Wire Bulletin - Jul 10

VOLUME I | ISSUE III | JULY 2010

Rs. 125

WIRE BULLETIN India’s Quarterly Bulletin Dedicated to the Wire and Cable Industry

ASK THE EXPERT

CII and Messe Düsseldorf will showcase Wire & Cable India

Q: What method should be used

to ensure the best alignment of a wire within plastic insulation?

Q: What is the advantage of using a fixed center cross head?

See answer on p. 11

The entrance to the tented area that housed Wire & Cable India 2008 in Mumbai, India.

NEWS BITES • France-based Renault, one of the leading car makers in Europe, has nominated Chandigarh-based Steel Strips Wheels (SSWL) to source their requirements of steel wheel rims from their new prestigious project in Europe.

• The Government of Maharashtra has signed 12 memoranda of understandings (MOUs) with companies to set up projects in Maharashtra worth Rs 3,822.86 crore over the next few years.

This includes a plant to manufacture steel billets.

QUOTABLE QUOTES “

A quarter of our Asia Pacific installation has happened in India. The booming medical business and the population of the country make it a potential market for our technology-enabled surgical solutions.” ~ Stefan Vilsmeier, President and Chief Executive Officer, BrainLAB

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the leading industrial body engaged in organising international trade fairs and Messe Düsseldorf, the successful organiser of international trade fairs for the wire, cable, and tube industries, will jointly

organise Wire & Cable India, November 18-20, 2010, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai. An agreement to this effect was recently signed by Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, and Hans-Werner Reinhard, Vice President of Messe Düsseldorf, Germany.

The organisers believe this move will boost wire and cable companies in India and worldwide. “The two leading trade fair organisers pooling their strengths and expertise makes the platform even more attractive to international export-oriented companies to enter the Indian growth market,” said Banerjee. Reinhard welcomed the union as an excellent supplement to Messe Düsseldorf’s international trade fair portfolio. “The Indian market is becoming increasingly important for the wire and cable industry, primarily due to continued on p. 3

Editorial .............................. 2 World Calendar ................... 3 Industry News ..................... 4 People ................................ 6 Featured Concepts .............. 7 Production Tips ................. 10 Products, Media, & Technology..................... 11 Technical Article................ 12 Classified & Ad Showcase.......................... 16

India is charting a grand scheme targeting its rural outback to reach telecom and broadband services to each of its 6,26,000 villages, using funds to the tune of USD 3.5 billion lying unutilised in a dedicated fund.

Outlining the contours of this ambitious programme, Minister of State for Communications and IT, Sachin Pilot, said in an interaction with the media that 11,000 communication towers will be set up for the purpose – several in villages bordering Bangladesh and Pakistan. “We are close to launching a programme of putting up these towers in villages where the population is less than 500 people and sometimes less than 200. It will be deployed by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.,” said the minister.

Ducab gains market share in India UAE-based cable manufacturer Ducab, while announcing global sales of Dh 2.4 billion during 2009, a fall of 27 per cent from the previous year as a result of a dip in global copper prices, stated that the company has gained majority market share in India as a provider of imported copper rods. “This has resulted in over 25 per cent of the cable and enamelled wire manufactured in India with imported copper now being made out of Ducab copper,” it said in a statement. The company, whose major shareholders are Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), will export 75-80 per cent of its production to the GCC countries, India, Hong Kong, Singapore and North Africa, and the rest will be for the local market.

According to Ahmad Al Shaikh, Chairman of Ducab, the company commands a 50 per cent share of the UAE cable market and it aims to have a 25 per cent share in all GCC countries. “We will focus now on the entire Middle East and Africa regions.

These are high-demand markets,” Al Shaikh was reported to have told the media in the UAE. Some of the major UAE projects for which Ducab supplied cables in the last few years were inaugurated in 2009, including the Burj Khalifa and the F1 Yas Marina Circuit, involving collaborations with companies like ETA and Siemens. For the F1 Yas Marina Circuit alone, nearly Dh 100 million worth of power cables were sourced from Ducab.

Late last year, the company began construction of its Dh 500 million manufacturing facility that will produce up to 30,000 tonnes of high-voltage cables.|WB

Bekaert opens technical centre in Pune

IN THIS ISSUE:

Broadband in every Indian village: minister

In order to support Bekaert’s customers in India with enhanced technical services in the form of product quality testing, technical assessments and related dedicated assistance, Bekaert India opened a technical centre at Ranjangaon near Pune.

It was inaugurated by HRH Prince Philippe of Belgium. Also present on the occasion were His Excellency Steven Vanackere, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Institutional Reform, and Baron Paul Buysse, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bekaert. The delegation’s visit was a part of the framework of the Belgian Economic Mission to India.

Speaking on the occasion, Baron Paul Buysse said: “The progressive growth of our activities in India is a good illustration of the potential the country has to offer.

With the creation of the technical centre and the planned expansions of our current

He added that all the service providers— private or state-run—have been allowed to install telecom towers to receive signals within 500 metres near the international borders to strengthen the existing communication system in rural areas. According to Pilot, many of the towers will be in the tribal belts of Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, and Assam in the northeast, as the government’s priority, as opposed to that of private players, which was to get villages into the telecom loop as well. The finance will come from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) that is collected by the government from private players to meet the demands of rural connectivity.

Around Rs 17,000 crore (USD 3.5 billion) is lying in the fund, and experts believe that this is enough to connect not just every district but also all of India’s development blocks with fiber-optic cable and towers for high-speed communications. Pilot, who is an alumnus of the Wharton Business School and St. Stephen’s College, said that communications will be a great unifier and bridge the digital divide so that the ‘other India’ in the hinterland also has access to high-speed data and telecom.|WB A D V E R T I S M E N T

Opening of the Bekaert Technical Centre at the hands of HRH Prince Philippe of Belgium. capacity, our Indian operations will play an increasingly important role within the global manufacturing platform of Bekaert.”

He further added: “Bekaert is responding to an increased demand for steel cord reinforcement solutions in India as tyre continued on p. 3

J U LY 2 0 1 0

EDITORIAL

M

oving as we do into the second half of the year with the expectation that the monsoon will be normal across the country and India will continue to steamroll

WIRE BULLETIN Publisher | Steven J. Fetteroll Editor | Huned Contractor Contributing Writer | Mark Marselli

ahead with an economic growth of more than 8 per cent, the additional good news is that players in the wire and cable space will once again have a chance to network with each other and showcase their products and technology at the Wire & Cable 2010 event to be held from November 18 to 20 at Mumbai. The big story, as has been reported on the front page of this issue, is that Messe Düsseldorf, the successful organiser of international trade fairs for the wire, cable and tube industries, will henceforth manage this show, the rights having been passed on to them by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The organisers believe that this move will provide a boost to wire and cable companies in India and worldwide and as Chandrajit Banerji, Director General, CII put it, the platform will become even more attractive to international export-oriented companies because of the two trade fair organisers pooling their strengths and expertise. That certainly rings true considering the kind of performance Messe Düsseldorf has posted over the years with 50 trade fairs in Düsseldorf and 120 international shows to their credit.

That Messe Düsseldorf commands attention and earnest participation was more than evident at Wire 2010 held in April at Düsseldorf. For more details and feedback, refer to our story on page 8. Our expectation of the same happening at Mumbai is high, and rightly so because companies are now out of the sinister woods of economic meltdown and are investing again for future competition or to re-pitch themselves.

Also, look at the fact that India is increasingly becoming an important destination for global business. At present, it is the 11th largest industrialised nation in the world. The government’s priority is on development of infrastructure, telecom, power generation, engineering, aviation, and automotive sectors and this, but obviously, bodes well for those operating in the wire and cable space. In terms of figures, India’s industrial output grew at its fastest year-on-year pace in almost two decades at 16.8 per cent in December 2009, signalling a strong recovery. That’s reason enough to believe that the November event will be a big hit.

Meanwhile, after 34 days and 183 rounds of intense bidding for the third generation (3G) spectrum, the government has raised more than Rs 67,000 crore which is twice the initial budget estimates. The companies that are now into the fray for providing this service include Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Reliance Communications, BSNL, MTNL, and Idea Cellular. What this translates into is that they will have to start investing in infrastructure expansion which will be sweet music to the ears of those in the wire and cable space.

Huned Contractor Also, with the automobile industry posting an excellent perEditor formance in the first quarter of this year, it certainly calls for a round of celebration.

2 | WIRE BULLETIN

Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications | Janice E. Swindells Graphic Artist | Adrienne E. Simpson WIRE BULLETIN is published quarterly by WAI Wire and Cable Services Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Wire Association International, (WAI) Inc. ©2010 by WAI Wire and Cable Services Pvt Ltd. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this document or related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means (electronic, photocopying or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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CALENDAR & FRONT PAGE NEWS Sterlite wins national telecom award

WORLD CALENDAR July 12-15, 2010: Networks World Africa Johannesburg, South Africa. To be held at the Sandton Convention Centre, this event will be a platform for cable operators/owners, telcos, ISPs, and investors to meet each other under one roof and discuss the current trends of the industry and share their experience, ideas, and knowledge. The event will present an opportunity to showcase technologies and services. For further details, log on to http://www.biztradeshows.com

September 2010: wire China 2010 Shanghai, China.

Contact: Messe Düsseldorf | Tel.: 86-23-6232 8000, www.wirechina.net

September 13-16, 2010: Minerals Metals Metallurgy Materials New Delhi, India. To be hosted by Tafcon, Minerals Metals Metallurgy Materials is a specialised show for metallurgical technology products and the services sector. It will showcase technology from processing prime and raw materials to shaping of steel and nonferrous metals as well as technology for environmental control, engineering, testing, and more.

Contact: Tafcon | C-60, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi, Tel.: 011-24352141

September 21-24, 2010: Automation 2010 Mumbai, India. To be held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, this is the 5th Automation event that will include conferences and solutions for automation technology, robotics, bus and wireless technology. The exhibition will showcase new innovations and solutions for various industry segments comprising refining; petrochemicals;chemicals; polyester; power; oil and gas; steel and mining; and other process industries.

2010 has entered into its fifth edition. The event will also have conferences on etc.

Contact: I E D Communications Limited | 64, Empire Building, 134/136, Dr D N Road, Mahendra Chambers, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001. Tel.: 022-22079567/22073370, Fax: 022-22074516

October 5-7, 2010: Stainless Steel World America 2010 Houston, Texas, USA. Stainless Steel World America 2010 Conference & Expo, to be held at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre in Houston, Texas, USA, will offer an international platform for materials and corrosion professionals from a variety of industries with a goal to optimise the application of corrosion resistant alloys (CRAs) in terms of safety, performance, reliability and cost, and to increase awareness and appropriate use and selection of CRAs and related equipment around the world. It includes networking opportunities as well as an exchange of knowledge and experience of materials, applications, and market trends.

Contact: Stainless Steel World | P.O. Box 396, NL-7200 AJ Zuptphen, The Netherlands, Tel.: +31 575 585 270

Sterlite Technologies Limited, a provider of transmission solutions for the telecom and power industries, announced that it has been honoured as the ‘Fastest Growing System Integrator’ at the CMAI INFOCOM National Telecom Awards 2010. Held annually on the occasion of World Telecom Day, the National Telecom Awards aim to identify and recognise outstanding contributions to the ICT sector for building a national telecom network and thus providing an effective means of communications.

Since the commencement of its integration and managed services business, Sterlite has been instrumental in helping Indian telcos set up new networks and upgrade their infrastructures, which has enabled them to provide high quality of service for ICT offerings. The award ceremony was attended by several prominent dignitaries that included Dr. J.S. Sarma, Chairman of TRAI, P.J. Thomas, Secretary, DoT & Chairman of the Telecom Commission and Wen Chyi Ong, Ambassador of Taiwan for India, amongst others.|WB

CII continued from p. 1 growth in the sectors of building and construction, automobile, aviation, energy, engineering and telecommunications. At Wire & Cable India, we will add our rich experience in the organisation of high-technology fairs,” he said.

Wire & Cable India 2008 attracted 223 exhibiting companies including 56 suppliers from Europe that filled 3,600 sq metres of exhibition space and drew 8,000 trade visitors from within India, South-East Asia and the Middle East.

Messe Düsseldorf, with its Indian subsidiary, will be responsible for attracting worldwide exhibitors. CII, the event founder will serve as coordinating partner with a strong commitment to visitor promotion and conference logistics. Messe Düsseldorf enjoys global standing as the organiser of the biennial Wire and Tube, the industry’s leading trade fair in Düsseldorf. The April 2010 event attracted 2,400 exhibitors and 69,200 visitors.|WB

Bekaert continued from p. 1 manufacturing companies want to capitalise on the move towards radial tyres. By providing technological support and a state-ofthe-art testing facility tailored to local needs, we are ideally positioned to set up joint development programmes with our customers.”

Bekaert has two core competences: advanced metal transformation and advanced materials and coatings, and is at the forefront in the production of drawn wire products and applications. Headquartered in Belgium, Bekaert employs 23,000 people worldwide and serves customers in 120 countries. Bekaert pursues sustainable profitable growth in all its activities and generates annual combined sales of € 3.3 billion.

The company has been active in India from 1998, operating regional headquarters and three manufacturing plants located in Pune, Ranjangaon, and Lonand, with a workforce of more than 500 people. Bekaert produces a wide variety of steel cord and steel wire products in India, focused on the growing local needs of the automotive and construction markets as well as the textile and polymer industries.|WB

November 7-10, 2010: 59th IWCS Conference™ Providence, Rhode Island, USA. Contact: IWCS | Tel.: (001) 732-389-0990, phudak@iwcs.org, www.iwcs.org

November 18-20, 2010: Wire & Cable India 2010 Mumbai, India. This event, organised by Messe Düsseldorf, will be held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Goregaon.

Contact: Ms. Leena Dugh, Project Manager, Messe Düsseldorf India | 1 Commercial Complex, Pocket H&J, Sarita Vihar, New Delhi - 110 076, Tel,: 011-26971745/26971056, Fax: 011-26971746, E-mail: dughl@md-india.com

May 2-5, 2011: Interwire 2011 Atlanta, Georgia, USA. WAI returns to the Georgia World Congress Center for the trade show and the Wire Association’s 81st Annual Convention. Interwire is an international trade event that includes exhibiting companies, speakers, and attendees from more than 50 countries around the world. It is the largest and longestrunning wire and cable marketplace in the Americas where buyers, sellers, and researchers connect with new contacts and colleagues. Details about speaking opportunities and exhibit space purchase are available through The Wire Association International, the event organizer.

Contact: WAI | Tel.: (001) 203-453-2777, www.wirenet.org

June 19-23, 2011: JI Cable Versailles, France. This international conference on insulated power cables, which has multiple organizers and was last held in 2007, will present a hat comprehensive forum mation t r o f in e v a about power cables as well Do you h his section? as exhibits. in t to: belongs by e-mail Contact: J1 Cable 11 | it m b u s t.org.

Please www.jicable.org @wirene

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JULY 2010 | 3

INDUSTRY NEWS RINL signs pact with Danieli

Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd. (RINL) signed an agreement with Danieli & C SpA of Italy at Vishakapatnam in March for the supply, erection and commissioning of three continuous casting machines. This is for converting liquid steel into billets, both in square and round shapes, a semi-finished product, which is the input for other rolling mills in the first stage of expansion works, and structural mill and special bar mill in the second stage. According to a press release issued by the company, the agreement was signed by A.K. Banerjee, Executive Director (Projects) on behalf of RINL’s Vishakapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and John Parker, Vice President (Sales) and representative of Danieli India.

The cost of the casting machines project is Rs 538 crore involving a component of € 32 million (roughly Rs 180 crore) and it is to be completed in 25 months, according to the press release. The Indian partners in the consortium are Gilanders Arbuthnot (Kolkata) and Danieli Engineering India (Kolkata). P.K. Bishnoi, Chairman and Managing Director of VSP, who was present on the occasion, said it was an important milestone in the expansion project intended to hike the capacity of the plant from 3 million tonnes to 6.3 million tonnes at a total cost of Rs 8,600 crore.

Telecom department moots wireless network In what may be perceived as a change in perspective, the Department of Telecom (DoT) has now begun to moot for building

wireless networks as part of its plans to bring internet to the masses. This is in total contrast with its earlier plan to lay a 5 lakh km optic fiber cable (OFC) network using resources from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to improve broadband penetration in the country. As such, an interministerial committee from six ministries— Telecom, Human Resources, Rural Development, Economic Affairs, Panchayati Raj and Information Technology—in addition to the Planning Commission, had come up with a Rs 18,000-crore plan for laying the cables.

The proposal involved forming an infrastructure company under BSNL which in collaboration with other PSUs such as Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) and RailTel would execute the project.

Now, the DoT, as reported by Economic Times, has pointed out three disadvantages of going for an OFC-based network for broadband. It has said that the laying of OFC cable is a very slow process and may take more than 10 years to complete. Also, broadband access spectrum was being auctioned in the upcoming airwaves sale process and rollout of services on this platform could not wait for OFC to be laid. The DoT said that OFC lacks the speed of deployment and feasibility available on wireless, while also adding that fiber was a costlier solution.

“Wireless is an intelligent pipe stream.

Bandwidth allocation can be apportioned among different uses dynamically and can be varied as per changing demand at a nominal cost. Contrary to this, OFC is a dumb pipe and managing OFC is very expensive.

Wireless backhaul would be quicker and faster in deployment, reliable and easy to maintain. It will be scaleable at low costs when demands initially are perceived to be low,” a DoT note said. The department also added that by the time the fiber backhaul becomes operational, operators would have already put in place ‘complete wireless backhaul up to the block level.’

According to data available with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), as of January 2010, India had only about 8 million broadband users as against 546 million mobile users. While mobile growth has exceeded all targets and projections, the country is unlikely to even achieve 50 per cent of its target of having 20 million broadband connections by the end of 2010. Meanwhile, successful bidders for the broadband wireless spectrum are expected to immediately launch services providing the much needed thrust to increase broadband penetration. In fact, the DoT too has estimated that with three WiMAX operators it could provide 300 Mbps data connectivity which could accommodate 12,000 subscribers with 256 Kbps minimum speed considering a concurrency ratio of 1:10, or, 1,500 subscribers with 2 Mbps speed.

Bhushan Steel to set up plant in Karnataka New Delhi-based auto-steel maker, Bhushan Steel, announced a plan to set up a 6 lakh tonne steel plant in Karnataka at an investment of Rs 28,000 crore. The company, in a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange, said that the proposed steel plant will be a value-added one, but did not give further information. According to a media report, the company is planning to start construction by April 2011. The company mainly produces cold rolled, galvanized and special steel and strips along with angles and wire rods which are needed in the automobile and white goods’ sector. It is India’s third largest secondary steel producer and has three manufacturing units located in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Orissa.

Aksh Optifibre to raise funds

Aksh Optifibre, engaged in the manufacture of optic fibers and optic fiber cables, has announced that its Board of Directors has approved to raise funds up to Rs 2.50 billion (USD 50 million) for expanding its IPTV business and other requirements. The aforesaid funds would be raised through various options, viz. FCCBs, ADRs/GDRs, preferential allotment, QIP etc. in domestic and international markets. The board also approved the appointment of Arun Sood as additional independent non-executive director. The company produces a variety of cables such as single-mode and multi-mode cables, duct cables, armoured and aerial cables, indoor and outdoor cables, fiber optic cables, optical fiber and fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) rods. The company operates IPTV services over the fixed-line networks of a number of telecom companies in India, including BSNL and MTNL.

4 | WIRE BULLETIN

SKP Group wins three EEPC awards SKP Group, the Kolkata-based steel and ferroy alloy manufacturer, has been bestowed with three awards by the Engineering Export Promotion Council, a central government body, in recognition of their contribution and achievement in this industry. The SKP Group comprises four group companies namely Impex Metal & Ferroy Ltd., Impex Ferro Tech Ltd., Rohit Ferro Tech Ltd., and Ankit Metal & Power Ltd. Impex Metal & Ferro Alloys Ltd., the flagship company of the group, started its operations in 1991 to mainly trade and import various ferro alloys, metals, and minerals.

Directors of the SKP Group companies receiving the EEPC awards.

Rohit Ferro Tech Limited (RFTL) manufactures high carbon ferro chrome, ferro manganese and silico manganese through the submerged arc furnace route. Ankit Metal & Power Limited, an integrated steel plant, started its operations in 2005 with a capacity of 1,00,000 TPA of rolled products comprising sponge iron, steel melting shop, billet concasting machine and rolling mill along with a 12.5 MW captive power plant.

The company is going to expand its capacity to 0.5 million tones of steel as announced in its expansion programme of Rs 1,000 crore.

Verizon Business to activate Europe India gateway cable Verizon Business is enhancing its European network infrastructure to help meet data growth demands of its enterprise customers and prepare for the activation of the Europe India Gateway submarine cable network system later this year. Placing customer benefits at the forefront of the European infrastructure investment decisions, the company is expanding its ultralong-haul network, increasing the number of new and diverse multi-protocol label switching nodes for private IP customers, adding converged packet architecture sites to help customers move their services on to one common access interface and making final preparations at the Marseille, France cable terminal, where customer traffic will move from the 15,000 km Europe India Gateway cable system directly onto the Verizon Business European network.

“We are enhancing the European network capabilities to prepare for the growth of traffic from the Middle East and India that will follow the implementation of new IP and ethernet nodes as well as the next generation of cable systems currently under construction,” Ihab Tarazi, Vice President of Verizon Global Network Planning is reported to have told PR Newswire. “Our multi-year ultra-long-haul program not only is a key factor for increasing our backbone network capacity, but also for what we can

INDUSTRY NEWS PROVIDING A PLATFORM

Schuertzmann In this exclusive interview with WIRE BULLETIN, Udo Schuertzmann, Managing Director, Messe Düsseldorf India elaborates about the wire and cable show to be held at Bombay in November.

What prompted Messe Düsseldorf to enter into an agreement with CII for the Wire & Cable event in India?

Messe Düsseldorf has seen itself as a service provider for the wire and cable industry for many years (since 1986 at wire Düsseldorf). It prides itself on having strong partnerships with the leading international industry associations.

In the past, the associations for the wire and cable industry had approached Messe Düsseldorf to create a leading regional wire show of international standard and professionalism in other countries, e.g. wire Southeast Asia, wire Russia and wire China and the same had been due for India.

Messe Düsseldorf was requested by the associations, namely the International Wire & Machinery Association (IWMA), the International Wire and Cable Exhibitors Association (IWCEA) with their national members from Germany (VDKM), Austria (AWCMA) and France (IWCEA France) as also the Italian Wire Machinery Manufacturers’ Association (ACIMAF) and the Wire and Cable Industry Suppliers Association (WCISA) of the USA to organise a similar event in India. Moreover, the big players in the Indian and global wire industry supported the idea that Messe Düsseldorf enter into a cooperation with CII. This is also very valid with our general philosophy: Messe Düsseldorf does not like to ‘copy’ a concept 1:1 from the Düsseldorf shows into other markets, worldwide. Instead, we like to listen and understand the local industry, our local partners and local customers in order to combine the local and the Messe Düsseldorf know-how (as well as the knowhow of our international industry associations and exhibitors) for tailor-made leading regional shows.

How will the participants benefit from the international experience of Messe Düsseldorf?

Messe Düsseldorf, with its subsidiary, Messe Düsseldorf India, will be responsible for bringing in exhibitors from India and all over the world. The founder of Wire & Cable India, CII, will remain the coordinating partner, with a strong commitment to visitor promotion and organising the international conference. The global network of Messe Düsseldorf in 107 countries will enhance the international participation dramatically. The

deliver to our customers. This network enables us to give our customers the higher speeds they need to support video, data and the expansion of data centres and cloud services,” Tarazi added.

With 214 global private IP sites available on the Verizon Business network, the company plans to add more than 55 expansion sites within the next two years, including 22 sites in Europe and seven in the Middle East and India. With more than 93 per cent of the marine installation completed, this next-generation, undersea optical cable system will link 12 countries/territories and connect Europe, the Middle East and India, giving Verizon Business customers direct access to the company’s European and India networks. Verizon Business is one of 16 companies building this cable.

potential and existing exhibitors will be able to communicate in their own time zones with our representatives, who are capable of clarifying each and every question for their clients. We will also ensure that these representatives will be present at the fair ground in Mumbai and that they take care of their customers, personally.

Do you believe that the Indian wire and cable industry is poised for a good growth curve in the coming years? If so, what do you think are the reasons?

The main customers for the wire and cable industry are the automotive, telecommunication and construction industries. In the past few years, these three have witnessed a rapid expansion and have led to an annual growth of about 25 per cent in India. The Government of India has begun to focus primarily on public private partnerships with major infrastructure projects. With an investment need of about USD 450 billion till 2012, infrastructure construction is the growth engine for the construction industry, especially the development of the transport sector.

As per the details provided in the Automotive Mission Plan 2006-2016, the Indian government is geared up to double the automobile industry’s contribution to the country’s GDP by 2016 and furthermore intends to create 25 million new jobs in the industry. The telecommunications market in India is the third largest in the world and it is the fastest growing. This growth is being witnessed in the wireless and telephony sectors. And in the internet sector, the government is making endeavours to provide the rural regions of India with broadband connections. So, yes the wire and cable industry is definitely set for a positive growth in the future.

How has the Indian wire and cable industry responded to the news about Messe Düsseldorf helming the event?

The industry has responded in a positive and encouraging manner. In this regards, Mr. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII has stated that, “The two leading trade fair organisers, pooling their strengths and expertise, makes the platform even more attractive to international export-oriented companies to enter the Indian growth market.” Mr. HansWerner Reinhard, Executive Vice President, Messe Düsseldorf GmbH has also said that, “The Indian market is becoming increasingly important for the wire and cable industry, primarily due to growth in the sectors of building and construction, automobile, aviation, energy, engineering and telecommunications. At Wire & Cable India, we add our rich experience in the organisation of high-technology fairs.”

Will there be a special theme for the event or a singular focus on any one particular aspect of the wire and cable industry?

No, not as such. The main purpose of this event will be to provide an excellent platform to showcase the latest machinery, equipment, raw materials, and accessories required by the manufacturing industry in India. Our aim will be to strengthen the participation of the fastener and spring making industry in the future.|WB

motive component industry through a number of strategic acquisitions across Asia, Europe, and North America.

As a USD 1 billion global automotive components’ manufacturer, Amtex Auto has 34 manufacturing facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia with capabilities in forging, iron casting and ductile, aluminium casting and gravity die casting, machining and sub-assembly along with an extensive product portfolio. The company is an OEM supplier for motorcycles, passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles, agricultural equipment, and heavy earth moving equipment. It was honoured in 2006 with the Economic Times’ Emerging Company of the Year Award.

the African region, which are also amongst the fastest growing economies in the world,” said Sify’s CEO and Managing Director Raju Vegesna. With a design capacity of up to 5 terabits per second on certain cable sections, the cable system will have the capability to meet the rapid growth in demand that has been forecast for traffic originating and terminating in the Gulf region.

Railway cable network under scrutiny

Sify Technologies to provide cable landing station

Chennai-based, Nasdaq-listed consumer Internet company Sify Technologies Limited has agreed to provide the Qatar-based Gulf Bridge International a submarine cable landing station in Mumbai. Gulf Bridge is the Middle East’s first privately owned submarine cable operator. The company’s cable system, which will connect all the countries of the Gulf region to each other, will provide onward connectivity to India and beyond with the help of the landing station.

The cable system, scheduled for launch in 2011, will provide telecom operators and other communications companies, both in the region and globally greater choice, value, diversity and resilience.

“Access to the undersea cable system will allow SIFY Technologies to serve the emerging markets in Middle East as well as

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has proposed to set up an expert committee for commercial utilisation of the optic fiber cables network, expressing concern over the slow progress of the project. “The expert committee will be headed by Sam Pitroda, the key person behind the telecommunication revolution in our country. The committee will suggest further innovations to utilise the optic fiber cables’ network of the railway and take information and technology to the doorsteps in remote areas,” she said. Banerjee, during her last stint as the railway minister in 2001-02, had announced laying of an optic fiber cable network along the railway tracks for commercial utilisation. Railtel Corporation was given the responsibility. However, Banerjee has been dissatisfied with the rate of progress made so far.|WB

Amtek to venture into steel A group company of auto parts maker Amtek Auto Ltd. will set up a 2 million tonne steel plant and an auto parts unit in Orissa with a budget of Rs 158 billion rupees, as was announced by a company representative. To do so, Amtek Metal and Mining Ltd., the company, signed a memorandum with the Orissa government and will complete the project three years after it gets land, Saurabh Garg, Orissa’s Secretary of Industry told the news agency Reuters. The project will be spread over 2,500 acres (1,012 hectares) near Cuttack.

Amtek Group was established in 1985 with the incorporation of the flagship company Amtek Auto Ltd. Since then it has grown to emerge as a frontrunner in the global auto-

JULY 2010 | 5

PEOPLE

Kumar

Surana

People on the move V. Kumar In view of the fact that India has been one of the few countries to have slipped out of the worldwide recession phase with amazing alacrity and that its GDP forecast for the coming months has been set above 7 per cent, U.S.-based Beta LaserMike has thought it prudent to expand its operations here. And to do so in a systematic manner, it has appointed V. Kumar as its country manager. “I joined the company in February this year and was then invited to the U.S. for a training programme. In India, I shall be operating out of our office at Gurgaon near New Delhi,” Kumar said.

Engaged in providing integrated process control systems using a wide range of noncontact measurement technologies designed to improve product quality and reduce manufacturing costs for such markets as wire and cable, fiber optic, pipe and tube, primary metals, non-woven and dimensional metrology, Beta LaserMike’s India focus is going to be on the rapidly expanding infrastructure sector. “My major responsibility would be to increase awareness about the company and its products, increase sales by taking advantage of direct presence, identify channel partners, conduct training programmes and service existing customers,” Kumar said.

6 | WIRE BULLETIN

Kumar holds a postgraduate degree in electronics from the Agra University, and has more than 15 years of management experience in the petrochemical and power sectors. He has come to Beta LaserMike from Fluke Corporation where he was responsible for the management of their two business units in India: Ircon Inc. and Raytek Corp. “While it will be too early now to quantify the kind of growth we are looking at achieving in India, the fact remains that we will be in step with the requirements of a growing economy,” he said. “Beta LaserMike has chosen the right time to make an entry here and I am really looking forward to this new challenge,” Kumar said.

Narendra Surana Like father, like son. That is absolutely true of Narendra Surana, Managing Director and Vice Chairman of the Kolkata-based Kalpena Industries Limited, a company that holds the distinction of being the first manufacturer in India of XLPE compound for CCV line (dry cure) for medium voltage cables up to 36 KV. This was made possible only because Narendra Surana made the effort to commission the latest compounding machine from Europe to produce this product. Call it the spirit of innovation—something that his father D.C. Surana exhibited in strong measure during the second half of the 1970s when he started the company in recognition of the fact that the PVC industry was going to grow in leaps and bounds.

Over the years, the Suranas have established a niche for Kalpena Industries in the cable and shoe sectors as a quality supplier of PVC compounds. “In just a matter of seven years from inception, we managed to establish a modern unit at Daman for manufacturing PVC and then expanded our op-

erations to include a second unit within a few years,” Narendra Surana said. Now, while D.C. Surana provides overall guidance as the chairman of the company, Narendra Surana looks after its day-to-day operations. With a background in commerce and a postgraduate degree in law, he has also completed a correspondence course in business management from Harvard University. Having joined his father from day one after completing his education, Narendra Surana has gained immense firsthand experience of all the processes involved in the production of PVC compounds and is now known for his expertise in the plastics industry.

“My aim had been to reach an installed capacity of 30,000 MT of PVC compounds, 40,000 MT of silane-based compound, 12,000 MT of XLPE compound, 36,000 MT of PE and PP filled compound and 6,000 MT of semi-conducting compound and that has been done. It makes our company the largest manufacturer of polymer compounds in India. Additionally, we are able to produce 6,000 MT of specialty compounds and master batches. We now want to expand our each to cover international markets,” he said.

To do so, Surana is currently working on a plan to set up a greenfield project overseas for the existing product lines and thus push up the existing revenue of Rs 12,000 million (USD 240 million) per annum. “All this can be possible only if you constantly keep upgrading your technology,” he said.

It’s a piece of wisdom that many would do well to adopt.|WB

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FEATURED CONCEPTS Medical wire: a healthy future

Elgin watches couldn’t take the punishment of corrosive environmental situations in the various circumstances of war.

Meanwhile, India’s contribution to the production of medical wire has been noteworthy but not much comprehensive information is available about the players in the field due to lack of data. According to a report titled ‘India Medical Equipment Industry Defying Global Recession’ that explores the medical equipment industry in India, “this sector has been valued at USD 2.7 billion in 2008.” Driven by increasing awareness and affordability coupled with an increasing patient pool, the market is forecast to grow rapidly for the next seven years to reach USD 6 billion in 2015.

Growing demand

G

There are times, it is said, when life may hang by a thread. Now, it hangs by a wire.

Literally, considering that wire has come to play such an important role in the healthcare sector where medical equipment—required for both diagnosis and treatment—more often than not comprises critical components made and shaped out of wire. Take, for example, the ultra-fine shaped wire that is frequently one-tenth the thickness of a typical human hair. This is often used in many types of medical equipment and such is the precision required for its production that minute defects in such wire can lead to life-threatening complications in microsurgery. “This kind of wire is used in applications such as cochlear hearing implants, heart probes, and telemetry devices. Medical OEMs use fine wire to make microsurgical catheters and the tools attached to them,” informs Dr. Sunil Deshmukh, a practising heart surgeon in Pune.

“The manufacturers use ribbon-shaped wire to make the outer shape of the catheter, winding the ribbon on an edge to make it extremely flexible so that it is easier to move inside the human body’s cardiovascular system,” Dr. Deshmukh adds. Generally speaking, shaped fine wire does not have a round cross section—the normal form in which it is drawn. Shaped fine wire may be rectangular with rounded corners, hexagonal, or in various other geometrical forms. The shape specified can relate to a broad range of requirements, such as current-carrying capacity, flexibility, corrosion resistance, and temperature-related characteristics. Most of these properties relate to metals and other materials from which the wire is made.

The reason that wires and cables play such an important role in medical applications is that they can create conductive pathways that transport electrical energy down the length of invasive catheter devices.

“Wire systems can provide micro-diameter profiles while maintaining consistent highquality metallic and insulation material properties and dimensions. For instance, electrophysiology applications, namely cardiac ablaton products for treating forms of tachycardia and atrial fibrilliation (AF), have been at the forefront of microwire product usage. In such designs, wire sys-

tems are used to transmit radio frequency (RF) energy to the site of ablation and to sense tissue temperature during the treatment via thermocouple wire. These are also used for arthoscopic, gastrological, gynaecological and oncological conditions,” informs Ravindra Sengupta, an expert in medical wire applications.

Vast playing field With wire gaining increasing importance in the medical sector, manufacturers have not only grown in strength across the world but have begun to pay special attention to research and development. On the international front, California Fine Wire of the U.S. has been producing fine wires since 1961 for more than 7,000 customers worldwide. According to the company’s website, “The lion’s share of the manufacturing is done for medical device OEMs who require micro-thin wire drawn to fine diameters and shapes from hundreds of metals and alloys, including stainless steel, aluminium, copper, nickel, and others. The wire manufacturing operations include drawing, plating, straightening, cutting, annealing, enameling, re-spooling, stranding, and brazing; and orders can be in quantities as small as 50 feet to as large as 3,00,000 feet.”

Leoni Prinz Fiber Optics GmbH is another global supplier of importance that has recorded impressive growth with glass fiber cables for laser and medical equipment.

These are used for endoscopic, spectroscopic and illumination applications. “High temperature frequently occurs inside and near medical equipment and this requires high flexibility and sterilisability—factors that present cable manufacturers with a major challenge. Leoni, being one of the world’s largest manufacturers of cables and cable systems for medical equipment, has been finding the right solutions for such problems,” says a company announcement.

Eligloy Specialty Metals is another manufacturer that produces alloys used in medical devices for dental applications, surgical implants, and orthopedics.

Interestingly, its expertise in such alloys has come from complaints of returning servicemen during World War II who said that

The fact that the potential for the medical wire business in India will continue to remain positive can be indicated through what John Dineen, President & CEO of GE Healthcare, said when he presented a dualslice computed tomography imaging system in India. “Our dream is to make more such systems here for Indian customers,” he stated. According to a study conducted in 2009, the Indian healthcare sector has emerged as one of the largest service sectors in India. Healthcare spending in India is expected to rise by 12 per cent per annum and an estimate suggests that by 2012 healthcare spending could contribute 8 per cent of GDP and provide employment to many.

Rising incomes and growing literacy are likely to drive higher per capita expenditure on healthcare. According to the report, jointly prepared by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) and Yes Bank, India’s healthcare sector has grown at 9.3 per cent annually from 2000 to 2009. “Driven by various catalysts such as increasing population, rising income levels, changing demographics and illness profile, the healthcare industry is expected to move to levels of USD 77 billion in the next three years,” the report states. The healthcare services sector includes companies that are dependent upon and provide corollary services to hospitals, and is currently estimated at USD 1 billion.

Photo Courtesy: www.elgiloy.com

iven the rate at which the healthcare industry is growing in India and across the world, those engaged in the manufacture of medical wire will find the coming years highly profitable. Presented here is an account of various medical wire applications, the market scenario, and the advances made in recent years.

Technological advances What is important to note here is that the rapid advances made in the production of medical equipment is what has led to tremendous growth in the medical wire and cable business. Take, for example, Leoni’s equipping a new generation of Siemens X-ray machines with an innovative data transmission cable. This hybrid cable— consisting of copper conductors, fiber optic cable, and cooling hoses—transmits highresolution pictures of flat image detectors.

The cable, designed specifically for the high demands in cardiology, is used in the highend C-arms of Siemen’s well-known AXIOM Artis and Artis Zee series—an extremely versatile system for angiocardiography, electrophysiology, and general angiography.

Another case is that of swabs. A transport swab is a kit that plays a vital role in the accurate and timely diagnosis of infectious

diseases. Traditionally cotton wool, wood, or plastic comprised the swabs; now it is medical wire that has become the most common element for swabs. Shafts are made from polystyrene, aluminium, or nichrome according to intended application. Such transport swabs feature a ‘bell cap’ holder that provides protection for both user and specimen, and gives a double seal (inside and outside) to the transport tube.

Similarly, shape memory alloys (SMAs) have also proved to be very useful. A shape memory alloy can undergo substantial plastic deformation and then can be triggered into returning to its original shape by the application of heat. A wire that in its ‘deformed’ shape has a small cross section that can be introduced into a body cavity or an artery with reduced chance of causing trauma. Once in place and after it is released from a constraining catheter, the device is triggered by heat from the body and will return to its original ‘memorised’ shape. SMAs are currently being used in aids for the disabled, arterial clips, contraceptive devices, orthodontic archwires, root canal drills, and stents.

The process Microdiameter wire is manufactured in a process very similar to larger products.

Wire with a diameter of x and length of y enters and is pulled through a drawing die with an opening diameter of less than x.

The profile of the drawing die’s tapered angle causes the metallic material to deform by means of compressive forces applied to it. Similar to the first law of thermodynamics, the mass of wire material is neither created nor destroyed, but changes form. The die deforms the wire into a smaller diameter, and because the mass of the wire is conserved, the wire elongates to a length greater than y. The process is repeated until the required diameter is reached.

Once the wire is drawn or formed into the correct size, it is annealed. This eliminates stress in the metal created during the drawing process. Stresses reside in the grain boundaries of the metal and negatively affect the metal’s conductivity, strength, and mechanical toughness. The temperature needed to anneal the wire is about one-third the melt temperature of the metal material.

The wire can then be insulated. Because of the design-specific size constraints associated with catheter products, the insulation thickness must be very thin—0.0005 inches in some cases. For catheter applications, different polymers and an entirely different insulating process technology are used.

Finally, spooling or winding is the process that packages the wire material into a spool, bobbin, or reel. The smaller the diameter of the wire, the more difficult it is to avoid spooling problems. The two most common problems arise close to the flanges of the spool: building up too much wire close to the flange, or leaving a gap between the layer of wire and the flange. Both the conditions often lead to breakouts during unspooling of the material. Commenting on the manufacturing process of medical wire, Sengupta states: “There are an increasing number of companies in India that are now beginning to specialise in the production of medical wire with manufacturing lines devoted to working with such fine diameters. What is also heartening is to see the investments being made in the R&D applicable to medical wire.” That’s music to the ears.|WB

JULY 2010 | 7

FEATURED CONCEPTS India does well at wire 2010 ith more than 60 wire and cable manufacturers from India participating in the wire 2010 show at Düsseldorf in April, this strength of numbers attracted considerable attention.

W

The weather was just right at Düsseldorf in April. Not just outside on its café-lined streets and by the riverfront but also on the sprawling campus of Messe Düsseldorf that hosted the wire 2010 show from April 12 to 16. More so, because you could see for yourself how Indian companies operating in the wire and cable space have now emerged as key players on the international front. For the 60-odd participants who had booked their stalls here, this was not just about showcasing their products but also to establish the fact that Indian technology is now at par with the best of what is available on foreign shores.

Editors Huned Contractor and Mark Marselli discuss WIRE BULLETIN at WAI’s booth at wire Düsseldorf .

8 | WIRE BULLETIN

In itself, the show was a hit, as it always is. To go by the statistical data, 1,219 enterprises from 52 countries presented their innovations on approximately 52,000 sq. metres of exhibition space. There was a 7.3 per cent rise in exhibitor numbers as compared to their earlier show. The products on display in exhibition halls 9 to 12 and 15 to 17 included wire making and processing machinery and equipment, tools, and process engineering auxiliaries as well as materials and special wires.

Apart from this, innovations from the fields of cable, measuring, control and regulation technology as well as test engineering were on display. Special areas such as logistics, conveying systems and packaging complemented the ranges. For this event, 63 per cent of the visitors had travelled to Düsseldorf from abroad. It was attended by 35,000 trade visitors from 70 countries.

Below are some of the reactions from those who were present at the show. The only thing that turned the overall emotion of excitement to that of anxiety on the closing day was the eruption of the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano in Iceland that closed down the airspace over Europe and delayed the departure of those returning to India and elsewhere.

Large equipment displays, such as at the Niehoff GmbH booth, drew attendee attention at wire 2010.

S.K. Sengupta, GM (Technical Services), Kalpena Industries Ltd. This was our second participation after the year 2008 and it was a nice experience. More than 200 customers from all parts of the world, including Indian cable manufacturers, visited our stall and participated with fruitful technical/commercial discussions. The facilities were excellent in all respects.

Shubhendu J. Taly, Marketing & Sales Manager, JLC Electromet The response to the show was indeed very good and more than 100 new and potential customers came to visit us.

Exhibition portals like wire Düsseldorf are the best opportunities for companies like us to showcase what we do. It’s a far-reaching platform for us to touch base with the latest in the industry and meet people with common objectives.

Cajetan D’Souza, CMO, Supermac Industries Ltd. We generated about 60 enquiries during the show, some of which may lead to concrete business deals. However, we suffered a setback because we were almost in the last hall and not many people wanted to walk that far.

Namdeo Ranjane, CEO, SourceSmart SPX Precision Components, Fenn Division, USA We were generally satisfied with the overall response and level of inquiries.

However, the number of visitors from India was down from the previous years.

Shivaji Katke, Director, Arihant Group Though the level of response was not to the extent of what we have witnessed in the earlier years, we did generate about 30-40 enquiries per day. That was satisfactory enough.|WB

In India please contact: Source Smart Namdeo Ranjane 206 Stanford Plaza, B65 New Link Road Andheri(W), Mumbai 400053 Telephone: 22-2673-4850 Fax: 22-2673-4851 Email: sourcesmart@gmail.com

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JULY 2010 | 9

PRODUCTION TIPS Causes of wire breaks Breakage of copper, steel, or aluminum wire is one of the most common and costly problems facing the wire industry today. To help minimize the number of breaks, drawing personnel must first be able to recognise and identify the type and cause of material failure.

Some of the pictures of the most frequent examples of broken wires found in the wire mill and at the customer’s facility are shown at right and although some of these photographs were taken at high magnification with a scanning electron microscope, adequate visual examination of the broken ends can be made in the plant using either a magnifying glass or a low power stereomicroscope.

In addition, many pictures of cross-sections are included that were obtained in the laboratory using metallographic techniques.

Although it is not necessary to perform metallography in the wiredrawing facility, the resulting photomicrographs do provide useful supplemental information to helps confirm and explain the nature of the wire breaks.|WB

WIRE BREAKS

Excerpt from Wire Breaks technical report. Full report available at: www.wirenet.org/waistore/

10 | WIRE BULLETIN

Type

Possible Reasons

Cones, cups, and cuppy wire

Worn die; light reduction; poor lubrication; internal rod defects; large reduction angle

Crowsfeet and galling

Abuse; worn or plugged dies; poor lubrication; die misalignment; oxide segregation

Compacted fines

Residual from rod; rough die; small sheaves and rolls; hard wire; misalignment; poor lubrication

Hydrogen embrittlement

Occurs only in ETP copper; excess hydrogen in annealing atmosphere

Inclusion present

Rolled in contaminant; introduced in melt; abrasion; wire drawing; handling

Cones, cups, and cuppy wire.

Inclusion present.

Inclusion absent.

Inclusion absent

Same as inclusion present; contaminant falls out of wire

Macroporosity

Voids in casting (gas or shrinkage); solidification problems

Mechanical damage

Physical abuse before or after break; rubbing; crossover; operator error

Molten ends

Arcing that occurs in the annealer after any type of wire break

Shaving

Misalignment of wire entering or exiting the die; insufficient diamond in die

Slivers, seams, and folds

Overfills; scratching; casting defects; improper roll settings; improper material handling; lubrication problems

Tension and torsion

Crossover; jerks; abrasion; sticky wire; poor lubrication; capstans; misalignment

Weld

Improper welder settings; oxide; poor dressing; equipment problems

Macroporosity.

Slivers, seams, and folds.

Tension and torsion.

PRODUCTS, MEDIA, & TECHNOLOGY For further details contact: Draka Communications-Americas, P.O. Box 419, FI00101 Helsinki, Tel.: +358105661, E-mail: tina.bryant@draka.com.

Products Fiber optic patch cords Eurotech Technologies, a Bangalorebased technology distribution company has launched Fiber Optic Patch Cords, suitable for deployments in applications that require stronger protection of the fiber optic cable, such as fiber-to-the-desk (FTTD), broadcasting, FTTx, and other harsh environment networks. Connectorized on both ends, these fiber patch cables feature high-quality ceramic connectors. Combinations of SC, ST, LC, MTRJ, FC connector patch cords are available in both multimode (62.5/125 µm and 50/125 µm) and single mode (9/125 µm) cable types, in duplex and simplex versions.

“The BestNet Fiber Optic Patch Cord is modular and versatile for easy installation and upgrade of network infrastructures, has low maintenance and is dust and scratch resistant which provides an extended life span and lessens the frequency of scheduled replacements, thus saving network managers’ time and cost. The product emphasises its compatibility with existing connectors, thus making it the only choice for replacement in the newly engineered environments which in turn leads to faster installation,” said Anuj Jain, Managing Director, Eurotech Technologies Pvt. Ltd. For further details contact Eurotech Technologies, No. 1/E, 1st Main, Vasanth Nagar, Bangalore - 560 052, Tel.: 080-22207911, E-mail: anuj@eurotechindia.com.

Fiber optic cable fault locators Black Box Network Services has introduced a Visual Light Source Pen for Fiber (FOVFL-PEN), a lightweight pen-style tool with 0 dBm output. The Visual Fault Locator for Fiber (FOVFL) offers three out

Series XM flexible control cable put levels viz. 0 dBm, +3 dBm, and a powerful +8 dBm. It can be used either to identify faults, bad connectors, or poor splices in fiber lines.“Because they work with jacketed and bare fiber, they are great tools to have on hand to check jumper cables, patch panel connections and fanouts. Both have an auto shut-off feature to conserve battery power,” a media release stated.

For further details contact: Black Box Network Services, 10 Spring Street, Ste. 200, Herndon, VA 20170, Tel.: 703-885-7900.

Alpha Wire has introduced its new Series XM flexible control cable that provides continuous-duty flexing in strenuous applications such as high-speed pick-and-place robotic systems, automated material handling equipment, conveyors and transfer shuttles. “Although tougher, PVC has traditionally not been considered a good candidate for continuous flex applications.

However, Series XM’s specially formulated PVC jacket handles flexing without cracking or degradation in industrial applications,” said Konstantin Khitrik, Product Manager at Alpha Wire.

continued from p. 1

Q:

What method should be used to ensure the best alignment of a wire within plastic insulation?

A:

Bare wire should be guided into the cross head on center with a metal, ceramic, or carbide guide mounted either on the entry side of the cross head or on a separate stand (bolted to the floor) immediately behind the cross head.

Inside the cross head, the wire is then guided to the center of the molten plastic stream by the tip (guider) part of the extrusion tooling. The tip is the last piece of tooling to touch the bare wire.

Because there is some clearance between the inside diameter of the tip and the diameter of the wire, there is always some eccentricity which must be compensated for.

Single mode fiber cable Draka Communications-Americas has introduced a new line of fiber cables designed as a cornerstone for next-generation networks and dark fiber networks. Branded under the name Draka ezDistance Ultra Low Loss this new single-mode fiber cable family delivers exceptional performance in outside plant cable installations, and maintains compliance and compatibility with inplace infrastructure for transparent upgrade and interconnection, a press release issued by the company stated. Draka’s ezDistance Ultra Low Loss extends the distance reach in long-distance applications by improving the signal-to-noise ratio and lengthening the distance between amplifiers. This loss improvement can be directly converted to extra system margin for network designers, which is of importance for demanding 40 Gbit/s and 100 Gbit/s network configurations where multi-degree tunable and reconfigurable nodes are implemented.

ASK THE EXPERT

It is not recommended, however, to reduce the clearance in the tip without careful experimentation.

It is available in conductor sizes from 18 AWG to 8 AWG and up to 65 conductors.

These oil and sunlight-resistant XM cables have a dynamic temperature range from 5°C to +90°C. They are approved to a wide range of standards that includes UL types TC-ER, MTW, WTTC, and CSA AWM I/II A/B FT4. Furthermore, Series XM meets NFPA 79 standards for industrial machinery applications. The cables are available unshielded or with a braid shield for environments with potential EMI/RFI interference. Conductors are available in red, blue, or black to match industry-standard colour coding for AC and DC circuits.

For further details contact: Alpha Wire, 711 Lidgerwood Avenue, Elizabeth, NJ 07207-0711, Tel.: 908-925-8000.

Media Name change, product profiles featured on website The Relemac Technologies Pvt. Ltd. website details the product range and quality approval plans for the newly renamed manufacturer of high-performance, high-bandwidth cables and wires for telecommunications.

The site details product lines from the Delhi-based company that include co-axial, telephone, instrumentation signal, control, thermocouple extension, multi core, computer/shielded, telecommunication, power, Poly-Tetra-Flouro-Ethylene (PFTE), and special application cables, among others.

PDF documents are available for download and individual product pages feature technical data sheets, color pair identification diagrams, cable design description charts, transmission characteristics, and material construction illustrations. Product packaging information and a customer list are also provided.

For further details contact: Relemac Technologies Pvt. Ltd., 1449/27, 30 Feet Road, Durga Puri, Delhi -110093, Tel.: +91-1165299900, 65299800, Fax: +91-9899174286, Email: info@relemacindia.com, www.relemaccables.com.

Technology Non-contact cable length measurement system SIKORA presents the new LENGTH 6000 for non-contact online cable length measurement with which a product image

With “fixed center” design cross heads one can experimentally reduce the clearance in the tip slightly and incrementally until an acceptable tradeoff is reached between the number of wire breaks at the extrusion line and the desired concentricity.

Cross heads that are not of “fixed center” design can be manually adjusted with the four centering bolts at 90 degrees separation on the die holder. Likewise the tip can be carefully moved a little closer to the die as long as damage to the tooling is avoided and plastic properties are not degraded.

Dialogue as edited from WAI’s online forum community. To post your production-related questions or join an online discussion visit www.wirenet.org/forum today.

and its movement are defined using an optical measuring principle that compares image patterns and allows the speed and the produced length to be calculated.

LENGTH 6000 reliably calculates the length of cables.

The system, which can be used to measure round products and those with reflective and smooth surfaces, calculates length whether the product is in forward or backward motion. Cable length measurements start from zero line speed.

In combination with two laser diodes, two image sensors are positioned next to each other and the cable passes both image sensors sequentially. The time it takes the cable to get from the first to the second sensor is measured.

The LENGTH 6000 device will pay for itself quickly by avoiding the short- or overlengths that lead to profit cuts and ensure that the required cable length is produced, a company release reports.

For further details contact: SIKORA INDIA, 1/36, 1st floor, Mall Road, Tilak Nagar, New Delhi – 110018, India, Tel.: +91-11-4144-7913, Fax: +91-11-4559-7434, E-mail: sikoraindia@gmail.com.|WB

JULY 2010 | 11

TECHNICAL ARTICLE Resistance welding for medical devices This process can be used to make single spot welds between all of the commonly used medical device metals and alloys.

It is ideally suited to make autogenous bonds in very small wire welds.

By Girish P. Kelkar, Ph.D.

Medical devices use a variety of metal components that are often welded to form a secure and permanent bond. Options available for welding processes are limited due to constraints including part geometry, metallurgy, autogenous welds (i.e., without adding a solder or braze during joining), and the ability to make a single spot weld in a particular location. Resistance welding is ideally suited to meet all the needs and limitations. However, before selecting this process, it is important to understand the capabilities and limitations especially if the process is to be outsourced. This article presents fundamentals, weld configurations, bond formation, process control, and monitoring for resistance welding; information which will help the engineer make an informed decision.

Resistance welding As the name implies, resistance welding uses the resistance to current flowing through the parts to generate welding heat.1 Current is provided through two welding electrodes which are connected to the secondary of the welding power supply and complete the circuit. The two electrodes also provide the welding force, applied with the help of a weld head, to ensure proper contact between the electrodes and the parts being welded. A power supply converts incoming high voltage and low current signal to a more usable low voltage and high current energy. Current values in range of 50 to 2000 amps are typical for medical device applications.

Heat generated at the weld has multiple functions. Initial portion of the welding heat is used to burn away any organic contaminants at the weld interface; a puff of smoke created during a weld pulse is evidence of such activity. Contamination from finger oils and dirt in the atmosphere is miniscule and typically does not affect the weld.

However, if experimental results indicate otherwise, proper precautions must be taken and include washing parts with acetone and handling with finger cots. The weld surfaces must be free of contaminants such as mold release agents, stamping lubricants, and adhesives/polymers that creep into the weld zone. Naturally occurring surface oxides on most metals/alloys including stainless steels and titanium are not thick enough to impede welding.

A typical welding sequence, shown as a time diagram in Fig. 1, starts with the moving electrode(s) coming down and applying the required welding force on the parts to be welded. After waiting for the mechanical systems to stabilize (squeeze time), the weld pulse is fired by the power supply.

Following the weld pulse, parts are maintained under welding force and allowed to cool (hold time); it is during this cooling process that the weld develops strength.

After the hold time, the electrodes are retracted and parts removed. The weld pulse can include an upslope, weld time, and a downslope. Use of squeeze time and upslope prevent electrode sticking and arcing where as the downslope allows flexibility

12 | WIRE BULLETIN

in controlling weld temperature. More than one pulse can be used to condition the parts and in some cases multiple pulses can be used2 to provide better heat balance.

under a thousandth of an inch is possible with resistance welding since majority of the heat is generated at the weld interface and allows the foil/wire to partly retain its structural integrity.

A unique aspect of the resistance welding process is that the weld location is shielded by the parts themselves, thus producing internal welds. A benefit of forming internal welds is that the weld zone is not exposed to air and hence does not require shielding gas to prevent weld contamination. An inert shielding gas, such as Argon, can be used to avoid surface oxidation to produce cosmetically appealing welds.

Fig. 1. Schematic showing the time diagram for resistance spot welding.

Weld configurations Resistance welding offers many choices for weld configurations; schematics are shown in Fig. 2. In opposed electrode welding the two electrodes apply force to pinch the parts between the electrode tips.

Fig. 3a. Photograph of resistance weld–nickel wire weld to an alloy post.

Fig. 2. Weld configurations commonly used for resistance welding. Electrodes are shown in orange and the weld location is shown as an ellipse with a dashed line boundary.

Opposed electrode configuration is the most robust since the welding current has a unique path to flow through. Fig. 3a is a photograph of a cross-wire weld between a Ni wire and an alloy post. In situations where access is limited to one side, as with welding tabs to a battery can, a parallel gap or a step weld can be an option. Parallel gap welds can be difficult to control since the welding current has the option to flow through either one or both layers. In situations where the top layer is more conductive than the base, a step weld can be used to force the current to flow through the weld interface. In configurations where the parts to be welded are significantly different in size or electrical conductivity or both, it becomes difficult to produce the required welding temperature in both components at the weld interface. An alternative is to use a projection weld on the bigger or more conductive component so as to provide better heat balance. A projection can be stamped, coined, or machined. Size of the projection has to match the size of the other part. For very thin Al foils welded to Tungsten rod, the rod surface roughened by machining marks or by abrading with sandpaper can act as microscopic projections for welding.

Welding of thin foils and fine wires down to

Selection of suitable welding electrode is also important since resistance welding is a contact process. Conductive Class II copper1 electrodes are used for welding resistive materials such as stainless steels and titanium. For welding conductive materials such as gold, copper, or platinum, resistive electrodes made of molybdenum or tungsten are used. Improper selection of electrode material can lead to insufficient heating of the weld, electrode sticking, or surface contamination. If a configuration is such that no particular electrode is suitable, there may be an opportunity to introduce a third material to improve heat balance and take the focus away from the electrode material interface. An example is welding of a nickel tab to a titanium can, which can be challenging. An option is to introduce a thin foil of stainless steel in between. The resistive stainless can help focus heat at the weld interface.

Fig. 3b. Photograph of resistance weld–solid-state bond interface showing distinct weld line.

In addition to a solid-state bond, resistance welding can form a fusion bond where material on either side of the interface melts, mixes, and solidifies to form a weld.

Fusion bond is quite common during welding of resistive alloys (see Fig. 3c) such as stainless steels. Even though presence of fusion might be thought of as preferred bond type, it is not often the case for medical devices in which welding of dissimilar metals/alloys is common. A fusion bond between dissimilar metals can result in formation of intermetallic compounds which can produce a brittle weld. Resistance welding allows dissimilar alloys to be joined by a solid-state bond. When welding dissimilar metals that are very different in melting points, the lower melting alloy can melt and form a braze on the higher melting metal, as presented in Fig. 3d that shows welding of stainless steel foils to a refractory pin.

Fig. 3c. Photograph of resistance weld–weld nugget formed in a fusion bond.

Type of bond A unique aspect of resistance welding is that the parts do not have to melt to form a bond; they only have to soften and be forced together. Metal atoms on either side of the weld interface will form a bond as long as there are no contaminants on the surface and the atoms are brought in close proximity. A bond formed without melting of the constituents is called a solid-state bond. A bond line is visible at the interface, as is seen in Fig. 3b in most cases except when welding similar materials where grain growth can occur across the interface. A solid-state bond is common when welding conductive alloys and refractory metals.

Fig. 3d. Photograph of resistance weld–braze formed by molten steel on refractory metal pin.

Resistance welding is frequently used when either one or both components have plating on the surface. The plating can be for improved corrosion resistance or to provide a good soldering surface. The plating continued on p. 14

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TECHNICAL ARTICLE “Resistance welding is the only welding process that can produce all three bond types: solder/braze, solid-state, and fusion.” alloy can act as a solder/braze layer at the interface or just provide a good bonding agent to form a solid-state bond. A gold flash, with a Ni barrier layer underneath, is the most common variant. The gold layer can be easily welded to similar metals including Cu, Ni, Pt, and Pd. Resistance welding is also used where one or both components are tin (or solder) plated. The heat generated by current flow melts the plating and forms a solder fillet which on cooling produces a solder joint. Resistance welding is the only welding process that can produce all three bond types: solder/ braze, solid-state, and fusion.

Process control and monitoring In resistance welding, the electrical energy in the form of welding current flows from the power supply (or transformer) to the weld head where it makes its way through the electrodes, the parts being

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welded and back to the power supply to complete the circuit. The energy consumed by the weld can be quantified by measuring voltage drop across the weld and current flowing through the weld. Statistical analysis of the data can be used to setup control limits. In addition to measuring the weld energy parameters, advanced power supplies have the ability to get feedback from the weld and control the energy delivered during the weld. Such closed-loop feedback can be setup to operate in current, voltage, or power mode. For example, in current control mode the power supply will provide a programmed amount of current and allow the voltage to change as required; voltage can then be used as a monitoring parameter. Each of these modes allows compensation for expected variation in weld resistance due to changes in surface roughness and part positioning. For example, current control mode has the ability to compensate for minor changes in oxidation levels. Voltage mode can be used to compensate for changes in electrode temperatures or prevent blowout of fine wires.

Power mode can be effectively used to compensate for part positioning variations.

In a weld configurations where either one or both component is a wire or one of them has a projection, weld displacement can be effectively used to monitor the weld. Measurement of weld displacement along with measurement of one electrical parameter has the potential to provide practically complete information about weld quality.

Summary Resistance welding is a commonly used welding process for medical devices. It can be used in typical lab environments and is easily placed in clean rooms. The process

can be used to make single spot welds between all of the commonly used medical device metals and alloys; and it is ideally suited to make autogenous welds in very small wire welds.

Resistance welding can produce all three bond types: solder/braze, solid-state, and fusion.

A benefit of resistance welding is that it produces an internal weld which typically does not require shielding gas.

References 1. Resistance Welding Manual, Fourth Edition, Resistance Welder Manufacturers’ Association (RWMA), 1900 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

2. Kelkar, G.P., “Why use multiple-impulse resistance welding?: An explanation of the process, its heat balance mechanism,” pp. Practical Welding Today, Nov/Dec 2004.|WB

Biographical Information

Kelkar Girish P. Kelkar, Ph.D., founded WJM Technologies, a welding consulting firm, in 2002 to provide welding-related consulting services and process training to assist customers at various firms in the medical, electronics, automotive, aerospace, and industrial in manufacturing sectors. His projects include part design, process selection, process optimization, metallurgical analysis, and failure analysis. Details are available at: www.welding-consultant.com.

Printed with permission from Girish P. Kelkar, Ph.D., as excerpted and updated from “Resistance and Laser Welding for Medical Devices,” Medical Device and Diagnostics Industry (MDDI) Magazine, June 2006.

IS TECHNOLOGY YOUR DOMAIN EXPERTISE? If the study, understanding, and application of various technologies is what drives you in the wire and cable space, here is your chance to share your knowledge with our readers. You are invited to write an article for this section of WIRE BULLETIN that provides comprehensive information about the latest technological advances in the sector and a focus on the future trends. Your article should be approximately 3,000 words long and it must be accompanied by relevant images along with your photograph, contact information, and brief resume. You can send your articles to: hcontractor@wirenet.org. For further details, call on 9881084202.

PERSPECTIVE A D V E R T O R I A L

A review of wire & tube Düsseldorf 2010 Despite the challenging market situation, this year’s wire show exceeded the group’s expectations and was even more successful than the previous show in 2008. The Rosendahl booth was consistently crowded with attendees from the complete global wire, fiber, and cable industries.

Rosendahl’s newly presented tube segment for the production of metal tubes received positive interest and response from participants outside of the tube industry.

The exhibition again offered an ideal platform for interesting discussions. The atmosphere at the Rosendahl booth was very positive and energetic throughout the week, highlighted by the Customer Evening during which the group created a memorable experience by simultaneously playing the drums with more than 350 of the company’s partners. The company’s warm hospitality and entertainment during the wire & tube show was matched by enthusiastic participation at its booth and demonstrated commitment from industry members.

Metal tape forming and welding technology Rosendahl, a leading machinery and technology supplier in the wire and cable industry, has broadened its portfolio and is offering welding and corrugation equipment for power cable applications.

Following the demand of the industry for alternative solutions, and based on the experience realised by numerous successful

projects in the field of metal tape forming/ welding/corrugation for high-end RF cables, Rosendahl entered this industry segment.

Cable manufacturers require this technology to be able to serve first class products such as cables for wind farms, offshore power stations, or cables for submarine applications. The LV segment also includes a significant amount of product-designs (oil-pump, shipboard, signal cables), which use the advantages of the Rosendahl technology to improve their product properties or to increase productivity during the manufacturing process.

The metal tape forming and welding system has several advantages compared to other technologies such as aluminum or lead extrusion. It shows better results regarding the demand for continuous operation, the economic use of electric power and water, the amount of scrap created during production, dimensional change, and the possibility of using different metallic materials for shielding.

Cables, produced in this way, show both superior mechanical stability and water and/or gas tightness.

The technologies developed and optimized for these applications are: • Optimized formers—for various materials; • Welding processes—to ensure perfect weld seams with minimal heat affected zones and best mechanical properties; and • High speed corrugators—for helical and annular corrugation design for copper, aluminum and stainless steel.

To shield metal by means of smooth or corrugated aluminum, copper or stainless steel, Rosendahl offers solutions for the tape forming, welding, and tube reduction processes including adequate downstream equipment.

Depending on the cable design, the space availability and the product mix, Rosendahl offers both offline and inline solutions that work in combination with the jacketing process.

ROCA caterpillar A new generation of belt-type caterpillars has been developed by Rosendahl. Based on decades of experience in making caterpillars and capstans for the wire and cable industry, Rosendahl has updated and extended its portfolio in this segment.

The ROCA caterpillars are available in different sizes to cover a wide range of products. The individual models are available with gripping length between 1200 and 3000 mm and with maximum traction forces of up to 44.000 N. Due to a modular concept it’s possible to select an optimized configuration regarding requested speed, traction force and gripping length according the individual demand.

The main features of the ROCA caterpillars include: • • • • • •

Wide product range Direct AC – drive system Exact belt guiding Low noise level Low energy consumption Space saving design

Each ROCA is equipped with an individual control cabinet, which is mounted on the machine. This allows an easy mechanical and electrical integration into an existing extrusion line and makes the ROCA caterpillars a perfect solution for any upgrade business. Guide rollers at the inlet and the outlet of the machine, an integrated air pressure reservoir, and an accurate belt guiding system are among the helpful features of the new ROCA caterpillars.

Contact: www.rosendahlaustria.com.|WB ROCA caterpillars are specially designed for efficient cable production, especially for medium- and large-sized cables. Due to a new synchronization concept the power transmission of both belts is equal, which reduces strain on the cable and energy consumption at the same time.

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CLASSIFIED & AD SHOWCASE

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