Hard Drawn Wire

Hard-drawn wire is a type of wire that is made by drawing it through a series of dies, or metal molds, to reduce its diameter and increase its strength. This process, known as wire drawing, is typically done at room temperature and is used to create a wide range of wire products, including electrical wire, barbed wire, and piano wire.

The process of making hard-drawn wire begins with a piece of wire that is heated to a high temperature to make it more pliable. The wire is then fed through a series of dies, each of which reduces its diameter by a small amount. This process is repeated multiple times until the wire reaches the desired diameter and strength.

Hard-drawn wire is made in a variety of places around the world, including factories and mills that specialize in wire drawing. These facilities typically use large machines that are capable of drawing wire to very precise tolerances.

Hard-drawn wire is used in a wide range of applications, including construction, manufacturing, and electrical wiring. Some of the most common uses include:

  • Barbed wire: Hard-drawn wire is often used to make barbed wire, which is used to create fences and barriers.
  • Piano wire: Hard-drawn wire is also used to make piano wire, which is used in the strings of pianos and other musical instruments.
  • Springs: Hard-drawn wire is used to make springs for a variety of applications, including automotive and industrial machinery.
  • Fishing wire: Hard-drawn wire is used to make fishing wire, which is used in fishing rods and reels.
Another common use of hard-drawn wire is in the aerospace and defense industry. The high strength and durability of hard-drawn wire makes it well-suited for use in aircraft, missiles, and other military equipment. Hard-drawn wire is often used to make structural components, such as aircraft frames and missile casings.

In the medical field, hard-drawn wire is used to make surgical instruments, such as scalpels and forceps. It’s also used to make orthodontic wire, which is used in dental braces. The high strength and flexibility of hard-drawn wire make it ideal for use in these applications.

In industry, hard-drawn wire is used to make various types of fasteners, such as nails, screws, and bolts. Its high strength and durability make it well-suited for use in these applications. Hard-drawn wire is also used to make wire mesh and wire cloth. Wire mesh is used in a wide range of applications, including construction, industrial filtration, and scientific research.

Hard-drawn wire is also used in the production of jewelry, such as gold and silver wire. Its high strength and malleability make it ideal for use in these applications.

In summary, Hard-drawn wire is a versatile material that is used in a wide range of industries, including construction, manufacturing, and electrical wiring. Its high strength and durability make it well-suited for use in a wide range of applications, including construction, manufacturing, barbed wire, piano wire, springs, fishing wire, aerospace, defense, medical, industry, jewelry and many more. Madison Steel, has a team of logistic and sales professionals who know wire.  Madison makes Hard Drawn Wire readily accessible for any project. Contact them at 404-343-4855, email [email protected], or visit madisonsteel.com/customize-my-solution/ for a quote.


Recommended Uses for Oil Tempered Wire

The process of creating oil-tempered wire involves first drawing steel down to a specific diameter, before heating to extremely high temperatures and then rapidly cooling it through immersion in oil. This results in an extremely durable wire, with an excellent fatigue life and resistance to relaxation. Compared to music wire, another popular steel option, oil-tempered wire tends to be both cheaper and thicker – though of course it’s available in a variety of widths.

What, then, are the advantages of this process? And what sort of products might require oil-tempered wire? We’ve rounded up a couple of the major ones below:

Garage Door Springs

The strengthening effect of the oil tempering process makes this wire extremely hardy and gives it high-tensile properties. It’s quite a popular material for springs – especially those that see relatively constant loads, in contrast with ones that are heavily stressed and frequently cycled. This makes oil tempered wire a perfect fit for garage door springs, which support considerable forces for longer periods of time, with fairly infrequent movement.

Automotive Parts

From combustion engine valves to clutches to transmission dampers, the tensile strength and fatigue life of oil-tempered wire allows for springs that satisfy the extreme demands of precision auto parts. Tempering reduces brittleness and ensures more uniform mechanical properties, compared to wires that are simply cold-drawn, meaning that these ultra-important components on which your vehicle’s life (and your safety) depends are extremely resistant to breakage and very slow to wear down.

Wire Forms

These small, typically custom-made wire pieces fit a variety of applications, and are integral components to all sorts of commodities. When choosing a material to construct your forms from, oil-tempered wire is a serious contender. Its sturdy, resilient properties make it a great general-purpose material and a reliable part of any end product.

For more information about oil tempered wire and other steel products, contact Madison Steel today.


Guy Strand | Madison Steel

Common uses of Guy Strand

Guy Strand is commonly used in projects that require a lot of strength and stability. Some of the strongest variations  are used to stabilize the tallest structures in the world. When Guy Strand is used to stabilize a structure, one end is attached to that structure, while the other is anchored to the ground. Guy Strand can be anchored to both hard and solid surfaces. This type of versatility is what make guy strand popular across multiple industries.

Telecommunications

We see Guy Strand used frequently in the telecommunications industry. This is perhaps the most commonly seen use of this product. Telephone and other utility poles are often stabilized with this type of wire. This is possible because guy wire can be manipulated to be extremely resistant to corrosion. A zinc coating is often put on top of guy strand during production to create a barrier between the wire and the elements. We often see guy wire covered with a yellow sleeve. This is to make the strand stand out from a distance.

Guy Strand

 

Cable Railings

Another commonly seen use of guy strand is cable railings. Cable railings are often used in places where one wants an unobstructed view.  Cable railing is used in both residential and commercial products. You often see cable railings in parking decks, balconies, and public walkways. Guy Strand is optimal for this because it is resistant to the elements and can be installed post-construction. The overall cost of maintenance of cable railing is low.

 

For more information on Strand steel products, or to place and order, contact Madison Steel, Inc.

 

 


Oil Tempered Wire

Oil tempered wire is a cold drawn, heat treated wire. The process of tempering increases the strength and hardness of the wire without making the wire more brittle. Tempering makes oil tempered wire perfect for springs and wire forms.

The springs used in car seats are often oil tempered wire springs. When oil tempered springs are covered with cloth cushioning, it provides plenty of comfort and support. The springs are often coated to avoid noise. This is especially important for infant car seats.

Another use of oil tempered wire in the automotive industry is in the filtration system for air bags. This filtration system is used to filter out dust and smoke in the air bag as well as smother flames during combustion. Oil tempered wire is perfect for this because it can handle the stress and heat pressure.


Using Steel to Reinforce Concrete

Reinforced concrete bridgeConcrete embedded with steel reinforcement bars, plates, or fibers is one of the world’s most commonplace construction materials. Reinforced concrete, as it is known, can be found in everything from massive bridges and skyscrapers to individual home foundations and the roads underneath our feet. Here’s a quick look at why this composite material is so popular, and how it’s made:

Isn’t Concrete Strong Enough? Why Does it Need Reinforcement?

While concrete is an exceptionally tough material, resistant to compression forces, it’s also rather susceptible to cracking under extreme tensile stress. This makes it vulnerable to earthquakes, heavy vibrations, and other calamities against which architects must take consideration.

How Steel Helps

Consider reinforced concrete to combine the best of both worlds: concrete itself, while strong under pressure, is weak when stretched; while steel, somewhat more flexible, withstands bending and pulling forces better. The resulting composite material retains the inexpensive, easily moldable, weather resistant, and fireproof traits of concrete while standing up much more reliably to tensile stress.

 

How is the Reinforcement Done?

reinforced concreteReinforced steel is most commonly produced by pouring liquid concrete into a mold around a steel rebar or cable skeleton. These steel rods are typically placed at points where the greatest tensile stress is anticipated, if not throughout the entire structure.

Often, construction engineers will create pre-stressed concrete, in which the concrete is poured around heavy steel bars or cables that are already under considerable tensile stress. Once the concrete is poured and hardens, static friction transfers these tensile forces directly into it as compression. Subsequent tensile stress on the concrete is transferred directly onto the reinforcing structure.

Occasionally, small fibers of steel (or even other materials like glass or synthetics) may be incorporated directly into the concrete mix – this results in a material with improved resistance to cracking over regular concrete, though perhaps with less of a strength increase than is found in rebar-embedded concrete.

Questions about rebar or steel-based reinforcement in general? Contact the metal experts at Madison Steel today.