Metal Drawing

Metal drawing is a manufacturing process that forms work by reducing its cross section. This is accomplished by forcing the work through a mold, (die), of smaller cross sectional area than the work. This process is very similar to extrusion, the difference being in the application of force. In extrusion the work is pushed through the die opening, where in drawing it is pulled through. The basic concept of metal drawing is illustrated in the following figure.

Drawing Process

Extrusion Process

 There is a fundamental difference between extrusion and drawing practice, based on the fundamental difference between the two processes. Metal extrusion can provide tremendous reductions in cross sectional area by pushing the material through the mold. In metal drawing the amount of cross sectional reduction is much more limited by the fact that the metal is pulled through. As in extrusion, the greater the reduction in cross sectional area the greater the force required to form the work. When the force needed to pull a work piece through a mold exceeds the yield strength of the work, it will begin to yield. Yielding of the work in this manner is not desirable in drawing manufacture.

 In theory the highest possible amount of area reduction, based on preventing yielding of the work is usually about 63%. In industrial practice area reductions generally range from 15% to 45%. In order to obtain greater reductions in cross sectional area, the work may be drawn through two or more drawing die in series. Metal drawing often involves round profiles.

Applications
In commercial industry this process provides stock material for machining operations and for the manufacture of such items as fences, coat hangers, nails, screws and bolts. Metal wire drawing plays a huge roll in the manufacturing industry in the production of cable and electrical wire.

Rod And Bar Drawing

Draw benches vary in size, and can be up to 100 feet in length. Force used to draw the metal is exerted through hydraulic or mechanical means. Pulling force as high as 150 tons has been used in industrial production.

Production Of Hollow Tubes And Drawn Shapes

Wire Drawing
Wire drawing is the second major category of metal drawing operations. While rod and bar drawing refer to the drawing of larger cross sections, wire drawing refers to the drawing of relatively smaller cross sections. The enormous amount of electrical wire and cable produced by this method makes wire drawing a major modern industrial process. Some wire must be manufactured to tremendously small cross sectional areas, such as those used in electromagnets. Wire may be drawn to diameters as low as .0001 inch. Diamond die inserts are often used in the production of extremely fine wire. Typically drawing speeds may be 20-100 feet per minute, but in some cases wire may be drawn at 10,000 feet per minute. Industrial wire drawing operations can manufacture miles of wire at a time.