Wire drawing benefits from adopting a rotating die system for improved wire finish, wire drawing speed, and wire die durability

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This document contains confidential information. All rights (including the rights of intellectual and industrial property, commercial
secrets and the rights on the drawings and models), are property of Howar Equipment Inc.. Any use or disclosure is subject to prior
written agreement from Howar Equipment Inc.. Rotating Die Benefits 2016.docx
Reduce Die Wear and Increase Drawing Efficiency - Chris Hauer (Wire Processing)
The use of stationary dies is a very common practice, as most wire
drawing machines are equipped with these simple die holders after the
lubrication box. The system works, but it causes a few problems which
can easily be avoided through the implementation of rotating die units.
The principle of a rotating die unit offered by HOWAR Equipment Inc.,
is to apply a rotation to the wire drawing die around the axis of the wire
while it is being drawn. This rotation addresses one of many problems
as detailed below:
Reduced Die Wear
A major factor in machine down-time is due to replacement of worn
dies, or wire breaks caused by faulty dies. Numerous installations of
rotating die units have shown great increases in die life due to the fact
that dies are allowed to wear equally throughout the bearing surface.
Better lubrication also improves the life of the die, as a well coated wire
will cause less friction between the die and wire. In turn this translates into substantial yearly cost savings
because of lower die consumption, and less machine down-time.
Die Cooling
Rotating die units are equipped with a re-circulating water
flow which directs cold water around the die holder. This
cooling water draws heat away from the die in order to
reduce drawing temperature and promote longer die life as
well as faster drawing speeds.
• Indirect Cooling - Special cooling mechanisms are
used whereby we use a large chamber which runs
around the outside of the die holder, to cool the die
indirectly. No water is allowed to touch the die, as a
means to reduce maintenance and possible leaks
into the drawing area.
• Direct Cooling – Through various open chambers, water is circulated around the outside of the die to
apply direct cooling to the drawing die. This system requires sealing gaskets in front and behind the
drawing die, in order to ensure that the water does not contaminate the wire and lubricants.
Improved Lubrication
The lubricant which sits in a box in front of the die is essential to an efficient drawing process. A rotating die box
greatly improves lubrication by continuously agitating the lubricant, and due to the rotation, it also draws more
lubricant directly into the die and loading chamber. The units prevent the creation of the “tunneling effect”
whereby an empty tunnel is formed within the lubricant, which then prevents any lubricant (soap) from getting to
the wire. Customers have always pointed out how well lubricated the wire exits the rotating die box, thus
improving the drawing process.

2. Rotating Die Units
Page 2
This document contains confidential information. All rights (including the rights of intellectual and industrial property, commercial
secrets and the rights on the drawings and models), are property of Howar Equipment Inc.. Any use or disclosure is subject to prior
written agreement from Howar Equipment Inc.. Rotating Die Benefits 2016.docx
Lubrication Boxes
The rotating die holder is only as effective as its preceding lubrication box. Most applications will use a dry soap
type lubricant, which sits in a simple box. These boxes can be simple, yet additional guides can help guide and
cradle the wire. For applications where a liquid lubricant is used, we have developed a special lubrication box
which comes complete with an inlet and outlet port for which allows the re-circulation off the liquid emulsion
lubricants. Special die boxes are also available to produce bright finished wire using 1 lubrication box which
houses 2 drawing dies.
No Die Ovalization
When drawing through a stationary die, there is always a tendency for the
wire to wear the die in 1 particular area. The rotation put on the die through
the motor driven die holder avoids this common problem. The die can be
used for longer periods (up to 500% has been documented), as it will hold
its round tolerance due to the even wear.
Increased Drawing Speed
The various benefits gained by the rotating die units amount to a decisive increase in drawing speed, as
improved lubrication, lower temperature, and even wearing dies allow the wire to travel faster without breaking.
Each application and material will yield different results, but a combination of various parameter improvements
are a sure recipe for an efficient production run.
Better Wire Finish
Through the integration of a rotating die unit in the first drawing block, wire receives a substantially better
lubricant adhesion which translates into a smoother drawing pass through the die. If lubricant is applied properly
at the beginning, it will coat the wire for the continuous drawing blocks. Less scarring is therefore possible as the
bearing surface in the dies remains smoother.
A shiny wire finish can also be accomplished through a 2 stage drawing box that creates an extremely smooth
surface which prepares the wire for any further galvanizing or plating operation.
Overall Advantages
• Longer die Life
• Improved Lubrication
• Reduced Oval Wear of Die
• Lower Drawing Temperature
• Less Wire scarring
• Custom Lubrication box Solutions
Specifications of Rotating Die Units
HOWAR Equipments’ rotating dies units are available in a large array of application specific configurations. The
units are available with fast or slow rotating mechanisms, and with many different sized and types of lubrication
boxes. Die holders are available in various sizes, mainly determined by the die casing and wire diameter and
type being drawn.
The main goal of any wire drawing operation is to produce as much good quality wire, in the shortest time
possible. While the rotating die unit may not be the only solution, it truly has proven to be a great asset to many
wire drawing facilities as retrofit equipment, as well as for wire drawing machinery manufacturers who install the
units as part of their original machines. The ease of operation, low investment cost, and great return of
investment, makes these units a smart decision for companies trying to gain that needed competitive edge.