title = "Wire and Tube Drawing Operations"

content = """
Drawing is a metal forming process that reduces the cross-sectional area of rod, wire, or tube by pulling it through a converging die. Unlike extrusion which pushes metal through a die, drawing applies tensile force to the leading end of the workpiece. Ridgecrest Metalworks uses drawing to produce wire, precision rod, seamless tubing, and close-tolerance bar stock.

Wire drawing begins with rod stock (rod rolling mill product) that is pointed, threaded through a drawing die, gripped by a draw block or capstan, and pulled through. Each pass through a die reduces the diameter by a small amount (the reduction per pass). After several passes the wire work-hardens significantly, requiring intermediate annealing to restore ductility before further drawing. Final-pass drawing sets the precise diameter and surface finish. Dies are made from cemented tungsten carbide for most wire, or synthetic diamond for very fine wire. Die wear produces oversized wire and requires monitoring with go/no-go gauges.

Tube drawing reduces both the outer diameter and wall thickness of tubing. Several methods exist: sink drawing reduces the OD with no internal support, producing slight wall thickness increase; plug drawing uses a fixed internal mandrel (plug) to control ID and wall thickness simultaneously; floating plug drawing uses a self-positioning plug held in place by friction, enabling longer tube lengths; mandrel drawing uses a long rod passing through the tube to achieve very precise ID dimensions.

Lubrication is essential in drawing. Dry drawing uses soap, lime, or dry lubricants; wet drawing runs wire through a lubricant bath. Lubricant must be matched to the metal and the speed—insufficient lubrication causes die galling and surface defects; excessive lubricant can cause slippage.

Key quality parameters in drawing include diameter tolerance, ovality (roundness), surface finish, mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation), and straightness. Floor operators must inspect for surface seams, laps, cracks, and die lines. Drawing speed, die condition, lubrication delivery, and block temperature are monitored continuously in production. Tandem draw benches allow multiple sequential reductions in one pass through several dies.
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version = "0.0.1"
