high-speed wiredrawing, that permits the final wire surface to be free from black carbon residues. Tecnovo Srl/TKT Group.

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ket. Our vision is not just to reduce the level of borax to below the classification level, but to eliminate it altogether. For Traxit, zero borax means exactly that: absolutely no borax or other boron compound. It already offers a full range of boron-free coatings and dry lubricants that offer the following improvements over some of the traditional boron containing products: longer die life, higher drawing speeds, reduced wire breaks, reduced drawing temperatures and sodium-based lubricants with less moisture pick-up. Hubertus Damm, Traxit International GmbH.

Supplier comments WJI: Where are you focusing your product R&D? We started a program three years ago to identify meaningful research and product development programs. Several times a year, our technical and marketing team meets with their counterparts from a small representative group of our clients. The meeting centers around, “Where do you see yourselves in 3-5 years and what new products and processes will you need to get there?” We compile these discussions into a master report and where we find common needs we design programs to develop a process or product to meet the need. We routinely update these clients on our progress and get their point of view to see if we are on track in terms of providing a practical and marketable answer. It also gives us the chance to be sure the need hasn’t changed or gone away. This approach has proven successful and we intend to expand it as we move forward. Dane Armendariz, Henkel Corporation. Synthetics, as well as micro emulsions engineered to withstand worldwide requirements, including vigorous global recycling practices. Steve Leonetti, MacDermid Inc. Customers’ needs drive our R&D, which is another way of saying the market drives us. Because of our commitment, our technical and sales staff often visit customers in person, and this keeps us in tune to what is needed. These

I NDUSTRY T RENDS : F A STENERS / O THER W IRE P RODUCTS Also featuring: • wire Southeast Asia Wrapup

Our R&D focus is to assist customers and prospects with improved products for longer life, products with more consistent lubrication. Andrew Turner, GermAllcard/KP America, Inc. Pan Chemicals is totally dedicated to the wiredrawing industry, in particular the ferrous and alloy wire market, with the main products being wiredrawing lubricants and coatings. Ecology and environmental safety have been foremost in our aim to develop the new products. In these times of economic crisis and low production, the main objectives and demands requested of the drawing lubricants are for very high performance and environmental safety. The application of the new European rule Luigi Vago, Pan Chemicals. (REACH) has given a further push toward the development of new products which are completely safe for the operators and the environment. The most evident consequence related to the wire industry is the elimination of borax in the formulation of the drawing lubricants and the coatings. Most of the sodium lubricants and most of the coatings contain a significant quantity of borax and many drawing processes are based on the borax coating. Our R&D has long been focused on these two points. Besides performance and ecology, the other issue affecting R&D and production of drawing lubricants is the cost of raw materials and the subsequent final prices. The optimization of our production process and a strong attention

to the raw material market is helping to keep the production cost to a minimum in order to offer our customer the best product at very competitive prices. Luigi Vago, Pan Chemicals SpA. Our global R&D team located in Germany is currently focusing their activity on the new borax-free dry powder soaps and coatings due to the new legislations in Europe. The demand for borax-free formulations will increase, globally driven by multi-national wire companies and their customers. Hubertus Damm, Traxit International GmbH. Condat’s R&D has continued to focus on new-generation lubricants, a commitment that can be seen through the dimensions of our R&D (45 persons) and allocated resources (5% of revenues). That investment reinforces our capacity to quickly develop new products for both the VICAFIL & STEELSKIN ranges. Our main focus is to provide the industry with ecofriendly products, complying with the latest legislations, offering products such as lowor boron-free powders (nonreactive coating or dry lubricants), dustfree lubricant technologies for soaps (pellets), renewable raw material Patrick Richaud, Condat SA for oils (natural origin) and formaldehyde-free soluble oils (biocide). With a state-of-the-art laboratory and vast spectrum of analysis equipment and techniques, Condat is committed to supplying its customer’s with high-grade lubricants, with an even and unequalled quality level, for all wiredrawing applications. Patrick Richaud, Condat SA.

WIRE JOURNAL

INTERNATIONAL

HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? Turn left, turn right. With a focus on industry trends, including fasteners and other wire products, WJI’s December issue can help guide business leaders—turn by turn—into the future. Place an ad in the December issue and steer thousands of influential readers your way. Call WJI’s sales team today. Together we’ll direct your prospects to the right page.

Contact WJI’s Sales Team: Tel.: 001-203-453-2777 Bob Xeller E-mail: bxeller@wirenet.org Anna Bzowski E-mail: abzowski@wirenet.org

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types of visits also allow us to look forward to offer ideas and products that will take our customers production to the next level as well. Drew Richards, RichardsApex.

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What drives our R&D is basically the endless quest to build a better mouse trap. This is especially true in our soap-based powdered lubricant line. Basic formulation technologies have been used for decades with improvements only to the additives, not the lubricant’s soap base. Accordingly, we have focused on finding more efficient ways to make our products reduce production costs and improve product consistency. We now manufacture products in a way long considered “undoable” by many, but we felt that the advantages of an in-line process were worth the effort to overcome the issues long consider insurmountable. Aztech Lubricants.

High performance under pressure When you're fixing wire or rod breaks, you need a machine you can trust. Designed and manufactured to the highest standards in our own UK workshops, our cold welders are easy to operate, require little or no maintenance and produce reliable permanent welds stronger than the parent material. Manual and energy efficient powered models available, with capacities from .003145" (0.08mm) to 1.181" (30mm). Call for details or visit www.pwmltd.co.uk.

MADE IN THE UK

All inquiries within North America for machines, spares and dies, contact: AMARAL AUTOMATION ASSOCIATES PO Box 7816, Cumberland, RI 02864 Tel: 401 405 0755 / 774 991 0504 Fax: 401 405 0757 E-mail: joe@amaralautomation.com www.amaralautomation.com

Pressure Welding Machines Ltd Bethersden, Kent England TN26 3DY Tel: +44 (0) 1233 820847 Fax: +44 (0) 1233 820591 E-mail: pwm@btinternet.com

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We produce granular and liquid lubricants using natural bases of vegetable and animal origin, using no products which might be dangerous to the environment and to persons. Our compounds are easily biodegradable. We are constantly in contact with our customers on technical Giancarlo Arrighetti, Tecnovo Srl/TKT Group SpA. and commercial matters and we are therefore able to rapidly develop new products to meet market and individual customer requirements. Giancarlo Arrighetti, Tecnovo Srl/TKT Group SpA. We have developed lower-cost technology for wiredrawing lubricants without compromising the quality or active strength of the concentrate. It should always be noted that small short-term savings in lubricant costs can often be a false economy when compared with the consequent effects on emulsion life and die life. Andrew Turner, GermAllcard/KP America, Inc. Our R&D efforts continue to be in the areas of sustainable development (“green approach”) and responsible care for our customer base. Other critical factors include health and safety along with waste treatability of our products. The end result is formulating product technology that lasts longer in-use for our customer base. It is no longer cradle to grave, but cradle to cradle. Chuck Faulkner, Houghton International. WJI: What steps has your company taken in response to challenges such as industry slowdowns, unstable material prices and changes driven by environmental demands? Diversification of product offerings, with emphasis on “oil-free” and “label-free” technology. As a result of our European origins, MacDermid has offered these types of advanced (green) formulations for many years. Steve Leonetti, MacDermid Inc.

Condat has always tried to anticipate change in terms of raw material legislation, environmental constraints and lubricant technology. In 2005 we created a dedicated department, Authorization Regulation Product, to answer the needs of the continuing legislation evolution. This team of four is working to comply with many recent legislation demands, such as REACH, the 30°ATP (boron reduction), GHS (Global Harmonization System) for labeling and packaging, etc. The weight of the legislation will continue to increase and the demand for eco-friendly raw materials and finished products will continue to grow as well as our search for more alternative lubricant technologies and exploration of new raw materials or processes to create the lubricants of tomorrow. Patrick Richaud, Condat SA. Our focus of attention is to technical service and productivity, longer life, the tips and tricks to enhance the performance of the machine. Emulsions are often overlooked in the wiredrawing system, but they are highly influential to the entire productivity and output of the machines, to save costs by better working practices. In these times a factory Andrew Turner, KP with better attention to America. emulsions and productivity is a factory that will survive any worldwide economic changes. Andrew Turner, Germ-Allcard/KP America, Inc.

systems for the whole plant. Today, RESY acts not only as manufacturer but as a consultant for the customer. Most wire and cable manufacturers do not have planning departments anymore. Therefore, the design of customized plants which meet the requirements of the client has gained more importance. This is the Klaus Eichelmann, Resy success of RESY. Klaus Filtration Eichelmann, ResyFiltration/Reber Systematic GmbH. WJI: Some manufacturers trying to control costs have turned to lower-cost lubricants. How has your company responded to such requests? As a lubricant manufacturer that prides itself on being a high-value supplier, our sales and marketing focus has always been centered on improving the wire manufacturer’s cost structure. Lower initial cost, higher production rates, longer sump life, clean machines, better tool performance, and world class customer service comprise the value that we provide to our customer base. In these difficult periods, this value serves us to keep this base intact and to develop and expand it with new customers. Paul Berger, Baum’s Castorine Co., Inc. We think that each customer individually should have a downtime measurement system in the production to focus on the specific needs and to improve the cost efficiency. Lubricant costs are low and only a minimal factor in the product process. Hubertus Damm, Traxit GmbH.

We have been able to customize and manufacture inhouse raw materials to fit our wiredrawing product line, which has reduced our dependence on outside raw materials. Chuck Faulkner, Houghton International.

We are driven by worldwide customers requiring chemical processes with the lowest possible “use cost”, and our approach to that demand has served us well during these difficult times. MacDermid’s goal has always been to provide products whose low use cost allows our customers a true competitive advantage. Our customers will testify to having used lower quality, lower "unit cost" ($/gal) products. We have heard countless stories of high chemical usage, reduced quality, and even decreased productivity. Steve Leonetti, MacDermid Inc.

RESY was the first to develop and introduce the Compact-Band filter KBF. In the first years the production was mainly focused on the filter. Other components like tanks, pumps, cooler, etc., were provided by drawing machine manufacturers. Later, RESY started building whole filtration systems including all necessary equipments and electrical control. The systems vary from a little filtration plant next to the machine up to centralized

In our opinion, the choice of a cheaper lubricant, as some companies have turned to for reduced costs, has resulted in the opposite effect in most cases that we have analyzed. Usually the drawing lubricant is considered just a commodity by the purchase departments and for this reason the choice is only based on price; but the effect of the application of a cheap (or wrong) lubricant on the final production costs can be extremely high. Luigi Vago, Pan Chemicals SpA.

NOVEMBER 2009 | 49

FEATURE

Increasingly greater consideration must be given to environmental and safety regulations when developing new products. From a technical viewpoint, efforts must be made to use R&D to improve the preparation of wire rod using ecologically friendly methods with operating costs that are acceptable to customers.Giancarlo Arrighetti, Tecnovo Srl/TKT Group SpA.

FEATURE

For the customer, the price is not important since the primary goal is a reliable and simple filtration operation. The customer’s benefit is in the foreground: good quality, fewer wire breaks, longer lifetime for dies and reduced disposal costs for used lubricant. In the last few years we have noticed a rising awareness of environmental issues that are met by a longer lifetime of the coolants. These goals can only be reached with a high-quality filtration system like the Compact-Band filter KBF. Klaus Eichelmann, Resy Filtration/Reber Systematic GmbH. Manufacturing cost structure can be improved by looking into product substitution with higher-cost lubricants, with increased performance for a reduced global process cost. With slowdowns, companies have reduced their personnel and moderated investment. Maintenance departments have been affected, resulting in less people to control and maintain lubricants. Reduced investment in production coupled with lower cost lubricants, can lead to process issues and higher process costs. With fewer operators, there is no time to spend managing lubricants, and companies are looking to compensate for this with better and safer lubricants. Condat studies these technical problems/challenges with our sales engineers and chemists to ensure we make the correct recommendation. We also assist our customers with trials and process surveys to guarantee results. Patrick Richaud, Condat SA. WJI: How important is the relationship between proper filtration and lubrication practices? Do you believe that some manufacturers could achieve significantly better productivity/quality by coordinated process changes? A solid filtration/lubricant relationship is vital to any serious wire producer. The continuous removal of particulate and fines resulting from the drawing process allows the lubricant to do the work of not only lubricating but removing heat, flushing, and transferring the dirt and heat away from the work. The more attention paid to the process, specifically good filtration, the better the overall production results will be. The immediate improvements will be longer lubricant

life, extended die and capstan life, less down-time due to wire breaks, higher production speeds and most importantly better quality wire produced. Tom Horn, Filtertech. The relationship between proper filtration and lubrication practices is very important. We see many operations in the market today using the wrong filtration media, which is ultimately costing them money. For instance, some users insist on using the cheapest filter paper in their filters, which just costs them money in solution and downtime. Conversely, some users are prone to using a filter paper that is too heavy for their lubricant and or filtration equipment which just wastes paper and costs them money. The right Drew Richards, RichardsApex Inc. paper is not the most expensive or the cheapest; it is the paper that is best for the operation and the factors that surround it. Drew Richards, RichardsApex Inc. Our focus of driving down use cost is often dependant on our technician’s application know-how, and his or her ability to share this knowledge with our customers. Our emphasis on “proper care and feeding” of process chemistry is the key to achieving the lowest possible use cost. Steve Leonetti, MacDermid Inc. A close lubricants monitoring regime can lead to substantial savings, especially in neat or soluble oils where an appropriate filtration system and/or cooling system is used. Common problems stem from pollutants and temperature. Condat has developed, in partnership with equipment manufacturers, many specific solutions to store (tank, bund retainer), supply (pneumatic gun or trolley), apply (dosing system, spray unit) and maintain (centrifuge system, filtering unit, oil separator) our lubricants. Combined with our C.A.M service (CONDAT Assistance Material), we can perform any type of necessary lubricant analysis to extend its life and maintain performance for as long as possible. Patrick Richaud, Condat SA.

Serving the non-ferrous and ferrous industries since 1983

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We feel that filtration is very critical in the wire drawing process. By addressing chemistry and proactive maintenance equipment concerns accordingly, we feel the cradle to

cradle philosophy is important to our customer base in reducing manufacturing costs. Chuck Faulkner, Houghton International.

FEATURE

Our emulsifiable SINTEK FL lubricants have been specially formulated to generate emulsions that are easy to filter with the new systems in use and consequently they do not need to be modified for production plant and cycles currently employed. This series consists exclusively of compounds of animal and vegetable origin. They are consequently completely free of mineral oils and are therefore biodegradable. Giancarlo Arrighetti, Tecnovo Srl/TKT Group SpA. Dry powder lubricant recycling systems are offered in the market, but these systems can only eliminate magnetically parts in the used soap, while other impurities stay in the used soap and may harm the drawing process afterwards when the lubricant is reused. Hubertus Damm, Traxit GmbH Filtration systems have to keep the operating fluid as clean as possible by removing the particles that are formed during the manufacturing operation. Ideally, these particles should be removed as soon as possible after formation to minimize the time of contact between the copper and the medium. That way, the solution absorbs far less copper. A clean operating-medium keeps the machine clean, reduces friction-breaks of the wire and increases the lifetime of the dies. To prevent sedimentation in the machine, all particles should be conveyed to the filtration plant as soon as possible. Klaus Eichelmann, ResyFiltration/Reber Systematic GmbH Filtration is connected to the overall cleanliness of the system and hence how well the emulsion will keep capstans and dies clean, free from deposits and promote a more effective cleaner machine with higher productivity output. This is in line with Lean Thinking, Kaizen and Six Sigma practices. The products’ ability to lubricate and to be consistent is not due to filtration but to how well the soluble oil has been formulated and the stability of the additive components. Andrew Turner, Germ-Allcard/KP America, Inc.. ■

Contact list Aztech Lubricants LLC, U.S., Michael Colvin, tel. 405-310-0034 mcolvin@aztechlube.com, www.aztechlube.com

Houghton International, U.S., Chuck Faulkner, tel. 610-666-4088, cfaulkner@houghtonintl.com

Baum’s Castorine, U.S., Tom Whitcombe, tel. 315-336-8154 twhitcom@twcny.rr.com, www.baumscastorine.com

MacDermid Inc., U.S., Steve Leonetti, tel. 847-519-4400, sleonetti@macdermid.com, www.macdermid.com

Carl Bechem GmbH, Germany, tel. 49 2331 935-1248 , bechem@bechem.de, www.bechem.com

Pan Chemicals, Italy, Luis Varga, tel 39-035-977488, info@panchemical.com, www.panchemical.com

Condat SA, France, Rossitsa Spilkova, tel. 33-4-4202-0873, r.spilkova@cersa-mci.com, www.cersa-mci.com

Resy Filtration/Reber Systematic GmbH, Germany, Klaus Eichelmann, tel. 49-7121-4830, k.eichelmann@resy-filtration.com

Etna Products Inc., U.S., Perry Chattler, tel. 510-670-7200, pchattler@dcmindustries.com, www.dcmindustries.com Filtertech Inc., U.S., Tom Maxwell Jr., tel. 412-833-1662, diequip@diequip.com, www.diequip.com Germ-Allcard/KP America, Inc., U.S., Andrew Turner, tel. 212-792-4311, at@roloil.com, www.roloil.com Henkel Corporation, U.S., Dane Armednariz, tel. 412-999-5446, dane.armendariz@us.henkel.com

RichardsApex Inc., U.S., Drew Richards, tel. 215-487-1100, drewrichards@richardsapex.com, www.richardsapex.com Tecnovo Srl/TKT Group SpA, Italy, tel. 39-02-5456396, tkt@tktgroup.it, www.tktgroup.it Traxit International GmbH/Traxit North America, Germany/U.S., 49-2336-919-00, info@traxit.com, In U.S., Dave Tatum, traxmgr@bellsouth.net

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Improved cold-drawn eutectoid steel wires based on residual stress measurement and simulation, Part 2: optimization and mechanical properties

TECHNICAL PAPERS

TECHNICAL PAPER

The influence of residual stresses on mechanical properties of drawn wire is further explored, with one finding being that inducing compressive residual stresses close to a wire surface could result in more durable wires that are not overly relaxed. By Jose Miguel Atienza, Jesus Ruiz-Hervias and Manuel Elices

Cold-drawn eutectoid steel wires are used in prestressed concrete structures to provide compressive stresses to the concrete. For that purpose, they are loaded up to 60 to 70% of their tensile strength. Although the loading stress is lower than the elastic limit (around 85% of the tensile strength), failure may occur in service conditions due to stress corrosion. Wire failure reduces the load-bearing capacity and may lead to catastrophic collapse of the prestressed structure. The risk of these failures can be increased by the presence of tensile residual stresses on the surface of the wires. Cold-drawing generates considerable residual stresses which, added to the service stresses, may seriously affect the mechanical properties and durability of the wires1,2. Until now, the measuring of residual stresses was considered more a scientific problem and even revealing their presence was a challenging task3. However, wire manufacturers were aware of the deleterious effect produced by the presence of tensile residual stresses at the surface of the wires after drawing. That is the reason why they consider residual stresses both dangerous and damaging, and hence attempt to reduce their influence by stress relieving treatments. But residual stresses may also have beneficial effects if they are able to obtain the desired profile. With the advent of powerful experimental techniques for measurement of residual stresses—such as neutron and Xray diffractometers—and of faster computers to simulate

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numerically the wiredrawing processes, this phenomenon is seen now in a new light. A significant research effort has been undertaken in recent years in order to understand, measure and control the residual stresses in cold-drawn wires3-5. The first part of this paper3 discused the advances on the measurement and simulation of residual stresses. This second part reviews the influence of residual stresses on the mechanical properties required by standards to this kind of wire (tensile, stress relaxation and stress corrosion tests). The control of residual stresses may play an important role in the design of new post-drawing treatments and the optimization of the performance of the wires.

Profile of residual stresses in wires for prestressed concrete In order to summarize the different possibilities of residual stress profiles in prestressed concrete wires, they have been classified into three groups, shown in Fig. 1, based on their residual stress state at the surface, a parameter measurable by X-ray diffraction. It is thought that these three kinds of wires will help us to explain the influence of residual stresses on the mechanical properties: As-drawn: tensile residual stresses at the surface. A profile of residual stresses, with tensile stresses at the surface, is generated in the prestressed concrete wires by the colddrawing. The term “as-drawn” refers to the wires manufactured by cold-drawing, following a commercial procedure.

TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 1. Typical profiles of residual stresses along the wire diameter for as-drawn, stabilized and rolled wires. These results were obtained by the combination of finite element calculations and experimental measurements by conventional X-ray, neutron and synchrotron diffraction techniques3. These wires, without any further treatment after drawing, were considered to have high tensile surface residual stresses. Stabilized: small residual stresses at the surface. Stabilized wires were obtained by applying a thermomechanical stress relieving treatment to the as-drawn wires. Residual stresses due to cold-drawing are known to be detrimental to the performance of prestressing concrete steel tendons, and different procedures were devised to eliminate or decrease such stresses before delivering steel wires. The actual procedure, called stabilizing, is a thermomechanical treatment based on a combination of heating and stretching the wire. However, the actual parameters of this treatment depend on each producer. The stabilized wires, also called “very low relaxation wires” because of their very good behavior in the stress relaxation test, are the kind currently used in prestressed concrete structures. This treatment is very effective in removing the residual stresses generated by drawing; it can be considered that no residual stresses act on the surface of these wires. Rolled wires: compressive residual stresses at the surface. The third set, termed “rolled”, can be obtained by rolling the surface (see, for example,2 for a description of this procedure) that produces a small plastic deformation on the wire surface, analogous to a “massage”. Compressive residual stresses can be induced on the wire surface by this procedure. The effect of this process is similar to the use of a specific last drawing die, yielding a very small reduction of area.

Residual stresses and the tensile tests Residual stresses can alter the shape of the stress-strain curve of the wires obtained in a tensile test6. During a tensile test for a wire without residual stresses, the stress distribution is uniform along the cross section (Fig. 2a); initially the stress remains within the elastic regime and finally reaches a yield value and from this point the stress-strain curve is no longer a straight line. In a tensile test on an as-drawn wire (with residual stresses), the stress distribution is not uniform across the section, as is shown in Fig. 2b. During loading, stress increases and the first yielding appears on the surface where initially there were tensile stresses. This local plastification produces the loss of linearity in the stress-strain curve very early. As load increases, yielding extends towards the interior of the bar (Fig. 2b) and the stress-strain curve starts deviating from a straight line. It should be noted that this may happen with a low level of tensile stresses in the inner part of the bar or even with compressive stresses in that area (Fig. 2b). A similar reasoning can be made regarding the rolled wires, though on this occasion the yield point is reached in the center of the wire first. The presence of residual stresses is reflected in the shape of the stress-strain curve. In Fig. 3 the results of a tensile test for the three kinds of wires are compared. In practical terms, the presence of tensile residual stresses (whether they are tensile or compressive at the surface) decreases the yield stress—usually measured as σ0.2—as regards values without residual stresses and have almost no influence

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TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 2. Longitudinal stresses as a function of relative depth during a tensile test of a cold-drawn wire (elastic limit approx 1100 MPa): a) wire without residual stresses; b) wire with residual stresses due to cold drawing. Stresses in both figures correspond to the same loading steps.

in the strength σmax. Therefore, the presence of residual stresses will affect the ratio σ0.2/σmax, a figure that appears in most standards for steels for prestressing concrete7. More precisely, these standards recommend that σ0.2/σmax should be in between 0.85 and 0.95, with some suggesting optimum values of about 0.90-0.93. In summary it was found that the presence of residual

stresses favors the onset of yielding. The higher the residual stresses, whether it is tensile or compressive at the surface, the lower the yield stress in a tensile test. The ratio σ0.2/σmax decreases with increasing values of residual stresses. Given the deleterious effect of tensile residual stress at the surface on fatigue and stress corrosion1-2 it was reasonable to put a lower limit to σ0.2/σmax. The ratio σ0.2/σmax can be increased by relieving residual stresses, a common procedure after drawing, based on thermomechanical treatments.

Residual stresses and the stress relaxation test

Fig. 3. Comparison between the tensile tests of as-drawn, stabilized and rolled wires.

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Tensile stresses in steel tendons decrease with time, mainly due to stress relaxation. (Creep is the change in strain with time in a material held under constant stress, whereas stress relaxation is the loss of stress in a material held at a constant strain). These stress losses in steel tendons are of paramount importance to structural safety because the prestressed compressive load of the concrete is reduced. Design codes place limits for keeping these losses within safe margins7. Stress losses are measured according to a standardized test (ASTM E328, ISO15630/3) and the figures should be provided by the manufacturer for the acceptance of the steel tendons; those with a figure of stress losses of less than 2.5% of the initial stress—after 1000 hours, when stressed at 0.70 of the tensile strength— are called “low relaxation” tendons and are the ones used nowadays in prestressing. The authors have shown that wires with the same composition, microstructure and similar mechanical properties may have very different behavior in the stress relaxation test if they differ in their residual stress profiles8. This

TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 4. Stress relaxation losses at 250 hours) as a function of the initial load (both expressed as a percentage of the ultimate tensile stress: a) stabilized wires; b) as-drawn and rolled wires.

effect could be explained if the influence of the initial load is taken account. It is well known that in steel tendons the higher the initial stress the greater the relaxation losses, a fact collected in codes and textbooks7. Fig. 4a shows stress relaxation losses after 250 hours in stabilized wires (whose residual stresses are very low or, in practise, almost negligible)

loaded at different percentages of the ultimate tensile stress (from 50% to 98%). The losses are small at low values of initial stresses and increase suddenly when these stresses approach the yield stress (approx. 85-90% of maximum load). At higher values of initial stress it seems that stress relaxation losses reach a saturation value. Stress relaxation losses after 250 hours in as-drawn and

Fig. 5. Stress relaxation losses as a function of time in the three types of wire. These tests were performed at 70% of the ultimate tensile load. Stress relaxation losses are measured as a percentage of the initial load.

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TECHNICAL PAPERS

rolled wires, again loaded at different percentages of their respective ultimate tensile stresses, are shown in Fig. 4b. The behavior of these two types of wire—whose residual stresses are by no means negligible—is quite different from that of stabilized wires. See Fig. 4a. The role of residual stresses can be inferred from the following reasoning: The actual stress distribution in the section of the wires during the test is quite different in the three types of wires. In the case of the stabilized wires the stress distribution across the section is almost uniform, so the wire is subjected to the same initial load all over the cross section. In the case of the as-drawn wires, the stress distribution across the section at the beginning of the relaxation test is by no means uniform. Once loaded, the outer regions of the wire are subjected to higher stresses than the inner part, so the stress relaxation in these regions is higher, as can be inferred from Fig. 4a. The stress relaxation losses of the wire are the sum of the losses produced along the whole section. Similar reasoning can explain the experimental results shown in Fig. 4b for the rolled wires. In the case of the standard test (initial load 70% σmax), the stress relaxation of as-drawn and rolled wires is much higher than that of stabilized ones. The stress distribution across the section at the beginning of the relaxation test is not uniform for these two kinds of wires. The outer regions of as-drawn wires and the inner regions of rolled wires are subjected to

higher stresses approaching the yield stress (σ0.2), so stress relaxation in these regions is very high, as can be inferred from Fig. 4a. On the contrary, the inner regions of as-drawn wires and the outer regions of rolled wires support lower stresses than those in stabilized wires and consequently lower relaxation losses, although these differences are not enough to balance the high stress losses of the outer layers. The overall behavior is that as-drawn and rolled wires exhibit relaxation losses much higher than those of stabilized ones, almost double at 1000 hours. See Fig. 5. Another result that merits particular attention is that at high initial loads the stress relaxation behavior of the three types of wire becomes similar. At high stresses, the role of residual stresses is concealed because most of the wire section has yielded and the stress gradient across the section becomes smooth, so the stress profiles across the wire sections for stabilized, as-drawn and rolled wires are almost identical. Thus, the advantages of stabilized wires are lost when they are stressed at high loads, greater than 0.80σmax. In summary, when dealing with stress relaxation losses, the whole section, all layers, is crucial. From this point of view, the best behavior is obtained in wires with small residual stresses (stabilized). The presence of residual stress, regardless of whether they are tensile or compressive at the surface, will increase the stress relaxation losses of the wires.

Table 1. Times to rupture in the FIB test for the three kinds of wires.

Fig. 6. Rupture times, in the NH4SCN test (FIB stress corrosion test) at different initial loads, for as-drawn, stabilized and rolled wires2.

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TECHNICAL PAPERS

Residual stresses and the stress corrosion test Experience has shown that the durability of steel tendons for prestressing concrete is good enough when they are protected by sound and uncracked concrete. However, when steel tendons are not properly protected, cracks may develop under the combined action of stress and an aggressive environment, and grow at stress intensities well below the fracture toughness of the material. Such a phenomenon is known as environmentally assisted cracking or stress corrosion cracking. A significant number of prestressed structures (mainly bridges) located near marine environments have suffered this kind of problem1. The former International Federation for Prestressing (Fédération Internationale du Béton/FIB) considers there is a pressing need for the improvement of the durability of prestressed concrete structures in aggressive environments. In 19781-2, the FIB proposed the ammonium thiocyanate test to control the susceptibility to environmental cracking, by testing stressed samples exposed to the pertinent aggressive environment and by recording times to fracture. The test uses an aqueous solution of ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN) in contact with the steel at a constant temperature of 50±1˚C. Wire failures are influenced by surface defects and by the presence of residual stresses, as was shown by the authors1-2. Previous results1 showed that the surface damage that can trigger fracture in this test should have a depth of 0.1 mm or less. When the specimen is loaded in the stress corrosion test, the actual stress state in the cross section is obtained by adding

Fig. 7. Residual stresses in the ferrite and cementite phases of a pearlitic wire after one drawing pass measured by synchrotron radiation. Macrostress in the pearlitic material was determined by the stress measured in every phase, weighted with their relative percentage (90%-ferrite, 10%-cementite)3-4.

Fig. 8. Effect of stabilizing and surface rolling treatments on the profiles of residual macrostresses and residual stresses in ferrite in a cold-drawn eutectoid steel wire. NOVEMBER 2009 | 57

TECHNICAL PAPERS

the constant applied stress to the existing residual stress profile. For the as-drawn wire, the resulting stress at the surface during the corrosion test is higher than the applied stress and it can reach the yield stress even at small applied loads. In Fig. 6, the times to rupture at different initial loads in the FIB test of the three types of wires are compared: wires asdrawn (with high surface tensile residual stresses) have the worst behavior, whereas rolled wires (with surface compressive stresses) are the best. The results using an initial load of 80% σmax, as proposed by standards7, are shown in Table 1. Generating compressive residual stresses at the surface of the wires is very effective in improving their time to rupture in this kind of test. In summary, a good correlation was found between residual stresses at the wire surface and times to rupture in the stress corrosion test proposed by FIB. Differences in rupture times in prestressing steel wires—with the same microstructure, surface quality and mechanical properties—can be explained by the differences in their residual stress state at the surface. Tensile residual stresses at the surface, added to loading stresses, are dangerous for the material. The stress corrosion behavior could be improved if compressive residual stresses were induced at the wire surface. Decreasing the adverse surface tensile stresses, or even better, changing to compressive stresses, the environmental assisted cracking will be significantly improved.

Discussion Residual stresses have a significant influence on the mechanical behavior of prestressing steel wires and today, even taking into account their limitations, tools do exist that can characterize residual stress. It is expected that residual stress values at the surface of the wires would be required by standards in the future. Although prestressing steel wires have excellent mechanical properties (high strength and high elastic limit combined with reasonable ductility), the question that remains is whether it is possible to improve the performance of these wires in aggressive environments. Results from this work show that the susceptibility to stress corrosion could be improved significantly if compressive residual stresses were induced at the wire surface. However, these treatments may affect the behavior of the wires in the tensile test by reducing the elastic limit and in the stress relaxation test by increasing the stress relaxation losses. Thus, the result was wires that offer more durability in aggressive environments, but they could not be considered “very low relaxation” wires. In other words, one cannot optimize all the properties at the same time; the results of the stress corrosion test depend, among other parameters, on the surface condition of the wire, while the tensile and the stress relaxation tests depend on what happened throughout the section. It is necessary to choose the adequate treatment depending on the requirements and the actual working conditions of the wires. In the authors’ opinion, due to the problems of stress corrosion that may appear in prestressed concrete structures built near marine environments, preparation of special purpose

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wires could be of particular interest, assuming some stress relaxation losses, to assure a better behavior when they are to be used in structures near sea water. In any case, techniques based on residual stress control seem to be an appropriate tool to design the post-drawing treatments based on quantitative measurements and not only on empirical procedures.

Future challenges In the previous paragraphs, the effects of residual stresses on the mechanical behavior have been discussed, focusing only on macrostresses, which are also known simply as stress. In a two-phase material such as eutectoid steel, macrostresses could be defined as the average of stresses in a volume that (includes) all phases, in other words, the mean stress of all phases together. Macrostresses have to be dealt with at a macroscopic scale, in most engineering applications. However, in a two-phase material the residual stress state can differ from phase-to-phase and neutron or X-ray diffraction methods measure the crystalline phase stresses. In Fig. 7, ferrite and cementite stresses are depicted together with the macrostress profile in an as-drawn eutectoid wire described in the first part of this paper3-4. Residual macrostresses are computed by the stress experimentally measured in every phase, weighted with their relative percentage in volume (rule of mixtures, in this case 90% ferrite and 10% cementite). This is a figure of significant interest (to the authors´ knowledge, this marks the first time in which a whole profile of residual stresses has been obtained for both phases). From the macroscopic point of view, this profile shows tensile surface stresses with all the previously mentioned shortcomings. However, from the microscopic point of view, this is a very attractive profile. Eutectoid steel could be considered as a composite material, a laminate material of alternating ferrite (matrix-soft phase) and cementite (reinforcing-hard phase) lamellae. Fig. 7 shows that the soft phase will be subjected to a previous compressive state, like a prestressing treatment inside the steel wire, which would be beneficial for the performance of the wire. Fig. 8 shows the evolution of macro and ferrite phase residual stresses with a stress relieving treatment and a surface rolling treatment. Post-drawing treatments are used to relieve residual macrostresses or to obtain compressive macrostresses at the surface. The drawback is that with these treatments, while obtaining the desired profile of macrostresses, one loses the beneficial effects of the compressive phase stress in the ferrite. That is the reason why in many cases post-drawing treatments improve the elastic limit but slightly reduce the strength of the material. In essence, the result is that one loses the prestressing effect inside the material. The authors believe that the future challenge is to develop post-drawing treatments that allow one to obtain the desired profile of residual macrostresses while keeping ferrite in compression. This way would be the most appropriate to optimize the performance of these wires.

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Fomento and the Spanish Ministry of Education, both of which provided grants. They are also indebted to María Martínez, Mar García and Federico Mompeán for their contribution to the neutron and synchrotron measurements, and Luis Caballero for the stress corrosion tests. Help and useful comments from Luis del Pozo, from Emesa Trefilerías, and Javier del Río, from Bekaert, are also acknowledged.

References 1. M. Elices, “Influence of residual stresses in the performance of cold-drawn pearlitic wires,” Journal of Materials Science, 39, 12, 2004, pp. 3889-3899. 2. J.M. Atienza, J. Ruiz-Hervias, L. Caballero and M. Elices. “Residual stresses and stress corrosion in cold drawn eutectoid steel wires,” Wire Journal International, June 2007, pp. 53-57. 3. J.M. Atienza, J. Ruiz-Hervías and M. Elices. “Improved cold-drawn eutectoid steel wires based on residual stress measurement and simulation: Part 1, Residual stress characterization,” Wire Journal International, March 2008.

4. M.L. Martinez-Perez, F.J. Mompean, J. Ruiz-Hervias, C.R. Borlado, J.M. Atienza, M. García-Hernandez, M. Elices, J. Gil Sevillano, Ru Lin Peng and T. Buslaps, “Residual stress profiling in the ferrite and cementite phases of cold-drawn steel rods by synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction,” Acta Materialia, 2004, pp. 5303-5313. 5. J. Ruiz-Hervías, J.M. Atienza, M. Elices and E.C. Oliver, “Optimisation of post-drawing treatments by means of neutron diffraction,” Materials Science and Engineering, in press, 2008. 6. J.M. Atienza, and M. Elices. “Influence of residual stresses in the tensile test of cold drawn wires,” Materials and Structures, 36, 2003, pp. 548-552. 7. CEB-FIP, 1990. Model Code 1990, Lausanne, 1991, ASTM-A421, 1991, EHE-UNE 36094, 1994, BS-2691 1991. 8. J.M. Atienza and M. Elices. “Role of residual stresses in the stress relaxation of prestressed concrete wires,” Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 19:8, 2007, pp. 703-707. Editor’s Note: Part one of this paper was published in the March 2008 issue of WJI, pp. 70-75. ■

Jose Miguel Atienza is an Associate Professor in the materials science department at Technical University of Madrid (UPM), Spain, where he started as a researcher in 1998. His areas of scientific interest include steel wire for prestressed concrete and biomaterials. He holds a Ph.D. degree in civil engineering from Technical University of Madrid (UPM). Jesus Ruiz-Hervias is Associate Professor in the materials science department at Technical University of Madrid (UPM). His research interests include residual stress measurement by X-ray, neutron, and synchrotron diffraction in metals and ceramics; structural integrity assessment of Zr-alloy claddings and environmentally assisted cracking in prestressing steel; and high-strength aluminium alloys. He began his career as a researcher in 1988. He holds a Ph.D. degree in physics from Complutense University of Madrid. Manuel Elices is a full professor of materials science and technology at Technical University of Madrid (UPM), and dean of the faculty for materials science and engineering. He is a foreign member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). His professional and research work has been centered mainly on cracking and fracture of materials. This paper, which was presented at WAI’s 78th Annual Convention, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, June 2008, won the Medal Award in the Ferrous Division.

Atienza

Ruiz-Hervias

Elices

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Acknowledgements

TECHNICAL PAPERS

TECHNICAL PAPER Estimation of the effect of heat treatment of wire rope with different C and Mn content on values of new quality indicator W A new methodology makes it simpler to determine the results of increasing or decreasing the carbon and manganese content in steel wire as well as what heating method (patenting or normalizing) to use to attain the desired properties. By Bogdan Golis, Jan W. Pilarczyk, Ryszard Budzik, Marek Gala and Rafal Wludzik

Rope wires are manufactured from steels with different carbon and manganese content that during the production process are subjected to patenting or normalizing heat treatment. Three properties—Rm = tensile strength, Nb = number of bends, and Nt = number of twists—have long been used to estimate wire quality. This paper presents a new indicator, W, which is based on the above-mentioned properties, and presented as follows: W b = Rm/N b; W t = Rm/N t ; W = W b + W t

Eq. (1)

This work analyzes existing data of eight steel grades with a carbon content of approximately 0.6-0.8% and a manganese content that ranges from 0.4 to 1.06% have been analyzed. The mechanical and technological properties of these wires were investigated. The above-defined indicators were calculated to estimate wire quality, and from that basis the quality of ropes made from such wires were predicted. Fatigue durability of wires was also analyzed. It has been found that in result of variations of properties (Rm, Nb, Nt) of considered wires (drawn after patenting) have exhibited higher values of the indicator “W” than wires that were drawn after normalizing. This work will be helpful in selection of the methods of heat treatment for wire rods and wires containing different amounts of C and Mn on the base of calculation of the indicator W.

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Introduction Drawing steel wire to be used for manufacturing steel rope has two main stages. The first stage is selection of the carbon steel grade and the nominal dimensions of wire rod, followed by drawing the wire rod into a semi-finished product. The second stage is the drawing of the semi-finished product (after patenting or normalizing and surface treatment) to the final dimension. In Poland, wire rod with a diameter of 5.5-6.0-7.0 mm is typically used to manufacture finished rope wires from 0.2 to 3.2 mm in diameter and a nominal tensile strength of 1800 MPa. The wire rod grades used for this purposes have a carbon content from 0.44 to 0.82%. The total draft applied for the diameter range of the finished wires ranges practically from 96% to 72%. Single drafts are dependent on the finished wire diameter and steel grade, and their reduction values range from 17% to 28%. The above data can be varied and modified, depending on drawing conditions, heat treatment, surface treatment and the quality of wire rod available. In the industrial practice of wire manufacture, semi-finished products are normally patented or normalized (high-carbon steel wire with 0.5/1% C content). A global trend towards increasing the manganese content in patented wires has been seen. In Poland, the manganese content of steel wire meant to be used for manufacturing wire rope does not exceed 0.6%, most often being in the 0.3 to 0.6% range.

Results and analysis The purpose of the above-cited tests was to establish the effect of the carbon and manganese percentage contents in different steel grades intended for the manufacture of rope wires. To this end, the results of the Bokov/Sokolov study2 were used. An accurate assessment of the quality of wire to be used for making wire rope based on mechanical and engineering properties is difficult, sometimes very difficult, as three parameters must be taken into account. These

are Rm (the ultimate tensile strength), Nt (the number of twists) and Nb (the number of bends). Hence, the authors have introduced a single-value index, “W,” for wire, which substitutes for these three separate parameters. The level of variation of the “W” index characterizes the influence of wire properties on the quality of ropes in a simpler manner.

Eq. (2)

Moreover, this measure can also be used for the assessment of both rope strand (Wstrand) and rope (Wrope). Each of these indices, i.e. Wwire, Wstrand and Wrope, substitutes for three values, and for rope strands and ropes, many values of various properties. The question of which cases and for which steels it will be more advantageous to apply normalizing or patenting, can be resolved by considering not only a specific level of properties to be obtained, but also the cost of manufacture. In the Bokov/Sokolov study2, eight steel grades were used, with the carbon content ranging from 0.56 to 0.82% and with manganese contents of 0.4 – 0.57 – 0.61 – 0.76 – 0.77 – 1.06% , and with other component contents of: Si – 0.25/0.3%, P – 0.016/0.2%; S – 0.16/0.025%; Cr – 0.07/0.12%; Ni – 0.09/0,15%; and Cu – 0.07/0.12%. The 6.0 mm wire rod was drawn at the plant to 4.0 mm, and after normalizing (furnace temperature was 1020°C, heating time was 171 seconds, the speed of wire rod moving through the furnace was 5.5 m/min) it was further drawn down to 1.8 mm. The wire was then divided into two batches. For the first batch, a normalizing process was carried out, while a patenting process was used for the second batch. The post-treated 1.8 mm wires were then tested to determine their mechanical (Rm,A100,Z), engineering (Nb, Nt) and fatigue (Zg) properties, and then drawn down to 1.0 mm. Part of the wires subject to patenting were tested for abrasion resistance. The normalizing process was conducted on a patenting line where the wires were moved over a lead bath and aircooled. The applied cooling rate, which assured the obtaining of the optimal wire structure and properties, was established based on the diagram of austenite decomposition for the steel grades tested2. The wire patenting process was run on a special laboratory line with an electrical-contact, wire-heating provision. Optimal patenting conditions were selected based on isothermal austenite decomposition diagrams2. Table 1 shows the characteristics of the heat-treated (normalized, patented) 1.8 mm wire. The data there indicate that increasing the manganese content of steel after nor-

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In a 1993 technical report1, I. Ochiai, S. Nishida, H. Tashiro showed an effect of Mn in eutectoid steels on the distribution of CTP curves. Eutectoid steels “A” and “I” contained, respectively, 0.52 and 1.02% Mn. As was shown in their tests, at an Mn content of approximately 1.02%, the curves of austenite decomposition start and end shifted to the right. The authors also found that the Mn content of eutectoid steels does not increase the temperature of transition (Cr and Si increase the transition temperature). The effect of Mn interaction involves the ordering of the structure of cementite in the pearlite, which should not be neglected, particularly when patenting large-diameter wires. As already small amounts of Mn in eutectoid steels ordered the cementite structure in the pearlite, imparting it a laminar pearlite structure. In that same paper, the authors investigated the influence of Mn (0.3% Mn, 0.5% Mn , and 1% Mn) in 2.0 mm steel wire with a carbon content from 0.8 to 0.95 that was patented in lead at 575°C on the tensile strength. The investigation shows that, for steel with a carbon content from 0.82 to 0.92% and a silicon content of 0.2%, increasing the Mn content of steel from 0.3 to 0.5% causes an increase in wire strength by 30 MPa. Further increasing the Mn conent in steel up to as much as 1% results in a relatively small increase in the Rm of 2.0 mm-diameter patented wire. There is little literature available concerning the effect of a large carbon content (0.8% C and above) and a large manganese content (0.8% Mn and above) in steel intended for the manufacture of rope wires. Available publications on this subject generally provide only the mechanical properties (Rm) of the finished wire, and sometimes incomplete engineering properties of finished wires, such as the number of twists (Nt) or the number of bends (Nb). A major drawback in those publications is the lack of the fatigue life of finished wires. However, a relatively comprehensive publication in this field is the study2 carried out under the leadership of Professors: I.I. Bokov and N.W. Sokolov of the Scientific and Research Institute of Tchelabinsk and of the Metallurgical Complex of Beloretsk, entitled “The properties of rope wire of metal of an enhanced manganese content.” Within this work, the authors carried out tests for eight different steel grades that examined the mechanical properties and engineering properties of the wire and did a determination of the fatigue life of wires (as patented and normalized). It is this work that provided the data for the authors’ research.

TECHNICAL PAPERS

malizing (the numerator) causes an increase in the ultimate tensile strength (Rm), while after patenting (the denominator) the tensile strength decreases. The Rm value decreases after patenting with the increase in the manganese content because the higher manganese content of steel requires more time for the complete decomposition of the austenite (regardless of the elevated bath temperature). Moreover, grains formed in the first decomposition period grow with time, resulting in a structure which is more coarse-grained compared to the patenting of low-manganese steel. The tensile strength of low-manganese (0.4%) steel after patenting is higher compared to the one after normalizing. On the contrary, in high-manganese steel, the Rm is higher after normalizing. The tensile strength of steel wires that have high carbon and manganese content after normalizing is similar to that of high-carbon, low-manganese steel after the patenting process. For high-manganese steel with a carbon content of 0.63%, the number of twists (Nt) after normalizing is lower than after patenting. Steel wire with a carbon content of approximately 0.8% and a manganese content from 0.4 to 1.06% have a higher number of twists after patenting than after normalizing. The number of bends for the 1.8 mm wire after heat treatment takes on similar values for normalizing and patenting. Such changes in the engineering properties justify the adoption of the number of twists (Nt) as an indicator in rope wires in the American standards. Table 1 shows that the reduction of area (Z) of steel wires with either a higher or lower carbon content—but with an enhanced manganese content—is lower after normalizing compared to patented wires. The fatigue strength of all the tested steel wire is much higher after normalizing than after patenting. It appears

that the variation in the values of the introduced index “W” highlights the differences between the tested steels, caused by the level of properties. Comparison of the levels of “W” index values should, however, be applied to wires that are heat treated by either patenting or normalizing. The cases under consideration, described in the previous papers, concerned patented and drawn wires3-6. Table 1 shows that, for the normalized steel wire grades examined, both the “Wt” (MPa/1 twist) index and the “Wb” (MPa/1 bend) index increase as the manganese content percentage of the steel increases, and are higher for wires after the normalizing process compared to the patented wires. The values of the (“Wt” and “Wb”) indices of patented wires exhibit a similar variation pattern, while the intensity of their variation being lower. The values of the “W” index vary uniquely for normalized wires. With the increase in the manganese and carbon percentage in the contents, its value increases. On the other hand, the patenting process has a less clear influence on the value of “W.” In the cases under examination, the level of “W” for wires after patenting is higher compared to normalized wires, whereas in the other cases it is significantly lower. Table 2 summarizes the results of measurements and calculations of the properties of 1.0-mm wires obtained from drawing 1.8-mm wire. It follows from Table 2 that, for the examined steel grades (0.62% C and 0.40% Mn, and 0.60% C and 0.61% Mn), the application of the process of patenting of 1.8-mm wire followed by multi-stage drawing makes it possible to obtain wires of tensile strength of 1560 and 1550 MPa, respectively. The occurring variations in the examined properties, i.e. Rm, Nb, Nt , of patented 1.0 mm wire enable the calculation of the values of the “W” indices for these steel grades, as follows: (148.5 MPa/1

Table 1. Table 1. A summary of the calculated values of the Wb, Wt, W indices for 1.8 mm-diameter wires. Note: The fraction numerator = normalized wire and the fraction denominator = patented wire.

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process and drawing to 1.0 mm compared to the patented and drawn wire. The “W” indices for the cases discussed amount to, respectively, 151.9 and 202.8 MPa/1 twist and 1 bend. Steel containing 0.81% C and 0.76% Mn can be counted among the two above-mentioned steels. Wires made of this steel, as normalized and drawn to 1.0 mm, have higher properties compared to patented wires. It should also be mentioned that for all cases of determination of the fatigue life (Zg) on the PT-2 machine, the load of the wire was equal to 10% of the breaking force, and the results summarized in Table 2 represent the mean of three tests. The authors are of the opinion that the accepting average from five specimens should be determined in wire fatigue tests when determining the fatigue life, as given in Table 1 (which would increase the reliability of results). The analysis of the values in Table 2 shows that the properties of 1.0-mm wire, obtained in one case after the normalizing process (the numerator) and in the other case after the patenting process (the denominator), have generally become even. For the examined steels, the “W” index values for normalized wires are lower than for patented wires. The literature2 indicates that wires for high-property ropes can be manufactured by two methods: the first, by increasing the carbon content of steel up to a level of 0.7 ÷ 0.9% but not letting the manganese content of steel exceed 0.5%, then applying the wire patenting process; and the second, by increasing the manganese content of steel up to a level of 0.7/1.2%, with a low-carbon content (approximately. 0.6%), then applying the wire normalizing process. The authors’ view is that by restricting steels to those with a carbon content level of up to approximately 0.6%, as indicated by the data in Table 2, steel with a carbon content of 0.81 and 0.8% for a manganese content from 0.76

Table 2. A summary of the calculated values of the Wt, Wb, and W indices for finished 1.0 mm-diameter wires. Note: The fraction numerator = normalized wire and the fraction denominator = patented wire.

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twist and 1 bend) and (145.9MPa/1 twist and 1 bend). For patented and drawn 1.0 mm-wire made of either steel grade, the respective fatigue life values are: 16,636 cycles and 22,474 cycles. For the examined steel grades (0.62% C; 0.4% Mn; and 0.60% C; 0.61% Mn) from the 1.8-mm wire that was normalized, followed by drawing to 1.0-mm wire, the result was tensile strength values of 1320 and 1370 MPa, which are lower than those of patented wires. This reduction in the strength properties and the changes in the engineering properties have all resulted in a decrease in the “W” index, which, for both (normalized) steel grades examined amounts to, respectively, 143.8 and 128.3 MPa/1 twist and 1 bend. It should also be mentioned that, for the (normalized) steel grades that were examined, the fatigue life is 23,420 cycles and 18,703 cycles, respectively. Similarly higher strength properties after the patenting process, compared to the normalizing process, are exhibited by steels of the following contents: 0.8% C and 0.4% Mn, and 0.82% C and 0.57% Mn. The occurring parameters of Rm, Nb, Nt yielded the following valued of the calculated “W” index: 196.6 and 202.9 MPa/1 twist and 1 bend, while the fatigue life (Zg) amounted to, respectively: 22,811 and 20,615 cycles. The (normalized) 1.0-mm wire made of both steel grades of an enhanced carbon content (0.80 – 0.82% C) and a Mn content from 04 to 0.57% had lower values of ultimate tensile strength compared to the wires after patenting, with their “W” index amounting to, respectively, 160.6 and 167.6 MPa/1 twist and 1 bend. It also follows from Table 2 that the steels with the following contents (Mn 1.08% and 0.63% C, 1.06% Mn and 0.8% C) have a higher Rm and Nt after the normlaizing

TECHNICAL PAPERS

to 1.06% Mn)—for which the wire normalizing process is more advisable than patenting—will not be included. The wire normalizing process produces a uniformly finegrained structure as a result of soaking and relatively quick cooling in calm air. Also, normalizing reduces the banding of the structure which may contain retained austenite. It should also be mentioned that the alloying constituents (of the carbide-forming group) dissolve in the cementite to form an interstitial compound, whose part of the sites allocated to iron are substituted with another carbide-forming element. In particular, chromium and manganese readily dissolve in cementite. The carbide-forming alloying constituents partially dissolve in iron, and partially form carbides. Their distribution to both phases is dependent on the activity of the combination of the element concerned with carbon, and on the quantity of the alloying element and carbon contained in the steel. This quantitative solution/carbide alloying element content ratio changes with heat treatment. Thus, the increased manganese content causes an increase in the strength properties of the wire, and the uniform structure improves the wire engineering properties, such as Nb, Nt. The structure obtained as a result of the resistance patenting process for carbon steels in the temperature range of 450 - 200 C are different from those resulting from the lead patenting process. They may include ferrite and the upper bainite and the lower bainite in their composition. In the patenting process, fragmentation of cementite lamellas and partial dissolution of Fe3C and Mn3C take place in the ferrite, enriching the latter. After the normalizing and patenting processes are applied, the structures of the drawing feed wires will therefore be different and will be subject to a different deformation mechanism. The final properties of the wire after drawing are thus the result of numerous factors related to the characteristics of heat treatment and drawing. It should be noted, however, that contemporary wire patenting methods allow for obtaining much better properties, compared to the traditional methods; hence, a definite assessment of the application of specific heat treatment (patenting, normalizing) should be based on the direct comparison of the properties. The traditional wire patenting process has many drawbacks that include the following: steel grades manufactured by the metallurgical industry are substantially limited, as a consequence of which e.g. low-carbon steel and low-alloy steel are not used for rope wires; the technological process rate is limited by the time of austenite decomposition under isothermal patenting conditions, which, as a consequence, is the reason for using automated patenting lines enabling finished wires to be produced from wire rod by drawing; and the impossibility of obtaining a uniform structure on the entire cross-section when patenting pre-draws with diameters above 7.0 mm with the aim of producing finished wires of diameters above 3.5 mm. The above limitations can be removed to a considerable extent by the application of high-speed electrothermal patenting.

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One of these heat-treatment methods involves a very short time of tempering of martensite-hardened wires. Works7 carried out on this subject report the structural properties of crystalline martensite and the products of its decomposition during heating with the directions (112) or (100). With the short-time heating of martensite up to approximately 500/550°C, a sorbite structure similar to the patented steel structure is obtained, which is, however, characterized by greater dispersion. This method of forming structure has many advantages over patenting, namely: it allows the heat treatment of both low-carbon steels and constructional-class alloy steels; the resulting hardening and tempering allow for practically unlimited increasing of the speed of wire moving through the line; it guarantees the uniformity of structure to be obtained over the cross-section, irrespective of the diameter; and it enables higher strength and plastic properties of finished wires to be obtained.

Conclusions On the basis of the studies and the discussion presented in this paper, the following conclusions and findings have been formulated: With increasing percentage Mn content of steel in the finished steel wires that were examined, it was seen that their ultimate tensile strength decreases after the patenting process, and increases after the normalizing process. As a result of the changes in the strength (Rm) and engineering (Nb, Nt) properties of the patented steel wires that were tested, their “W” index values were found to be higher than those of wires drawn after normalizing. The level of properties of finished wires is influenced by the structure of wires (pre-draws) subjected to heat treatment (by normalizing, patenting) and by various mechanisms of deformation of structural components during wire drawing. The application of the contemporary high-speed electrothermal patenting of pre-draws might change the view on the selection of the heat treatment of pre-draws by either patenting or normalizing, in which the “W” index value would be helpful.

References 1. I. Ochiai, S. Nishida S. and H. Tashiro, “Effect of metallurgical factors on strengthening of steel tire core,” Technical Report: Steel Cord, Wire Association International, 1993. 2. I.I. Bokow and N.W. Sokołow, i inni: Swoista Kanatnoi prowołoki i metałła i powyszennym sodierzaniem manganca. Stalnye Kanat nr. 5 Izd, “Technika”Kijew, 1968, str., pp. 283-286 (in Russian). 3. B. Golis, W. Waszkielewicz, R. Budzik and J.W. Pilarczyk, “Indicators of quality of wire and ropes in wire industry,” Wire Journal International, October 2005, p. 73. 4. W. Waszkielewicz, H. Dyja, B. Golis, J.W. Pilarczyk and R. Budzik, “Application of new indicator for strength

Bogdan Golis is professor of plastic working in the Dept. of Materials Processing Technology and Applied Physics at CUT. He joined the university in 1987 and previously worked in Poland’s Central Laboratory for Metals Products in Zabrze. He has more than 40 years of experience in the wire and rope industry. He is the author or co-author of more than 200 papers. Jan W. Pilarczyk is a professor in the Department of Materials Processing Technology and Applied Physics at Czestochowa University of Technology (CUT), Poland. He works on the development of new technology for wire drawing and metal products. He is the author or co-author of more than 170 papers and is president of the Poland Chapter of WAI. Ryszard Budzik is an associate professor and head of Chair of Management and Logistics at CUT. He has practical experience in metallurgy, management, and evaluation of industrial enterprises. He is the author or co-author of more than 150 papers. Marek Gala is an assistant professor in the Institute of Industrial Electrotechnic at CUT, at which he earned a Ph.D in 2007. He is the author or co-author of more than 20 papers related to quality of electrical energy and application of artifical neural networks in modelling of different devices. Rafal Wludzik is a candidate for a doctoral degree in the department of metallurgy and materials engineering at Czestochowa. He is studying central bursting in

the basis of mechanical properties of wires,” Wire Journal International, September 2005, p. 80. 7. W.N. Gridniew, Perspektiwy primenenia skorostnoi elektrotermi- czeskoj obrobotki w prizwodstwie, Stalnych Kanatow, Stalnyje Kanaty. Izd, “Technika,”Kijew, 1971, str. 292-300 (in Russian). ■

Pilarczyk, Budzik and Golis

Gala

Wludzik

wiredrawing. This paper was presented at WAI’s 78th Annual Convention, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, June 2008.

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characteristic of steel ropes,” Wire Journal International, November 2005, p. 83. 5. B. Golis, J.W. Pilarczyk, H. Dyja, Z. Muskalski and Z. Blazejowski, “Investigations of the aging process of high carbon steel spring wires,” Wire Journal International, August 2009, p. 75. 6. B. Golis, J.W. Pilarczyk, Z. Błazejowski, M. Suliga and T. Małecki, “Calculation of rope fatigue strength on

TECHNICAL PAPERS

TECHNICAL PAPER Effect of mechanical properties on diameter of drawn bars It was found that the diameter of bar steel increased with an increase in carbon and with an increase in total reduction of area, and decreased at low reductions as the annealing temperature increased. By Yuichi Tanaka, Motoo Asakawa, Ryosuke Komami, and Hiroaki Kubota

Demand continues to grow for highly accurate drawn bars and wires for precision forging processes and the study of the dimensional accuracy of drawn bars and wires has become very important. The main factors of the changing diameter are reduction in area, back-tension, thermal expansion of die and mechanical properties of drawn steel materials. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of mechanical properties of drawn bars on diameter. The investigation has shown three results: as the amount of carbon increases, the diameter also increases; as the annealing temperature increases, the diameter decreases at a low reduction in area; and as the total reduction increases, the diameter also increases, which means that the diameter is greatly affected by the amount of carbon, annealing temperature, and total reduction.

Introduction and materials Recently, shafts and precision forged products for the office automation and automobile industries have required an even higher accuracy of drawn bars and wires. Table 1 shows dimensional tolerances. However, the diameter can be beyond the bounds of permissibility. As a result, in forging processes, a defective shape is caused by the dimensional error of drawn bars. In conventional drawing processes, the diameter of

Table 1. Target of dimensional tolerance. 66 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

drawn bar is measured immediately after drawing. If the diameter is beyond the bounds of permissibility, a die hole is modified. Consequently, productivity is decreased due to the increasing dimensional error of drawn bars. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the factors of the changing diameter. The main factors of the changing diameter are reduction in area, back-tension, thermal expansion of a die, and mechanical properties of drawn steel materials1-4. Mechanical properties of drawn bars in final drawing are altered by changing the amount of carbon, total reduction in area and annealing conditions. This paper focuses on the effect of mechanical properties on the diameter of drawn bars.

Materials Table 2 shows the mechanical properties of the material. Drawn bars were used as a material. The kinematic viscosity of the lubricant was 850 cSt (at 40Â°). The die geometry is shown in Fig. 1 and Table 3. The approach semi-angle, Îą, was 7 degrees. The actual measurement value of the die diameter was 11.995 mm. The bearing length was 5 mm and the boundary R between the approach area and the bearing area is very small.

Table 2. Mechanical properties.

TECHNICAL PAPERS Table 3. Die condition.

Fig. 1. Die geometry.

Carbon effect on diameter Experimental conditions. AISI1010, AISI1020, AISI1035 and AISI1048 were used to investigate the effect of the amount of carbon on the diameter. All drawing tests were carried out with a universal tester and at 80 mm/min drawing velocity. Table 4 shows the experimental conditions. The drawing tests were carried out at various reductions in area. Results and discussion. Fig. 2 shows the relationship between the reduction in area and the diameter thickening ratio η in each material. Here η was defined as the thickening percentage based on the die diameter, with η calculated using Eq. (1), where D is the die diameter and d is the drawn bar diameter. η=d-D -------D

x 100

Table 4. Experimental conditions.

Eq. (1)

When η is positive, the diameter of the drawn bar is thicker than the die diameter, but when η is negative, the diameter of the drawn bar is thinner than the die diameter. Whatever the amount of carbon, the diameter thickening ratio had its peak value in reduction in area in the 5 to 10% range. As the reduction in area, Re was increased above Re = 10%, the diameter thickening ratio η

Fig. 2. Relationship between reduction and diameter thickening ratio in each material.

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Fig. 4. Elastic deformation of die.

Fig. 3. Elastic recovery of the material.

increased. However, at low reduction, the diameter thickening ratio η greatly increased. Moreover, as the amount of carbon was increased, the thickening ratio η increased. The difference between the diameter thickening ratio η of AISI1010 and that of AISI1048 was up to 0.15% (18 μm). When the reduction in area Re was in the 8 to 14% range at AISI1010, the diameter of drawn bars was thinner than the die diameter. To clarify the phenomenon that the diameter thickening ratio η increased with the amount of carbon, the influencing factors of the diameter are considered to be the elastic recovery of the materials and elastic deformation of the die. Fig. 3 shows elasticity recovery of the materials and Fig. 4 shows elastic deformation of the die. Compared with elasticity recovery of low carbon, that of high carbon is larger in the condition of equal reduction. See Fig. 3. The die pressure of high carbon is higher than that of low carbon, therefore it is considered that the diameter thickening ratio η increased with the amount of carbon. Another factor considered was that the diameter thickening ratio η increased with an increase in the reduction in area above Re = 10%. Compared with elasticity recovery of low reduction, that of high reduction is larger (See Fig. 3). Die pressure of high reduction is larger than that of low reduction. Therefore it is considered that the reduction in area Re was increased with the diameter thickening ratio η. However, the diameter thickening ratio η greatly increased as the reduction in area Re decreases below the reduction in

Table 5. Experimental conditions.

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area 10%. It is considered that the tendency was caused by initial residual stress. The effect of residual stress on the diameter of drawn bars is described in the next section.

Annealing temperature effect on diameter Experimental conditions. The effect of annealing temperature on diameter was investigated. AISI1035 was used as a material. Table 5 shows the experimental conditions. First, the bars were drawn at a reduction in area of Re = 10% to give residual stress. Second, annealing was carried out at annealing temperature T = R.T. 400, 580, 650 and 800° to investigate the effect of residual stress and material strength on diameter. Finally, the annealed bars were drawn at reduction in area rates of Re = 3%, 8% and 14%. Results and discussion. Fig. 5 shows relationship between annealing temperature, ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and residual stress at AISI1035. Compared with the material strength of no annealing, that of annealing temperature T = 400° was equal. At an annealing temperature range from T = 400° to 650°, as the annealing temperature was increased, the material strength decreased. Above the annealing temperature of T = 650°, material strength decreased slightly. The residual stress decreased with an increase in the annealing temperature and it disappeared at an annealing temperature of T = 650 . Fig. 6 shows the relationship between the reduction in area and the diameter thickening ratio η at each annealing

Table 6. Experimental conditions.

TECHNICAL PAPERS

Stress σ MPa

temperature. Compared with the diameter thickening ratio η of no annealing at an annealing temperature of T = 400°, both of them had its peak values. However, the diameter thickening ratio η at an annealing temperature of T = 400° was less than that of no annealing in the 3 to 8% range of reduction in area. The diameter thickening ratio η at an annealing temperature of T = 400° was equal to no annealing in the 8% to 14% range of reduction in area. There was no difference in material strength between no annealing and with an annealing temperature of T = 400°. Therefore, the difference of diameter is considered to be due to the initial residual stress. Compared with the diameter thickening ratio η at annealing temperatures of T = 580° and 800°, neither T = 580° nor 800° had its peak values. The diameter thickening ratio η at an annealing temperature of T = 580° was thicker than that at an annealing temperature T = 800° in the overall range of reduction in area. Both annealing temperatures T = 580° and 800° had no initial residual stress. There was a difference in material strength between annealing temperatures of T = 580° and 800°. The difference of diameter thickening ratio η is considered to be due to the difference in material strength. Fig. 7 shows the relationship between the initial axial residual stress and the diameter thickening ratio η in each reduction. As the residual stress increased, the diameter thickening ratio η increased at reduction in area Re = 3%. The diameter thickening ratio η did not change at a reduction in area of Re = 8. 14%, although the initial residual stress increased. It is considered that the diameter was affected by the initial residual stress at low reduction. At a low reduction, the initial residual stress has affected the diameter because the plastic strain of the bar is small. On the other hand, at a high reduction, the initial reduction stress has no influence on the diameter because the bar deforms plasticity thoroughly. Therefore, the results indicated that the diameter depends on the sum of effect of elasticity recovery, elastic deformation, and initial residual stress shown in Fig. 8. At low reduction, the initial residual stress is a predominating factor of changing the diameter. At high reduction, the effect of initial residual stress is small, and elasticity recovery and elastic deformation are a predominating factor of changing the diameter. The phenomenon mentioned as described previously, namely, that the diameter increased as the reduction in area decreased below the reduction in area Re = 10%, is explainable in the same way.

Fig. 5. Relationship between annealing temperature and ultimate strength, yield strength and residual stress (AISI1035).

Fig. 6. Relationship between the reduction and diameter thickening ratio in each annealing temperature (AISI1035).

Fig. 7. Relationship between initial axial residual stress and diameter thickening ratio in each reduction (AISI1035).

NOVEMBER 2009 | 69

TECHNICAL PAPERS

Total reduction in area effect on diameter

Fig. 8. Effect of residual stress, elasticity recovery and elastic deformation on diameter.

Fig. 9. Relationship between the total reduction in area and the diameter thickening ratio in each material.

Experimental conditions. The effect of total reduction on diameter was investigated. The total reduction was increased by multi-pass drawing. Table 6 shows the experimental conditions. The total reduction in area was ranged from 20% to 50%. Every final drawing was set at a reduction in area of Re = 10%. Results and discussion. Fig. 9 shows the relationship for each material between the total reduction and the diameter thickening ratio η, which increased with the total reduction in area. The difference between the diameter thickening ratio of Re = 20% and that of Re = 50% was 0.06% in AISI1048. The diameter thickening ratio η of AISI1010 and AISI1020 was much smaller than that of AISI1035. It is believed that the phenomenon was caused by the difference in material strength. The influencing factors of the diameter are considered to be material strength. Consequently, after multipass drawing, the yield stress of drawn bars was measured. Fig. 10 shows the relationship between the yield stress of drawn bars and the diameter thickening ratio η in each material. Those of AISI1035 and AISI1048 were on the same straight line. However, those of AISI1010 and AISI1020 were much lower than those of AISI1035 and AISI1048. It is considered that the diameter was changed by factors other than material strength. The difference between the diameter thickening ratio η of low carbon and high carbon is considered to be due to the effect of work-hardening exponent. The relationship between the work-hardening exponent and the stress-strain diagram is shown in Fig. 11. The stress in boundary increased as the workhardening exponent decreased because the energy necessary for the transformation is large at low work-hardening exponent. As a result, it is considered that the diameter decreased. The work-hardening exponent of AISI1010 and AISI1020 was much smaller than those of AISI1035 and AISI1048. See Table 2). It is considered that the difference between the diameter thickening ratios η of low carbon and of high carbon caused the material strength and the difference in work-hardening exponent.

Conclusions

Fig. 10. Relationship between the yield stress of drawn bar and diameter thickening ratio in each material.

70 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

To evaluate the effect of mechanical properties of drawn bars on diameter, drawing tests were carried out that applied a reduction in area in the 2% to 25% range by semi-pass, with an annealing temperature in the 400° to 800°

References

TECHNICAL PAPERS

range, and a total reduction in area in the 20% to 50% range by multi-pass. AISI1010 (0.1% plain carbon steel), AISI1020 (0.20% plain carbon steel), AISI1035 (0.35% plain carbon steel) and AISI1048 (0.48% plain carbon steel) drawn bars were used. The results obtained in this research were as follow: 1. Whatever the amount of carbon in drawn bars, the diameter thickening ratio η has its peak value in the 5% to 10% range of reduction in area. 2. As the amount of carbon is increased, the diameter thickening ratio η increases too. The difference between the diameter thickening ratio η of AISI1010 and that of AISI1048 is up to 0.15 % (18 μm). 3. Ata reduction in area of Re = 3%, the diameter thickening ratio η decreases with an increase in annealing temperature T. The difference between the diameter thickening ratio η of no annealing and that at an annealing temperature of T = 800° is 0.14% in AISI1035 4. The diameter thickening ratio η of no annealing and annealing temperature T = 400° had its peak values. However, neither annealing temperature T = 580° nor 800° had peak value rates. 5. As the total reduction in area is increased, the diameter thickening ratio η increases. The difference between the diameter thickening ratio of the reduction in area Re = 20% and that of Re = 50% is 0.06% in AISI1048.

Fig. 11. Relationship between work-hardening exponent and stress-strain diagram.

2. W. Lüg and A. Pomp, Stahl und Eisen, 61, 1941, pp. 11691172. 3. H. Kubota, Effect of Back-Tension in Drawing on Diameter of Bar and Wire, Wire Association International, Wire Expo 2006 Proceedings, pp. 112-123. 4. R. Komami, Effect of Thermal Expansion of Die on the Accuracy of Drawn Bars and Wires, Wire Association International 2007 Proceedings. ■

1. W. Lüg and O. Pawelski, Stahl und Eisen, 80, 1960, pp. 343-350.

Tanaka

Asakawa

Yuichi Tanaka is a student in the Department of Applied Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering at the School of Fundamental Science and Engineering of Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. Dr. Motoo Asakawa is a professor in the mechanical engineering department at Waseda’s school of science and engineering. He came to the university 10 years ago from Sumitomo Metals Co. He has studied both the process engineering and materials engineering of the mechanical parts of cars, trains, aircraft, and construction and electric devices.

Komami

Kubota

He earned a doctoral degree in bar and rod rolling from Waseda in 1980. He is a recipient of Japan’s Okochi Memorial Prize, the Society for Technology of Plasticity Prize, the Institute of Metals Prize, and Iron & Steel Institute Prize. Ryosuke Komami and Hiroaki Kubota are graduate students in Waseda’s school of science and engineering. This paper was presented at WAI’s 78th Annual Convention, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, June 2008.

NOVEMBER 2009 | 71

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

PRODUCTS & MEDIA PRODUCTS Slickline wire offers longer life Sweden’s Sandvik Materials Technology reports that it has introduced a range of bright-finish slicklines that it said offers significant benefits over traditional matte surface lines. Also known as wirelines, the slicklines are single strands of metal wire used by operators of oil and gas wells to lower heavy tools and equipment into a well. A press release said that the Sandvick slicklines offer greater life expectancy than traditional matte finish lines, with tests showing that the product provides more than 15% better fatigue resistance. That, it noted, means there will be fewer line replacements, which reduces operational costs. It added that the lower friction rate of the brightsurface slickline also means longer life expectancy for pulleys, sheaves and counters. It added that the slicklines can also reduce friction in the stuffing box, preventing a troubling “wire wool” condition. The release notes that the company’s lines of wirelines traditionally have high corrosion-resistance, high mechanical strength and uniform tensile properties, but due to the nature and type of slickline applications, even alloy lines can, over prolonged periods, become susceptible to corrosive attack. “These new bright finish slicklines, with their smooth surfaces, significantly reduce microscopic pores which can lead to pitting, especially on the section of the line exposed to the aggressive conditions encountered in the deepest part of a well,” it said. Contact: Sandvik Materials Technology, tel. 46-26-26-30-00, www.smt.sandvik.com/wire.

Crosshead technology covers wider core range, offers more savings in materials Austria’s Rosendahl GmbH has expanded its line of extrusion crosshead technology so that it can now process any size or type of cable while helping customers reduce manufacturing costs related to material usage. A press release said that the Rosendahl Crosshead Series can process crossheads for cables with a core diameter from

72 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

0.03 mm up to 110 mm while meeting all the needs and requirements for different cable types. It further notes that a new distributor design optimizes homogeneous material flow independent on the processed materials and output. That, it said, provides high centricity and makes it possible to produce to a reduced average wall thickness, which in turn lowers manufacturing costs. As a supplier of both crossheads and complete extrusion lines, the company notes that it has a comprehensive understanding of the overall polymer extrusion process. Its simulation technology makes it possible to compute pressure, temperature rise, velocity, stress and strain rate distributions over the entire simulation domain, the release said, adding that Rosendahl’s research, which includes cooperation with university institutes and polymer manufacturers, has made it possible to offer a material database that includes standard as well as special material (foamed material blends, LSOH, XLPE, etc.) to guarantee manufacturers can achieve perfect extrudate quality. Contact: Rosendahl GmbH, tel. 43-3113-5100-0, www.rosendahlaustria.com.

New indicator makes it easier to integrate non-contact encoders U.S.-based Beta LaserMike has released a new indicator, model DP500, to complement its line of LaserSpeed® noncontact length and speed encoders and make it even easier to integrate a LaserSpeed encoder into any process. The DP500 connects directly to any series LaserSpeed via a 25-pin cable, a press release said. No other breakout terminals or power supplies are needed and the DP500 will indicate length and speed as well as the status of the gauge, it said. Two contact closures can be used to trigger events based on length or speed. “For example, they can be used to trigger the ramp down of a roll and also trigger to change the roll.” The LaserSpeed series of measurement gauges were

Company expands line with 2 products U.S.-based General Cable Corporation has expanded its Carol® Brand Electronics offering to include the Sheer Wire™ Residential and Pro AV cabling series, which the company describes as being “the optimal solution for customers looking for complete control of their residential or commercial audio, video lighting, and automation systems.” Bolstered by its Gepco-Isotec acquisition, General Cable has bolstered its Carol brand name with the following additions: cables for use with Crestron® and AMX® Systems; cables for use with Lutron® and Vantage® Systems; cables for use with Elan® Home Systems; Indoor/Outdoor HighResolution Speaker Cables; and 25 AWG Solid and Stranded RGB cables— plenum and non-plenum. Carol Brand Sheer Wire, it said, can deliver a complete line of U.S.-made interconnect solutions specifically designed for high-end residential and commercial audio, video, networking, automation, and lighting applications such as: custom home theaters; corporate conferencing; home automation structured wiring; lighting systems; A/V systems; touch panel integration; and in-wall or outdoor audio. “With the Carol Brand Sheer Wire series, we now offer our customers a complete security, commercial and home automation solutions package from one source,” the release said. Contact: General Cable Corporation, www.generalcable.com.

Company to offer equipment with new high-convection annealing technology SECO/WARWICK USA (SW) reports that via its 50-50 joint venture with India’s SECO WARWICK Allied Pvt. Ltd. (SWA), it will offer H2-HC (high-convection) hydrogen bell annealing and steel reheat furnaces in North America. A press release said that SWA has been designing and manufacturing equipment for the steel industry since 1971, and that its technology will be adapted for the NAFTA region.

The manufacturing will be done at SW’s 110,000-sqft facility in the U.S. SWA, it said, has supplied more than 200 H2 annealing bases, with capacities up to 120 metric tons. The release noted the following: the H2-HC system may be used for both wide and narrow width coils using cracked NH3/H2 gas as a protective atmosphere. The system uses high convection heat transfer with hydraulic clamping and mechanical locks for safe operation. Dehumidification and coil cooling and storage systems are available. High convection heat transfer provides optimum temperature uniformity, which, in turn, produces a higher quality crystalline structure, reduced decarburization and homogeneous physical properties of the annealed material. Contact: SECO/WARWICK USA, tel. 814-332-8400, info@secowarwick.com, www.secowarwick.com.

Wire coating said ideal for fencing U.S.-based Bekaert Corporation, part of Belgium’s Bekaert Engineering, is targeting the fencing industry for a coating product, Bezinal®, that it said represents a cost-effective way to enable wire products from 1.60 mm to 3.50 mm to be painted. The company said that its Benzinal coating, already successfully used for the agriculture sector, offers a lot of potential options for chain-link fencing manufacturers to offer custom products. The combination of the coating, which is 95% zinc and 5% aluminum, along with the desired layer of paint, provides excellent corrosion protection, it said. Painted wires, it noted, can be used to blend a steel fence or add differentiation for fences as well as for a variety of other wires, such as springs or mesh-type products, it said. “The options and applications are numerous and the performance is excellent in outdoor environments.” The Bezinal coating. a hot-dip, flash coating, represents a cheaper alternative than a PVC-coating and other such technologies, a press release said. Contact: Bekaert Corporation, tel. 800-555-1775, www.bekaert.com.

NOVEMBER 2009 | 73

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

designed to be drop-in replacements for any type of mechanical encoder, the release noted. “They have proven to provide a typical return-on-investment of less than two months, with those savings achieved through increased accuracy, reduced scrap, less product give-away, reduction of charge-backs from short rolls or lengths and reduced maintenance/calibration costs (i.e., improved uptime). Contact: Beta LaserMike, tel. 937-233-9935, www.betalasermike.com.

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MEDIA Brochure lists measuring technology Swiss-based Zumbach Electronics AGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s On-line Profile Measuring & Monitoring Systems Brochure highlights the advantages of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PROFILEMASTERÂŽ line of modular non-contact measuring systems for extruded profiles made of plastic, rubber or compound materials. The catalog, which can be downloaded at the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website, is compact, informative and detailed, is available in several languages, a press release said. It noted that the brochure shows the abilities of Zumbachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on-line profile measuring and monitoring systems for any continuously

produced profile of any shape and any material. The PROFILEMASER uses a laser-based light section principle in combination with a CCD camera. A sophisticated contour matching algorithm is used to compare numerous data points with the coordinates of a CAD drawing, it noted. The brochure overviews the many different available models via the electronic copies available at its website. Hard copies are available upon request. Contact: Zumbach Electronics Corp., tel. 914-241-7080, sales@zumbach.com, www.zumbach.com.

Book updates steel wire technology Swedish author Per Enghag reports that Steel Wire Technology, Ed. No. 4, represents a â&#x20AC;&#x153;bridge over the gap between theory and practice,â&#x20AC;? providing useful information as well as new material that is useful for both veteran wire industry people as well as mechanical engineering students. Enghag said that Ed. 4 includes two new chapters: Roller Dies, and Modeling and Simulation. Topics in the 350-page soft-cover book include: wire rod preparation and scale removal; drafting; tribology, lubricant carriers and lubricants; drawing machines and other wiredrawing machinery; drawing dies and die preparation; wire cleaning; material behavior

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WAI WANTS TO HARNESS YOUR EXPERTISE for Wire Expo 2010

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2010 MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, USA MIDWEST AIRLINES CENTER

ABSTRACT DEADLINE: DECEMBER 7, 2009 AUTHOR NOTIFICATION: JANUARY 4, 2010 MANUSCRIPT DEADLINE: MARCH 1, 2010

CALLING ALL EXPERTS Do you crimp, solder, or form wire? Do you mark, treat, test, assemble, package, or analyze it? Whatever your wire or cable discipline is, WAI wants your article ideas as it develops the technical program for Wire Expo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, May 12-13, 2010. Qualified experts in these areas and the topics listed below are invited to submit an article abstract. Accepted papers will be scheduled for presentation at Wire Expo and will be automatically considered for publication in Wire Journal International after the conference. WAI welcomes articles in the electrical, ferrous, nonferrous, and general sectors. And because Wire Expo will co-locate with The National Electricl Wire Processing Technology Expo, special focus will be on submissions defined by the electrical processing technology topics that you know so well. DESIRABLE TOPICS INCLUDE: • Application of non-traditional metals • Quality (statistics and testing) • Approval agencies • Surface treatment and powder • Environmental regulations coating • Failure analysis • Terminal technology • “Green” processes • Workplace safety • Laser marking Submit a 50-word abstract online at http://www.wirenet.org/technical/submit.htm or contact Marc Murray at mmurray@wirenet.org or Tel.: 203-453-2777, ext. 121 for more details.

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in a die; heat treatment; drawing force and power; surface coating; work hardening; and wire testing. Some chapters have been updated to present new production and testing methods, a press release said. The “Steel” chapter, now “Steel and Steel Standards,” includes a review of global steel standards. The “Heat Treatment” chapter now includes oxygen potential data (Ellingham diagrams) and thermodynamic principles in heat treatment are presented. Diffusion processes have been introduced and utilized for decarburization calculations. The book is a practical resource for technicians, supplementary reading for students in mechanical engineering or as course literature within the own company. It can be ordered at WAI’s Book Store at www.wirenet.org or by contacting the author, who holds a doctorate in chemistry. He was director of The Swedish School of Mining and Metallurgy in the

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1960s, worked for Garphyttan in the 1970s, and since 1980 has run his own company, Materialteknik (Applied Materials Technology) in Örebro, Sweden. Contact: Per Enghag, Applied Materials Technology, per.enghag@telia.com.

Fastener supplier launches 2 websites U.S.-based Lindstrom Metric, LLC has launch a new website, www.lindfastgrp.com, as well as one for Mega Metric, a division of Lindstrom Metric, LLC, www.megametric.com. A press release said that website visitors will be able to download the new Lindstrom Technical Manual either completely or by individual page, view the services and product range offered by either company and connect via e-mail to sales and management personnel. From the contact link, visitors can also connect via e-mail to the outside sales representative responsible by state for Lindstrom and/or Mega, it said. Contact: Lindstrom Fastener Group, tel. 763-780-4200, 800-328-2430, www.lindfastgrp.com or www.megametric.com. ■

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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES MANUFACTURER'S REP WANTED to sell diamond wire drawing dies. Contact: Electronic Material Sales, 11 Algonquin Lane, Brunswick ME 04011, Phone 207-373-0314, dwiredies @ gmail.com.

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tapered nibs. Fast turn-around. Quality service since 1985. Tel. 904-388-3654. AJEX & TURNER WIRE DIES CO. offers a wide range of PCD/nd/carbide dies, extrusion tools, die polishing machine, ceramic and diamond tools. Please visit our company web site: www.ajexturner.com. Send inquiry to

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PERSONNEL SERVICES “LET OUR SUCCESS BE YOUR SUCCESS” Wire Resources is the foremost recruiting firm in the Wire & Cable Industry. Since 1967 we have partnered with industry manufacturers to secure the services of thousands of key individual contributors, managers and executives. For corporations we provide recruitment, outplacement, and salary assessment functions. For the professional exploring a new opportunity, we provide career evaluation and guidance. Our services are performed in absolute confidence. Contact: E-mail Peter Carino at pcarino@wireresources.com or Jack Cutler at jcutler@wireresources.com, or visit the Wire Resources website at w w w. w i r e r e s o u r c e s . c o m . Wi re Resources, Inc., 522 E. Putnam Ave, Greenwich, CT 06830, 203-622-3000 or 800-394-WIRE.

DIES MOLONEY DIE COMPANY. Low prices on all sizes of new, used and recut carbide dies. We also recut

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REELS REELS: NEW HIGH QUALITY ABS COPPER WIRE PROCESSING REELS FOR IMMEDIATE SALE. DONNELLY REELS has a surplus of high quality ABS plastic copper wire processing reels, available immediately, at discounted prices. These “Super Tough” reels have proven themselves in wire drawing, bunching, stranding and general shop use. The sizes that are currently available for immediate sale are: 22”x15”x5”, 24.8” (630mm) x15”x5”, 24.8” (630mm) x 11”x5”. Samples can be provided. Requests for additional sizes and constructions are also available. Please contact Mitch Jacobsen by e-mail at mjacobsen@kinreiusa.com or by telephone at 973-494-6143 for additional information.

OPPORTUNITIES COMMISSION OPPORTUNITY. An ISO CERTIFIED Co. mfg. Crossheads, Inline Heads, Tips, Dies, Breaker Plates, Clamps, Injection Non

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MEDIA ELECTRICAL WIRE HANDBOOK. This three soft-cover book set examines materials, equipment and products. They include sections on electrical conductors, insulating materials, extrusion equipment, power transmission, building wire, flexible cords

Please e-mail the requested information to: WAI’s Cindy Kirmss at ckirmss@wirenet.org. For more details, you can call her at 203-453-2777, ext. 116.

and cables, control and signal cables, communication cables, magnet wire, heater wire and more. Part 1 is Wire and Cable Production Materials, Part 2 is Wire and Cable Production Processes and Part 3 is Types of Cables. Parts 1 and 2 are now available, but the original handbook will still be available until Part 3 is published separately. List Price: $99, WAI Member Price: $59. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on The WAI Bookstore. THE BOOK OF WIRE & CABLE TERMS. This 350-page book is an indispensable publication covering both ferrous and nonferrous terminology. More than 5,000 entries are offered. Price $75, $50 for WAI members, plus shipping. INTRODUCTION TO EXTRUSION SET (DVD). This video series (total running time of 1 hr., 45 min.) by extrusion expert Tom Black includes Part 1, Materials & Equipment (50 min.), and Part 2, Extrusion Processing (55 min). List Price: $425, WAI Member Price: $325. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on The WAI Bookstore. WIRE BREAKS, by Horace Pops and Julie Steininger. 2003, 49 pages. Breakage of copper, steel, or aluminum wire is a very common and costly problems facing the wire industry today. List price: $15, WAI member price: $10. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on The WAI Bookstore. ■

ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE

Alloy Wire International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Eurolls Group/Teurema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Amaral Automation Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

George Evans Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Anbao Wire & Mesh Co Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Filtertech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Beta LaserMike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Mario Frigerio SpA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Bongard Trading GmbH & Co KG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

T Fukase & Co Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Cable Components Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 2

Huestis Industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Carris Reels Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Kiswire Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

CERSA-MCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Lamnea Bruk USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Commission Brokers Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Lesmo Machinery America Inc/OM Lesmo . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Condat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Mathiasen Machinery Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Esteves Group USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Micro Products Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

PLEASE VISIT US AT WIRE SOUTHEAST ASIA BOOTH #B02 WAREHOUSE SPACE AVAILABLE: PAWTUCKET, RI - ATTLEBORO, MA - MORVEN, NC - BONHAM TX

RECENT PURCHASES — INVENTORY HIGHLIGHTS TKU1149 NEXTROM Take ups EKP-63 Yr. 2000 Never used/(4) EKP 50, Yr. 1998, TKU1118-1121/EKP-5, Yr. 2001 (2) WRD890 (4) SAMP TR2TP Wire Drawing/Annealing /Preheating Yr. 2000 Never Used. WRD887 820 mm SAMP Drop Coiler, Model AS/3-820, Yr. 1999 CLR214 SKALTEK MRS260 Coiler w/CS260 Stacker/Accum. CBR1040 Entwistle 30” Payoff Neutralizer, 6 pos, (flyer arm style) CBR998 (8) SETIC 630mm PA630i D.T. Twinners, 1998. CBR1000 84” CABALLE/KALMAR/POURTIER Drum Twisting Line, 1990’s. CBR995/CBR989 630mm MGS & TEC, 800mm NMC D.T. Twinners. PAY1540 CLIPPER Driven Flyer Payoff Jacks, with 24” & 30” dual cone flyers. MGS/BARTELL Payoffs 60”, 72”, 84”, 96” Take ups 60”, 84” 96” (some rebuilt) EXPL347 2 1/2” D.STD./SAMP Tandem Wire Dwg Insul Line w/2 1/2” & 1 1/4” extruders, 630mm Samp dual T/U, Yr. 2005. EXPL325 4 1/2“ Jacketing Line w/2) 60” Belt Caterpullers, 96” Portal P/O, T/U, 30” multipass capstan.

EXPL319 (2) DEANGELI/SAMP 45mm Hi Temp Lines w/Zumbach Preheater, SS multipass capstan, 560mm dual parallel axis take ups. EXPL304 ROSENDAHL Skin-Foam-Skin Ins Line, 2000, Henrich annealer, preheater, 60/45/30mm extruders w/gas inj., multi cap, Rosendahl DIN500 dual T/U. HI TEMP EXTRUDERS: (YR 1998): EXP770 1 1/2” D.STD.24:1, EXP666 2” D.STD. 30:1. EXRL38 3 1/2”/ 1 1/4” AMERICAN KUHNE XLPE, CV Line, 2001, Endex CC18 18” Drop Coiler, multipass capstan. EXR172/171/168 4 1/2”, 3 1/2”, 6“ D.STD. 20:1 Rubber Extruders, roller feed water cooled. BPK055 (2) 14” BONGARD TW470-KT Barrel Packers, 1999/2000 CLR214 SKALTEK MPS-260 Automatic Coiling Line for 250mm coils, CS260 pallet stacker. RWD359 2.6m SKALTEK Rewind Line. A264K P/O, S60/L100 line controls., meas. mach. Guide roller assy. U26T T/U. RWD445 (7) CLIPPER Dual S/T Rewinders, SP16, SP18, SP24, SP6.5

PREOWNED HIGH QUALITY WIRE, CABLE & OPTICAL CABLE MANUFACTURING MACHINERY AVAILABLE EX-STOCK FROM SIX US WAREHOUSE LOCATIONS.

NOVEMBER 2009 | 79

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE

Niehoff GmbH & Co KG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 3

Witels Albert USA Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Paramount Die Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Wyrepak Industries Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Pittsfield Plastics Eng Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Zumbach Electronics Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 4

Pressure Welding Machines Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Queins & Co GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 REELEX Packaging Solutions Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Sanxin Wire Die, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Sikora International Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Sjogren Industries Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL ADS Wire Expo 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-19 Reference Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Wire Expo 2010 Call for Papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Talladega Machinery & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Tubular Products Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Windak Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

WIRE JOURNAL I N T E R N A T I O N A L

NORTH AMERICA

EUROPE

Robert J. Xeller Anna Bzowski Wire Journal International 1570 Boston Post Road P.O. Box 578 Guilford, CT 06437-0578 USA Tel: 203-453-2777 Fax: 203-453-8384 sales@wirenet.org

U.K., France, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Denmark & Scandinavia Jennie Franks David Franks & Co. 63 St. Andrew’s Road Cambridge CB4 1DH, England Tel/fax: 44-1223-360472 franksco@btopenworld.com

80 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

SALES OFFICES ASIA/WAI INDIA OFFICE Germany, Austria, & Switzerland Dagmar Melcher Media Service International P.O. Box 103 D-82402 Seeshaupt Germany Tel: 49-8801-914682 Fax: 49-8801-914683 dmelcher@t-online.de

Wire & Cable Services Pvt. Ltd. (WCS) sales@wirenet.org

Innovation & Latest Technology For In-line Proﬁle Measurement

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Zumbach Electronic India Pvt. Ltd. – INDIA Zumbach Electronic Srl – ITALY Zumbach Electrónica S.L. – SPAIN Zumbach Electronics Far East – TAIWAN Zumbach Electronics Ltd. – UK Zumbach Electronics Corp. – USA

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