A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, elongated string of drawn metal. A cylinder is one of the most basic curvilinear geometric shapes the Surface formed by the points at a fixed distance from a given Straight line, the axis Drawing is a Manufacturing process for producing a Wire, bar or Tube by pulling on a material until it increases in length The M acro E xpansion T emplate A ttribute L anguage complements TAL, providing macros which allow the reuse of code across Wires are used to bear mechanical loads and to carry electricity and telecommunications signals. Standard sizes are determined by various wire gauges. Standardization (or standardisation) is the process of developing and agreeing upon technical standards. Wire gauge is a Measurement of how large a Wire is either in Diameter or cross sectional Area. The term wire is also used more loosely to refer to a bundle of such strands, as in 'multistranded wire', which is more correctly termed a cable. A cable is one or more Wires or Optical fibers bound together typically in a common protective jacket or sheath

Contents 1 History 2 Uses 3 Production 4 Finishing, jacketing, and insulating 5 Types of wire 5.1 Solid 5.2 Stranded 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

History

In antiquity, jewellery often contains, in the form of chains and applied decoration, large amounts of wire that is accurately made and which must have been produced by some efficient, if not technically advanced, means. "Ancient" redirects here For other uses see Ancient_(disambiguation. Jewellery (also spelled jewelry, see spelling differences) is a personal Ornament, such as a necklace ring or bracelet made from Gemstones In some cases, strips cut from metal sheet were made by pulling them through perforations in stone beads. This causes the strips to fold round on themselves to form thin tubes. This strip drawing technique was in use in Egypt by the 2nd Dynasty. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Second Dynasty of Ancient Egypt is often combined with the First dynasty under the group title Early Dynastic Period of Egypt. From the middle of the 2nd millennium BC most of the gold wires in jewellery are characterized by seam lines that follow a spiral path along the wire. The 2nd millennium BC marks the transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Such twisted strips can be converted into solid round wires by rolling them between flat surfaces or the strip wire drawing method. Strip and block twist wire manufacturing methods were still in use in Europe in the 7th century AD, but by this time there seems to be some evidence of wires produced by true drawing. The 7th century is the period from 601 to 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Wire drawing is a manufacturing process used to reduce or change the diameter of a Wire or rod by pulling the wire or rod through a single or series of drawing die(s

Square and hexagonal wires were possibly made using a swaging technique. In this method a metal rod was struck between grooved metal blocks, or between a grooved punch and a grooved metal anvil. Swaging is of great antiquity, possibly dating to the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC in Egypt and in the Bronze and Iron Ages in Europe for torches and fibulae. The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. Originally a torch was a portable source of Fire used as a source of light usually a rod-shaped piece of wood with a rag soaked in pitch and/or some other A Fibula is an ancient brooch (Plural fibulae Technically the Latin term fibulae refers specifically to Roman brooches however the term is widely used to

Twisted square section wires are a very common filigree decoration in early Etruscan jewellery. Filigree (formerly written filigrann or filigrane; also known as telkari, the name given in Anatolia, meaning "wire work" Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to the culture and way of life of a people of ancient Italy

In about the middle of the 2nd millennium BC a new category of decorative wires was introduced which imitated a line of granules. Perhaps the earliest such wire is the notched wire which first occurs from the late 3rd, early 2nd millennium BC in Anatolia and occasionally later. The 3rd millennium BC spans the Early to Middle Bronze Age. It represents a period of time in which Imperialism, or the desire to conquer grew to prominence Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black

Wire was drawn in England from the medieval period. Wire drawing is a manufacturing process used to reduce or change the diameter of a Wire or rod by pulling the wire or rod through a single or series of drawing die(s The wire was used to make wool cards and pins, manufactured goods whose import was prohibited by Edward IV in 1463. Edward IV ( 28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October ^[1] The first wire mill in Great Britain was established at Tintern in about 1568 by the founders of the Company of Mineral and Battery Works, who had a monopoly on this. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Tintern (Tyndyrn is a Village on the west bank of the River Wye in Monmouthshire, Wales, close to the border with England, at about The Company of Mineral and Battery Works was (with the Society of Mines Royal) one of two mining monopolies created by Queen Elizabeth I of England in the mid-1560s In Economics, a monopoly (from Greek monos, alone or single + polein, to sell exists when a specific individual or enterprise has sufficient ^[2] Apart from their second wire mill at nearby Whitebrook,^[3] there were no other wire mills before the second half of the 17th century. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar Despite the existence of mills, the drawing of wire down to fine sizes continued to be done manually.

Wire is usually drawn of cylindrical form; but it may be made of any desired section by varying the outline of the holes in the draw-plate through which it is passed in the process of manufacture. The draw-plate or die is a piece of hard cast-iron or hard steel, or for fine work it may be a diamond or a ruby. A draw plate, or "drawing die" is type of die consisting of metal plate with one or more holes through which wire is drawn to make it thinner In Mineralogy, diamond is the allotrope of carbon where the carbon atoms are arranged in A Ruby is a pink to blood-red Gemstone, a variety of the Mineral Corundum ( Aluminium oxide) The object of utilizing precious stones is to enable the dies to be used for a considerable period without losing their size, and so producing wire of incorrect diameter. Diamond dies must be rebored when they have lost their original diameter of hole, but the metal dies are brought down to size again by hammering up the hole and then drifting it out to correct diameter with a punch.

Uses

Wire has many uses. It forms the raw material of many important manufacturers, such as the wire-net industry, wire-cloth making and wire-rope spinning, in which it occupies a place analogous to a textile fiber. Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, "making by hand" is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale A rope is a length of Fibers twisted or Braided together to improve strength for pulling and Connecting. A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. Fiber or fibre is a class of Materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces similar to lengths of thread. Wire-cloth of all degrees of strength and fineness of mesh is used for sifting and screening machinery, for draining paper pulp, for window screens, and for many other purposes. A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon printing upon or packaging Vast quantities of aluminum, copper, nickel and steel wire are employed for telephone and data wires and cables, and as conductors in electric power transmission, and heating. WikipediaNaming Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Nickel (ˈnɪkəl is a metallic Chemical element with the symbol Ni and Atomic number 28 Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 Electric power transmission, a process in the delivery of Electricity to consumers is the bulk transfer of electrical power It is in no less demand for fencing, and much is consumed in the construction of suspension bridges, and cages, etc. In the manufacture of stringed musical instruments and scientific instruments wire is again largely used. Among its other sources of consumption it is sufficient to mention pin and hair-pin making, the needle and fish-hook industries, nail, peg and rivet making, and carding machinery; indeed there are few industries into which it does not enter.

Not all metals and metallic alloys possess the physical properties necessary to make useful wire. An alloy is a Solid solution or Homogeneous mixture of two or more elements, at least one of which is a Metal, which itself has The metals must in the first place be ductile and strong in tension, the quality on which the utility of wire principally depends. Ductility is a mechanical property used to describe the extent to which materials can be deformed plastically or "stretched" into "wires" without The metals suitable for wire, possessing almost equal ductility, are platinum, silver, iron, copper, aluminum and gold; and it is only from these and certain of their alloys with other metals, principally brass and bronze, that wire is prepared. Platinum (ˈplætɪnəm is a Chemical element with the Atomic symbol Pt and an Atomic number of 78 Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 WikipediaNaming Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 An alloy is a Solid solution or Homogeneous mixture of two or more elements, at least one of which is a Metal, which itself has Brass is any Alloy of Copper and Zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties Bronze is any of a broad range of Copper alloys, usually with Tin as the main additive but sometimes with other elements such as Phosphorus By careful treatment extremely thin wire can be produced. Special purpose wire is however made from other metals (e. g. tungsten wire for light bulb and vacuum tube filaments, because of its high melting temperature). Tungsten (ˈtʌŋstən also known as wolfram (/ˈwʊlfrəm/ is a Chemical element that has the symbol W and Atomic number 74 The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric Light that works by Incandescence, (a general This article is about the electronic device not an evacuated pipe used for experiments in Free-fall.

Production

Main article: wire drawing

Wire is often reduced to the desired diameter and properties by repeated drawing through progressively smaller dies, or traditionally holes in draw plates. A draw plate, or "drawing die" is type of die consisting of metal plate with one or more holes through which wire is drawn to make it thinner The wire may be heated to red heat in an inert atmosphere to soften it, and then cooled, in a process called annealing. Annealing, in Metallurgy and Materials science, is a Heat treatment wherein a material is altered causing changes in its properties such as strength An inert atmosphere is used to prevent oxidation, although some scaling always occurs and must be removed by 'pickling' before the wire is redrawn.

An important point in wire-drawing is that of lubrication to facilitate the operation and to lessen the wear on the dies. Various lubricants, such as oil, are employed. An oil is a substance that is in a viscous Liquid state ( "oily") at ambient temperatures or slightly warmer and is Another lubrication method is to immerse the wire in a copper (II) sulfate solution, such that a film of copper is deposited which forms a kind of lubricant; this eases the wire-drawing considerably. Copper(II sulfate is the Chemical compound with the formula Cu[[Sulfur S]] O 4 In some classes of wire the copper is left after the final drawing to serve as a preventive of rust or to allow easy soldering. Rust is a general term for a series of Iron oxides, usually red oxides formed by the reaction of Iron with Oxygen in the presence of water or air Soldering is a process in which two or more Metal items are joined together by melting and flowing a filler metal into the joint the filler metal having a relatively low

The wire-drawing machines include means for holding the dies accurately in position and for drawing the wire steadily through the holes. The usual design consists of a cast-iron bench or table having a bracket standing up to hold the die, and a vertical drum which rotates and by coiling the wire around its surface pulls it through the die, the coil of wire being stored upon another drum or "swift" which lies behind the die and reels off the wire as fast as required. The wire drum or "block" is provided with means for rapidly coupling or uncoupling it to its vertical shaft, so that the motion of the wire may be stopped or started instantly. The block is also tapered, so that the coil of wire may be easily slipped off upwards when finished. Before the wire can be attached to the block, a sufficient length of it must be pulled through the die; this is effected by a pair of gripping pincers on the end of a chain which is wound around a revolving drum, so drawing the pincers along, and with them the wire, until enough is through the die to be coiled two or three times on the block, where the end is secured by a small screw clamp or vice ready for the drawing operation. Wire has to be pointed or made smaller in diameter at the end before it can be passed through the die; the pointing is done by hammering, filing, rolling or swaging in dies, which effect a reduction in diameter. When the wire is on the block the latter is set in motion and the wire is drawn steadily through the die; it is very important that the block shall rotate evenly and that it shall run true and pull the wire in an even manner, otherwise the "snatching" which occurs will break the wire, or at least weaken it in spots.

Continuous wire-drawing machines differ from the single-block machines in having a series of dies through which the wire passes in a continuous manner. The difficulty of feeding between each die is solved by introducing a block between each, so that as the wire issues it coils around the block and is so helped on to the next die. The speeds of the blocks are increased successively, so that the elongation due to drawing is taken up and slip compensated for. The operation of threading the wire first through all the dies and around the blocks is termed "stringing-up. " The arrangements for lubrication include a pump which floods the dies, and in many cases also the bottom portions of the blocks run in lubricant. The speeds at which the wire travels vary greatly, according to the material and the amount of reduction effected.

Finishing, jacketing, and insulating

Electrical wires are covered with various insulating materials, such as plastic or rubber-like polymers. Two or more insulated wires are wrapped concentrically and further protected with substances like paraffin, some kind of preservative compound, bitumen or lead sheathing or steel taping. Stranding or covering machines wind material onto the wire, which passes through quickly. Some of the smallest machines for cotton covering have a large drum, which grips the wire and moves it through toothed gears; the wire passes through the centre of disks mounted above a long bed, and the disks carry each a number of bobbins varying from six to twelve or more in different machines. A supply of covering material is wound on each bobbin, and the end is led on to the wire, which occupies a central position relatively to the bobbins; the latter being revolved at a suitable speed bodily with their disks, the cotton is consequently served on to the wire, winding in spiral fashion so as to overlap. If a large number of strands are required the disks are duplicated, so that as many as sixty spools may be carried, the second set of strands being laid over the first.

For the heavier cables, used for electric light and power, and submarine cables, the machines are somewhat different in construction. " Electric Light " is a song by Infernal, scheduled to be their next single after " Whenever You Need Me " off their album Electric The wire is still carried through a hollow shaft, but the bobbins or spools of covering material are set with their spindles at right angles to the axis of the wire, and they lie in a circular cage which rotates on rollers below. The various strands coming from the spools at various parts of the circumference of the cage all lead to a disk at the end of the hollow shaft. This disk has perforations through which each of the strands pass, thence being immediately wrapped on the cable, which slides through a bearing at this point. Toothed gears having certain definite ratios are used to cause the winding drum for the cable and the cage for the spools to rotate at suitable relative speeds which do not vary. The cages are multiplied for stranding with a large number of tapes or strands, so that a machine may have six bobbins on one cage and twelve on the other.

Insulating and jacketing of wires and cables is done by passing them through an extruder. Since the mid-1960s, the insulation has been plastic or polymers exhibiting properties similar to rubber. The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969

Types of wire

Solid

Solid wire or solid-core wire consists of one piece of metal wire. Solid single strand wire is cheaper to manufacture than stranded wire and is used where there is no need for flexibility in the wire. Solid wire also provides strength and protection against the environment.

Stranded

Stranded wire is composed of a bundle of small-gauge wires to make a larger conductor, which may optionally be insulated. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Stranded wire is more flexible than a solid strand of the same total gauge. Stranded conductors are commonly used for electrical applications carrying small signals, such as computer mouse cables, and for power cables between a movable appliance and its power source; for example, sweepers, table lamps, powered hand tools, welding electrode cables, mining machines and trailing machine cables.

At high frequencies, current travels near the surface of the wire because of the skin effect, resulting in increased power loss in the wire. The skin effect is the tendency of an alternating electric current (AC to distribute itself within a conductor so that the current density near the surface of the Stranded wire might seem to reduce this effect, since the total surface area of the strands is greater than the surface area of the equivalent solid wire, but in fact a simple stranded wire will have worse skin effect than a solid wire, because of its increased average resistivity due to inclusion of air gaps within the wire.

However, for many high-frequency applications, proximity effect is more severe than skin effect, and in some limited cases, simple stranded wire can reduce proximity effect. In a conductor carrying current if currents are flowing through one or more other nearby conductors such as within a closely wound coil of wire the distribution of current within the first The skin effect is the tendency of an alternating electric current (AC to distribute itself within a conductor so that the current density near the surface of the For better performance at high frequencies, litz wire, which has the individual strands insulated and twisted in special patterns, can be used. Litz wire is a special type of Wire used in electronics The wire is designed to reduce the Skin effect and proximity effect losses in conductors

See also

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. Barbed wire, also known as barb wire (and frequently in dialect form spelled bob or bobbed) is a type of fencing Wire constructed A cable is one or more Wires or Optical fibers bound together typically in a common protective jacket or sheath Chicken wire, or poultry netting, is a Mesh of Wire, generally used for making Fences It is made of thin flexible Galvanized wire Electrical wiring in general refers to insulated conductors used to carry Electricity, and associated devices Litz wire is a special type of Wire used in electronics The wire is designed to reduce the Skin effect and proximity effect losses in conductors Barbed tape or Razor Wire is a mesh of metal strips with sharp edges whose purpose is to prevent passage by humans THHN is an Alphabetism or Initialism which stands for " T hermoplastic H igh H eat-resistant N ylon-coated Wire gauge is a Measurement of how large a Wire is either in Diameter or cross sectional Area. A chain-link fence or wire netting or chain-wire fence is a type of Woven Fence usually made from galvanized or LLDPE -coated Wire rope consists of several strands laid (or 'twisted' together like a helix The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone

1. ^ H. R. Schubert, 'The wiredrawers of Bristol' Journal Iron & Steel Inst. 159 (1948), 16-22.
2. ^ M. B. Donald, Elizabethan Monopolies: Company of Mineral and Battery Works (Olver & Boyd, Edinburgh 1961), 95-141.
3. ^ D. G. Tucker, 'The seventeenth century wireworks at Whitebrook, Monmouthshire' Bull. Hist. Metall. Gp 7(1) (1973), 28-35.

External links

• Wire Gauge to Diameter—Diameter to Wire Gauge Converter - Online calculator converts gauge to diameter or diameter to gauge for any wire size.

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