PROCESS

Radcliff Wire meticulously manages each step of the wire production process, from certifying the raw material to delivering your final product. Our capabilities include:

Drawing

This is the process where we pull wire, at a normal room temperature, through a die or group of dies in order to reduce the cross-sectional area; that is to say, make the wire smaller in size.

Rolling

Shaped wire is usually produced by the process known as cold rolling. This process increases the tensile and yield strength of the wire while decreasing the ductility as the wire passes between rolls.

Shaping

Shaping wire normally requires a rolling operation that may include several tools. Flat and square shapes may use a tool of offset rolls known as a Turks Head. Special shapes may require rolls to be ground to a specific shape for use in the rolling operation.

Annealing

Depending on the material, this process requires heating wire in a furnace to a temperature that, with the introduction of Hydrogen gas and an immediate cooling stage, will soften wire and maintain its surface appearance.

Surface Treatments

  • Tinning: Applying a tin coating by pulling the bare wire through a heated tin bath.
  • Plating: A process that uses an electric current to form coherent dissimilar metal coatings on wire. These coatings include Pure Tin / 90% Tin, Nickel, Copper and Silver Plate

Inspection

Radcliff Wire has a strong commitment to quality and is ISO 9001 certified.

There are three elements to our inspection:

  1. Incoming Inspection – This is the process that is implemented upon receiving raw material from a vendor, verifying that it meets the requirements of our purchase requisition.
  2. In Process Inspection – This is routinely performed during all stages of production.
  3. Final Inspection & Quality Review – Begins prior to shipping in our Test and Inspection Area. This is where we completely review the specifications of our customer’s purchase order and ensure the final product is in compliance. This process includes checking for:
    • Hardness
    • Cast
    • Color
    • Elongation
    • Tensile
    • Helix
    • Surface Appearance
    • Tolerance
    • Dimensional Requirements
    • Traceability & Documentation
    • Packaging

Straight and Cut

Radcliff Wire offers cut to length services on a variety of wire sizes and shapes. We provide cut pieces straight and cut to specific length tolerances.

Knurling

Manufacturing process whereby a pattern of straight, angled or crossed lines is cut or rolled into the material.