EuroWire September 2022

Technology News

Stranding, bunching and compacting dies Ajex & Turner has been manufacturing wire drawing and compacting dies and tools for the wire and cable industries since 1962.

Nano dies can avoid a problem found with tungsten carbide dies for soft or hard material – the chance of dust accumulation in the die and wire breakage and scratches on the conductor. When using polycrystalline diamond dies for soft and hard wire drawing purposes, the diameter can be controlled but variation is possible after a period of time. Ajex & Turner states that Nano dies maintain zero per cent tolerance throughout their working life, so there is no need for re-polishing and re-grinding. Ajex & Turner Wire Technologies (P) Ltd www.ajexturner.com

VNT Nano dies are made with multi-layer coatings of nano crystalline diamond through vapour deposition, which provides a smooth surface with low friction. The dies can be made in sizes from 0.5 to 100mm for drawing, compacting, TW, sectors and Z-shapes. VNT Nano dies can be used to draw copper, aluminium alloy wire, nickel silver wire, brass and other metals, and to draw stainless steel, high- and low-carbon steel wire up to 0.6%C, welding wire or any hard/soft wire of any size and hardness. Claimed advantages of the dies include lower friction for better copper and aluminium utilisation; better surface quality; an improvement of 3-4 per cent in raw material utilisation; and zero per cent tolerance for the entire working life. The dies do not require polishing or re-cutting for any metal, and the casings are manufactured from stainless steel grade 304 to avoid rust.

VNT Nano dies for wire drawing and compacting

Elastomers meet complex compound requirements for insulation and jackets

components for outdoor and wet location applications. The compounds are resistant to sunlight, abrasion, oils and chemicals and have a high degree of flame retardancy. “These features are critical in emerging applications such as electric vehicle charging stations,” said David Braun, wire and cable industry manager for Teknor Apex’s vinyl division. “Cables at these stations have to be durable over many years of service, be able to handle summer heat and sun, be flexible enough to coil and uncoil, and resist environmental contaminants like oil. They must also remain extremely flexible when charging in very cold winter weather.” Mr Braun also noted that “having field-tested and proven materials has become increasingly important given the rapid growth of electric vehicles: 6.6mn units last year – almost double that of the previous year and compared to 130,000 per year in 2012, when the market was just getting started.” Teknor Apex Company www.teknorapex.com

Flexalloy® PVC elastomers are abrasion-, chemical- and oil resistant thermoplastic compounds with low-temperature flexibility for wire and cable applications. Teknor Apex developed the elastomers for a variety of insulation and jackets in applications from electric vehicle charging stations to industrial automation and portable power cables. With a brittle point as low as <-60°C and a high temperature rating of 105°C, Flexalloy elastomers are UL-recognised

Teknor Apex’s Flexalloy PVC elastomers provide durability and flexibility

39

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2022

Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator