Wire that has been coiled so that it runs out approximately straight when unwound from the coil. See Cast of Wire.

Distinguishes chromium steel from chromium nickel stainless steel. There are two grades of straight chromium steel. Its “hardenable” quality has excellent corro­sion resisting properties under all condit­ions of heat treatment and is widely used for products in contact with basic salts and waste products. Also used for wire springs. The non-hardenable quality has a high chromium content, enhancing corro­sion-resisting properties.

A wiredrawing setup where equal amounts of reduction are introduced in each pass of a multiple die wiredrawing machine.

The removal of cast, camber and/bow from wire, tubing, shaped stock or other material using various methods including: a rotary straightener(s), a roll-type straightener in one or more planes, by heating or by applying tension.

A machine that uses a feed mechanism to pull wire from coil through a straightener, pushing it to a mechanism where the wire is cut to a predetermined length. The feed mechanism normally employs at least one set (2) of pinch rolls between the straightener and the cut-off mechanism. Additional pinch rolls are often used in larger machines before and/or after the straightener. A tractor-type feed may also be used in place of the pinch rolls. The straighteners typically are either of the rotary type (arbor), containing dies, or of the roll type. Rotary straighteners containing hyperbolic rolls also be used. The cut-off mechanism may be the stationary or travel type.

A measure of the relative change in the size or shape of a body. Linear strain is the change per unit length of a linear dimension. True strain (or natural strain) is the natural logarithm of the ratio of the length at the moment of observation to the original gauge length. Conventional strain is the linear strain over the original gauge length. Shearing strain (or shear strain) is the change in angle (expressed in radians) between two lines originally in right angles. When the term “strain” is used alone it usually refers to the linear strain in the direction of applied stress.

The gradual changes in physical and mechanical properties, in particular hardness and tensile strength, which takes place following cold rolling or deformation. At atmospheric temperatures, this may take place over a number of weeks but can be accelerated by heating.

The slow rise in hardness and tensile strength that occurs at room temperature after cold working.

See Strain, Conventional.

An increase in hardness and strength caused by cold working, i.e., plastic deformation at temperatures lower than the recrystallization. In wiredrawing, material may harden during the flow into the die. Also known as work hardening.

The time rate of straining for the usual tensile test. Strain as measured directly on the specimen gauge length is used for determining strain rate. Because strain is dimensionless, the units of strain rate are reciprocal time.

The linear strain referred to the original gauge length.

The change per unit length of a linear dimension.

See Strain, True.

The change in angle (expressed in radians) between two lines originally at right angles.

Also called Natural Strain, it is the natural logarithm of the ratio of the length at the moment of observation to the original gauge length.

1) A single, uninsulated wire. 2) One of the individual wires that make up a stranded conductor. 3) An arrangement of wires helically laid about an axis or another wire or fiber center to produce a symmetrical section.

See Annealing, Continuous Strand.

The process of pouring and solidifying steel in a continuous strand. The two recognized strand cast techniques are bloom casting and billet casting. In strand casting, a heat is tapped into a ladle in the conventional manner. Several strands may be simultaneously cast, depending on the heat size and section size. Chemical segregation is minimized due to rapid solidification rate of the strand cast product.

A layer of semiconducting material or tape applied directly over the stranded conductor of cables rated 2,000 volts and higher. This reduces the possibility of high stress points occurring between the conductor and insulation.