Description

With the continuing trend for more wire applications to be met with as-rolled rods drawn to the finish diameter, the need for specifying rods by tensile strength becomes more and more important. This paper describes a technique by which control systems are established that allow high carbon rod grades to be designated and manufactured by predicted tensile strengths rather than specific chemistry ranges. Benefits to the wiredrawing operation include reduced variation from heat to heat within a grade, automatic compensation for rod size effects, and an increased focus on tensile strength, a key requirement of high carbon wire.