Wire drawing

Drawing silver wire by hand pulling
Drawing thicker silver wire by cranked pulling

Wire drawing is a metalworking process used to reduce the cross-section of a wire by pulling the wire through one or more dies. There are many applications for wire drawing, including electrical wiring, cables, tension-loaded structural components, springs, paper clips, spokes for wheels, and stringed musical instruments. Although similar in process, drawing is different from extrusion, because in drawing the wire is pulled, rather than pushed, through the die. Drawing is usually performed at room temperature, thus classified as a cold working process, but it may be performed at elevated temperatures for large wires to reduce forces.[1]

Of the elemental metals, copper, silver, gold, and platinum are the most ductile and immune from many of the problems associated with cold working.

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