Draadvorming

Draadvorming is the metalworking process of drawing a metal rod or wire through one or more shaping dies to reduce its cross-sectional area and elongate it. The operation is performed on a drawing bench or drawing tower, and is used to produce wires with precise diameters and smooth surfaces. The workpiece is pulled through dies, often with the aid of capstans or clamps, while lubrication reduces friction and wear on the die and the wire. Most drawing is performed at ambient temperature (cold drawing), but hot drawing is used for materials that work harden excessively or when larger reductions are needed in a single pass.

In a typical multi-pass process, the wire passes through several dies with progressively smaller diameters; the final diameter depends on the sequence and reduction per pass. Materials commonly drawn include steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, brass, and other alloys. After drawing, wires may undergo annealing to restore ductility and relieve work hardening, or be coated and sized for specific applications.

The resulting products find use in electrical conductors, telecommunications, springs, filaments, and various structural fibers. Key considerations in draadvorming include die wear, surface finish, dimensional tolerances, and residual stresses. Lubrication, drawing speed, and drawing tension influence both quality and productivity. The process yields long lengths of uniform diameter with high strength and good surface quality, but it requires careful control and adherence to safety practices due to high tensile forces involved.