LECTURE 7: METAL FORMING PROCESSES

Wire & Bar Drawing Processes

Wire and Bar Drawing

1) In this process cross section of a bar, rod, or wire is reduced

by pulling it through a die opening
2) It is similar to extrusion process except work is pulled
through die opening in drawing, whereas in extrusion, work
is pushed through the die opening
3) Although drawing applies tensile stress, compression also
plays a significant role since metal is squeezed as it passes
through the die opening
Wire Drawing vs. Bar Drawing

1) Difference between bar drawing and wire drawing is in stock

size
a) Bar drawing - large diameter bar and rod stock
b) Wire drawing - small diameter stock - wire sizes down to
0.03 mm diameter (0.001 in.) are possible
2) Although the mechanics are same, the methods, equipment,
and even terminologies are different.
Wire and Bar Drawing
Area Reduction in Drawing

Change in size of work is usually given by area reduction:

Ao − Af
r=
Ao

where r = area reduction in drawing;

Ao = original area of work; and
Af = final work area

Draft = Initial Diameter – Final Diameter

Drawing Practice and Products

1) Drawing practice:
a) Usually performed as cold working
b) Most frequently used for round cross sections
2) Products:
a) Wire: electrical wire, wire stock for fences, coat hangers,
and shopping carts
b) Rod stock for nails, screws, rivets, and springs
c) Bar stock: metal bars for machining, forging, and other
processes
Bar Drawing

1) It is accomplished as a single-draft operation - the

stock is pulled through one die opening
2) Generally, beginning stock has large diameter and is
a straight cylinder
3) It requires a batch type operation
Bar Drawing Bench

Hydraulically operated draw bench for drawing metal bars

Wire Drawing

1) It comprises of continuous drawing machines consisting of

multiple draw dies (typically 4 to 12) separated by
accumulating drums
a) Each drum (capstan) provides proper force to draw wire
stock through upstream die
b) Each die provides a small reduction, so desired total
reduction is achieved by the series of dies
c) Annealing sometimes required between dies to relieve
work hardening
Continuous Wire Drawing
Draw Die Details
Features of a Draw Die

1) Entry region - funnels lubricant into the die to prevent scoring

of work and die
2) Approach - cone-shaped region where drawing occurs
3) Bearing surface - determines final stock size
4) Back relief - exit zone - provided with a back relief angle
(half-angle) of about 30
5) Die materials: tool steels or cemented carbides
Preparation of Work for Drawing

1) Annealing – to increase ductility of the stock

2) Cleaning - to prevent damage to work surface and
draw die

3) Pointing – to reduce diameter of starting end to

allow insertion through draw die opening at the

beginning of process
Tube Drawing

1. Tube drawing is very similar to bar drawing, except the

beginning stock is a tube.
2. It is used to decrease the diameter, improve surface finish
and improve dimensional accuracy. A mandrel may or
may not be used depending on the specific process used.
3. The diameter and wall thickness of tubes that have been
produced by extrusion or other processes can be reduced
by tube drawing process.
4. Tubes as large as 0.3 m in diameter can be drawn.
Tube Drawing

Types of tube drawing

processes;

1) Sinking
2) Plug drawing
- Fixed plug
- Floating plug
3) Mandrel Drawing
Tube Sinking

1.The tube, while passing through the

die, shrinks in outer
radius from the original radius Ro to a
final radius Rf.
2.No internal tooling (internal wall is not
supported), the wall then thicken
slightly.
3.Uneven internal surface.
4.The final thickness of the tube depends
on original diameter of the tube, the die
diameter and friction between tube and
die.
5.Lower limiting deformation.
 Fixed Plug Drawing

1. Uses cylindrical / conical plug to

control size/shape of inside
diameter.
2. Use higher drawing loads than
floating plug drawing.
3. Greater dimensional accuracy
than tube sinking.
4. Increased friction from the plug
limits the reduction in area
(seldom > 30%).
5. This process can facilitate
drawing and coiling long lengths
of tubing.
Floating Plug Drawing

1. A tapered plug is placed

inside the tube.
2. As the tube is drawn the plug
and the die act together to
reduce both the outside/inside
diameters of the tube.
3. Improved reduction in area
than tube sinking (~ 45%).
4. Lower drawing load than
fixed plug drawing.
5. Long lengths of tubing is
possible.
6. Tool design and lubrication
can be very critical.
 Moving Mandrel Drawing

1. Instead of a plug, here, a long

rod (mandrel), reduced at the
foremost end and with a
cylindrical shoulder, is pushed
into the tube.
2. The cylindrical tip is pushed
through the pointed end of the
tube. The principle of drawing over a moving mandrel.
1 Drawing die, 2 workpiece, 3 moving mandrel
3. The drawing grip takes hold of
this cylindrical peg.
4. During the drawing operation,
the rod and the tube are then
simultaneously moved in the
drawing direction.
Numerical

1) Bar stock of initial diameter = 100 mm is drawn with a draft

of 15 mm. The metal behaves as a perfectly plastic material with
yield stress = 105 MPa. Determine the area reduction.