EoW July 2009

Wire products for the automotive industry

Aluminium automotive wire drawing and bunching technology

In order to save weight, leading car manufacturers are planning on replacing copper conductors, of 6mm 2 to 50mm² cross section, with aluminium conductors. The production equipment for aluminium wires – drawing lines, payoffs and bunching machines – must meet added and more difficult demands. Maschinenfabrik Niehoff has recently developed new aluminium multi-wire drawing and annealing technology. Experience of the MH 120 type 2-wire intermediate drawing line with integrated RA 200 annealer, developed for drawing of up to 30 different aluminium alloys wires, has helped the design of the MMH 104/RMA 201 type multiwire drawing and annealing line.

The line is designed for the simultaneous drawing of eight or sixteen aluminium or aluminium alloy wires from a maximum inlet diameter of 2.5mm to a finish diameter of 0.15 to 0.6mm with inline annealing and can work with a maximum speed of 31.5 m/s. The wires have highly homogeneous characteristics to meet the strictest specifications and processing requirements. The MMH 104 drawing machine can be used with different drawing lubricant supply systems and operated with drawing oil or drawing emulsion for a clean operation. Further features include special die holders and built-in drawing capstan sprayers tailor-made for the specific requirements of aluminium wire drawing and a vacuum system for extracting oil mist from the drawing area and returning it to the drawing lube system. The RMA 201 continuous resistance annealer is designed for aluminium and aluminium alloy wires. The two-zone annealing principle with short annealing sections, promotes economical

▲ ▲ A detail from the MMH 104/RMA 201 multiwire line

and ecological energy consumption. The entire wire section from the final die in the MMH 104 to the end of the annealing operation is fully sealed off from the outside. In order to avoid oxidation of the aluminium wire surface nitrogen is used as protective atmosphere.

Niehoff’s D series double twist bunching machines are suitable for the bunching of aluminium and aluminium alloy wires. The one-bow design results in a significantly reduced energy consumption and noise emission compared to conventional bunching machines. D-series machines can be equipped with bows whose geometries and coatings are specially adapted to the requirements of aluminium wires. By means of a load cell inside the cradle, the wire tension on the spool is infinitely adjustable, monitored and controlled within tight tolerances across the entire bobbin filling. As an option, the bunchers can be equipped with the NBAT (Niehoff bunching automatic traverse) device that automatically detects spool flanges and controls the traverse width of empty and full spools by means of optoelectronic sensors. As the spools are filled perfectly, the strands can be paid off tangle-free and without wire damages even at very high speeds. Maschinenfabrik Niehoff GmbH & Co KG – Germany

Fax : +49 9122 977 155 Email : info@niehoff.de Website : www.niehoff.de

▲ ▲ A detail from the D 631 type series double twist bunching machine equipped for aluminium and aluminium alloy wires

Flat and shaped wire The Seneca Wire Group, consisting of Seneca Wire & Manufacturing Company and FĒNIX, LLC is one of the oldest wire manufacturers in North America, founded in 1905 in Fostoria, Ohio, USA. The Seneca Wire Group’s technologies, experience and expertise in the production of round, flat, and shaped tempered wire products support leading market positions in the company’s target markets. FĒNIX, LLC, established in 2005 in Wapakoneta, Ohio, USA, is the company’s production facility for round and shaped tempered wire in a diameter range of 5mm to 17.5mm, utilising modern cold drawing and induction tempering technologies. The Seneca Wire & Manufacturing Company specialises in the production of flat and shaped tempered wire in a range of 2mm to 6mm thicknesses, 4.75mm to 16mm widths and round tempered wire in 2mm to 5mm diameters. Wire products are produced by Seneca Wire and FĒNIX, LLC in high carbon grades SAE 1050-1086 and micro-alloyed grades including SAE 9254, certified to a wide number of ASTM, DIN, BS and JIS specifications. End use markets served by the Seneca Wire Group include automotive, construction, agricultural, mining and quarrying, truck safety brakes, and suspension spring markets. The SenecaWire Group – USA Fax : +1 419 435 9265 Email : info@senecawire.com Website : www.senecawire.com

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EuroWire – July 2009