Wire, Rod, Bar Drawing

• In this bulk forming process, a wire, rod, bar are pulled through a die hole
reducing their cross-section area.
Difference between wire drawing and rod drawing:
1. Initial stock size:
• The basic difference between bar drawing and wire drawing
is the stock size that is used for forming. Bar drawing is
meant for large diameter bar and rod, while wire drawing is
meant for small diameter stock. Wire sizes of the order of
0.03 mm are produced in wire drawing.
2. Operating stages:
• Bar drawing is generally done as a single stage operation, in
which stock is pulled through one die opening. The inlet
bars are straight and not in the form of coil, which limits the
length of the work that can be drawn. This necessitates a
batch type operation.
➢ In contrast, wire is drawn from coils consisting of several hundred meters of wire and is drawn
through a series of dies. The number of dies varies between 4 and 12. This is termed as ‘continuous
drawing’ because of the long production runs that are achieved with the wire coils. The segments
can be butt-welded to the next to make the operation truly continuous.
Drawing dies
• The entry region is generally a bell-shaped mouth that does not contact the workpiece.
Its function is to contain and push the lubricant into the die and prevent wearing of
work and die surfaces
• The approach region is where the drawing operation occurs. It is cone-shaped with an
angle (half-angle) normally ranging from 6° to 20°.
• The bearing surface or land, determines the size of the final drawn work-piece.
• Finally, the back relief is the exit zone. It is provided with a back relief angle (half-angle)
of about 25-30°.
Dies used in wire drawing
• The dies in wire drawing are severely affected because of high
stresses and abrasion.
• Die materials:
1. Chilled cast Iron : for very small runs
2. Tool steel (alloy steel) : for very large sizes
3. Tungsten carbide: for medium size wires and large productions
(long life = 2:3 life time of alloy steel)
4. Diamond: used for very fine wires
The drawing force
• FD = ideal drawing force(Fid) + friction force (Ff) + internal shearing force (Fis)
μ 2α
• FD = A2 σfm Ø + A2 σfm Ø ( ) + A2 σfm ( )
α 3
μ 2α
= A2 σfm Ø (1 + + ) [N]
α 3Ø
• Where:
➢ A2 : outlet cross-section area (mm2)
σf1+σf2
➢σfm : mean flow stress = (MPa)
2
L2 A1 D1 2 D1
➢Ø: log strain = ln( ) = ln( ) = ln( ) =2 ln( )
L1 A2 D2 D2
➢α: die angle (rad.)
➢μ: coefficient of friction
Condition of successful drawing
• FD < σult. A2 * 0.75
➢ 0.75: due to axial stress distribution which reaches max at the center of the wire

• Optimum Die Angle (αopt)

𝝏 ( 𝑭𝑫 ) μ 2 μ 2
• =0 A2 σfm Ø (− 2 + ) =0 → − 2 + =0
𝝏𝛂 α 3Ø α 3Ø
𝟑𝝁Ø
Then: 𝛂opt =
𝟐
➢Note
The optimum die angle can also be obtained by;
μ 2α
friction force (Ff) = internal shearing force (Fis) → A2 σfm Ø ( ) = A2 σfm ( )
α 3
𝟑𝝁Ø
Then: 𝛂opt =
𝟐
The Theoretical Maximum Reduction Possible in a Single Draw
➢The maximum possible area ratio is;
Ao/Af = 2.7183
➢The maximum possible reduction is;
rmax = (Ao-Af/Ao) = 0.632
The value given by above Eq. is often used as the theoretical maximum
reduction possible in a single draw, even though it ignores (1) the effects of
friction and redundant work, which would reduce the maximum possible value,
and (2) strain hardening, which would increase the maximum possible reduction
because the exiting wire would be stronger than the starting metal. In practice,
draw reductions per pass are quite below the theoretical limit.
Tube drawing
• This operation is used to reduce the diameter or wall thickness of the seamless tubes and
pipes. Tube drawing can be done either with or without mandrel. The simplest method uses
no mandrel and is used for diameter reduction called as tube sinking. But inside diameter
and wall thickness cannot be controlled. So mandrel is required
• Drawing without a mandrel (tube sinking): The tube is pulled through the
drawing die hole with no support from inside. In this process, only the
external diameter measurements are precise; the wall thickness and
internal diameter deviate more. This process, known as tube sinking, is only
applied to tubes with smaller internal diameters.

• Using a fixed mandrel: In this case, a mandrel is attached to a long support

bar to control the inside diameter and wall thickness during the operation.
The length of the support bar restricts the length of the tube that can be
drawn.

• Using a floating plug: As the name suggests the mandrel floats inside the
tube and its shape is designed so that it finds a suitable position in the
reduction zone of the die. There is no length restriction in this as seen with
the fixed mandrel.
Heat treatment of the wire before drawing
• The steel wire must have:
1. A good formability
2. A high mechanical strength
• This is fulfilled if the steel has a fine laminar pearlite
• Milling/rolling at 980 ̊C then water showering to 650 ̊C then air cooling
➢Surface preparation :
1. Removal of oxides and scales by using HCl then washing in water
2. Surface coating to absorb and cold lubricate the surface
I. Sull coating: Spray with water to form ferric hydroxide then washing in lime
solution (calcium hydroxide) to prevent further rusting
II. Phosphate coating: by using acid solution (immersing), then washing in water
then washing in lime
III. Galvanizing
IV. Copper coating: used for very fine wires
Problems
1. A steel wire 3.5 mm diameter is drawn to 2.7 mm, the coefficient of friction at the die working
surface is 0.1. If the die angle is 5o What is the percentage reduction in the total drawing force
if a die with an optimum angle was used.

2. A steel wire 5.1 mm diameter is drawn to 4.5 mm using a die whose angle is 7º. The coefficient
of friction at the die working surface is 0.1. The wire entering the die has been subjected to a
logarithmic strain = 0.2. The flow curve of the sheet metal is given by: σf = 600 φ0.25 N/mm2.
i- Estimate the required drawing force.
ii- If the ultimate tensile strength of the sheet material is σult. = 420 MPa, is the operation successful?
iii- How much of this force is required to overcome friction?
iv- What is the optimum die angle for the given working conditions.
Problem 1
 Solution of problem 2
D D
i. D1 = 5.1 mm D2 = 4.5 mm Ø = ln( 1)2 = 2 ln( 1) = 0.25
D2 D2
Ø1 = 0.2 Ø2 = Ø1 + Ø = 0.45
σf = 600 φ0.25 N/mm2. σf1 = 600 0.20.25 = 401.2 N/mm2. : σf2 = 600 0.450.25 = 491.4 N/mm2.
σf1+σf2
σfm = = 446.3 (N/mm2)
2
𝜋
A2 = 15.9 mm2 μ= 0.1 𝛼=7 = 0.122 𝑟𝑎𝑑.
180
μ 2α
FD = A2 σfm Ø (1 + + ) = 2.145 A2 σfm Ø = 3805 N = 3.8 (kN)
α 3Ø
ii- Condition of successful drawing FD < σult. A2 * 0.75
A2 σult (0.75) = 15.9 x 420 x 0.75 = 5008.5 N = 5 kN
Since FD < A2 σult (0.75) the condition successful
μ
iii- Ff = A2 σfm Ø ( ) = 0.82 A2 σfm Ø = 1405 N = 1.405 (kN)
α
Ff /FD = 1.4o5 / 3.8 = 0.367 then friction force = 37 % total drawing force

𝟑𝝁Ø 𝟑∗ 𝟎.𝟏∗ 0.25

iv − 𝛂 opt = = = 0.1936 rad. Then 𝛂 opt = 11°
𝟐 𝟐