Questions & Answers

How is US Synthetic Wire Die different?

Polycrystalline Diamond Wire Dies from US Synthetic

Welcome to US Synthetic Wire Die. As a business unit of US Synthetic Corporation, we manufacture the longest-lasting polycrystalline diamond (PCD) wire dies available, which allows wire mills to pull or draw more pounds of wire per dollar spent on dies. Our technical expertise in PCD enables development of the unique material used in our wire dies. In fact, we're the only wire die manufacturer and distributor that also presses its own polycrystalline diamond wire die inserts. Pressing the diamond core and finishing the die to exact specifications offers customers a durable, high-performance product that draws more pounds of wire per dollar.

What is a wire die?

There are four aspects of the wire drawing process that determine the quality of the wire: quality of the incoming material, the type of lubricant, the set-up of the machine, and the drawing die. Each area can be investigated at length to improve the end product; the focus here is on drawing dies. Wire Drawing dies are made of several materials:tungsten carbided, natural diamond, synthetic diamond, and polycrystalline diamond. Selection of the type of die often depends on the material being drawn and the desired surface finish of the wire. For example, if a high polish is required on the wire, typically a natural diamond is used. For larger wire dies, tungsten carbide is often used because of the increased expense for a large diamond needed to produce the die. Polycrystalline diamond is often used as a cost-effective alternative to natural diamond and as a long-life alternative to tungsten carbide. Wire drawing dies work well when the tapered hole is highly polished, as this reduces the amount of friction it takes to pull the wire through the die.

A wire die's geometry is critical to its performance. There are several critical aspects of the drawing die geometry:

1. The entrance cone – The purpose of the entrance is to properly allow lubricant to enter the die along with the wire. More lubricant typically means less friction and wear on the die

2. The reduction area – The reduction area is where the work is taking place in the die. Themetal is cold-worked as it is pulled through the tapered hole. The reduction angle is critical to the performance of the die and changes based on material drawn.
3. The bearing –The bearing sets the size of the exiting wire. The bearing length (often expressed as a percentage of the diameter) depends on the material drawn. Harder materials typically have longer bearing lengths.
4. The back relief – The polished back relief ensures that the wire comes out the die with as little scuffing as possible. A well poslished surface will reduce fines and shaving.
5. The exit cone – The function of the exit cone is to support the bearing area and help distribute the stresses that occur during drawing.

What is the wire drawing process?

Wire drawing is the process used to manufacture wire for all types of applications. Wire is found in appliances, home wiring, phone lines, calbes, tires, motors, light bulbs, and many other unseen places. It allows us to enjoy many of today's modern conveniences. There are a variety of metals that are made into wire, the most common being steel, copper, brass, aluminum, stainless steel, and tungstun. During the wire drawing process, the metal starts as a thick rod that is cleaned just before being pulled through a die that is slightly smaller than the rod's original size. The rod becomes smaller in diameter and slightly longer. A series of drawing dies is used to draw the wire down to the desired diameter.

During the wire drawing process, no material is shaved off, the wire simply gets longer. The material is cold-worked and hardens (and also increases in tensile strength) through each step. Frequently wire mills will run the wire through a number of dies, then anneal it (a process of heating and then slow cooling) to help it return to its more ductile state.

What does the ADDMA have to do with wire dies?

ADDMA 8911 refers to the original standards published by the American Diamond Die Manufacturers Association. These standards were established during the early adoption of PCD for use in wire drawing dies to ensure that dies labeled using the D- designation are consistent in size. The standards define the minimum dimensions allowed for each D- designation used on the PCD inserts. Currently, the majority of PCD inserts used in wire dies exceed these dimensions.

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