A cold drawing machine is a piece of machinery that draws metal wire down into smaller and smaller diameters. The process is called cold because no heat is used to aid in the metal forming, although the input material properties will change as it is drawn down. The cold drawing machine is used with a special wet or dry lubricant that will help to prevent the metal from getting too hot as it is drawn down.
The drawing machine itself is usually made from cast or forged steel, depending on the type of wire and lubrication being used. The machine can be designed as a wet or dry draw, with the wet draw using water-based lubrication and the dry draw using dry lubes. In wet drawings, the lubricant is supplied through an automatic feed system and is pumped onto the wire as it passes through each die. The process is controlled by a computer system which will calculate the proper draw force for each size of wire being drawn.
Some high-performance drawing machines may use forced air-cooling of the capstans on a helix or flattened coil block (see Fig K14). The forced air cooling is necessary to maintain proper control when drawing high-tensile wire, or large diameter wires with a high specific gravity. This additional cooling method is expensive to install and operate, but it does allow the machine to draw very thick and high-tensile wires at speeds up to 4,000 fpm (20 m/sec).
The control systems for these large machines are often quite sophisticated, with full screen personal computer based color displays. These advanced controls can display a wide range of data in bar graph format, with different colors indicating deviations from acceptable criteria. These controls can also be connected to a plant-wide data network so that production reports and trouble alarms can be sent out via e-mail to the operator or supervisor.
These heavy-duty drawing machines are normally built to be versatile and capable of doing several types of work in the same machine. They can be set up to draw hexagonal carbon steel bars for nuts and screws with a pointer, as well as to draw linear guideway bars from the same powered payoffs. In addition to the high-speed operation, these units can perform a variety of other tasks such as cutting, shearing, and straightening.
The Horenco line of swaging, drawing and straightening machinery can make the lives of manufacturers and fabricators much easier. The company’s website offers detailed information about each machine and its features, as well as pricing and shipping options. Customers can also contact the company directly with questions or to request a quote for a particular product. Auto cold drawing machine