GLOSSARY OF TERMS
GLOSSARY
A
Alloy – An alloy is a combination of two or more elements, where at least one of the elements is a metal. Alloys are created to enhance the properties of metals, such as strength, hardness, corrosion resistance, and ductility. Common examples include steel (iron and carbon), bronze (copper and tin), and brass (copper and zinc).
Alloy Steel – is a type of steel that includes additional alloying elements besides carbon to improve its mechanical properties and performance. These elements can include manganese, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, silicon, and boron. Alloy steels are categorized into low-alloy steels and high-alloy steels based on the total alloy content.
Aluminum – A lightweight, corrosion-resistant metal commonly used in wire manufacturing and CNC machining.
Ampco Bronze – Family of high-performance alloys composed primarily of copper, with aluminum and iron added to improve strength and wear resistance.
Annealing – A heat treatment process that softens metal, improving ductility and reducing hardness, making it easier to work with.
B
Brass – An alloy of copper and zinc, valued for its corrosion resistance and machinability.
Bright Basic – Low carbon steel wire with a smooth, bright finish used for a variety of applications.
Bright Drawn – Wire that has been drawn to improve surface finish and dimensional accuracy.
Bronze – An alloy primarily consisting of copper, usually with tin as the main additive, but it can also include other elements such as aluminum, manganese, nickel, or zinc.
C
Cast Iron – A group of iron-carbon alloys with a carbon content greater than 2%.
Centerless Grinding – A machining process that removes material to achieve a precise surface finish and tight tolerances without the need for a spindle or fixture.
Chamfering – The process of creating a beveled edge on the end of a wire or rod to remove sharp edges and improve safety and assembly.
CNC Machining – CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining is a manufacturing process that uses computerized controls to operate and manipulate machine tools to produce precise, complex parts and components from raw materials. This process involves the use of pre-programmed software and code that controls the movement of machinery and tools, allowing for high precision, consistency, and efficiency in manufacturing.
CNC Turning – CNC (Computer Numerical Control) turning is a machining process in which a cutting tool, typically a non-rotary tool bit, moves linearly while the workpiece rotates to remove material and create precise cylindrical parts. The process is controlled by pre-programmed software, allowing for high precision and repeatability.
Coils – Loops of wire wound into a spiral shape, often used for storage and transport.
Cold Heading – A process that forms heads on fasteners like screws and bolts by applying pressure without heat.
Continuous Carriers – Systems that allow for the continuous processing of wire without interruption.
Cobalt – A hard, lustrous metal used in high-performance alloys and cutting tools.
D
Diamond Drawn – Wire drawn through a die with a diamond insert to achieve a superior surface finish and tighter tolerances.
Dies – Tools used in wire drawing to shape and size the wire.
Double End Chamfering – Chamfering both ends of a wire or rod to ensure smooth and precise feeding into machines.
Drawing – In the manufacture of wire, pulling the metal through a die or series of dies for reduction of diameter to a specified size.
E
Edges – Square edges: Wire edges that form a sharp, right-angle profile. Broken Corners: Wire edges that are slightly rounded or beveled.
Rounded Corners: Wide edges that are smoothly rounded. Fully Rounded: Wire edges that are completely rounded with a smooth continuous curve.
Extrusion – A process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile by pushing material through a die.
F
Feed Rolls – Cylindrical components used in machinery to transport or feed material through a machine.
Ferrous Metals – Metals that contain iron, such as steel, known for their strength and durability.
Flat Wire – Wire that has been rolled or drawn to have a flat cross-section.
G
Galvanized – Steel that has been coated with a layer of zinc to protect against corrosion.
Gray Iron – A type of cast iron that has a graphitic microstructure, named after the gray color of the fracture it forms.
Grinding – A machining process that uses an abrasive wheel to remove material from a workpiece.
H
Hard Drawn – Wire that has been drawn to increase strength and hardness.
Hard Teflon – A high-performance plastic known for its non-stick properties, heat resistance, and low friction.
Heat Treating – A group of industrial processes used to alter the physical and sometimes chemical properties of a material.
High Carbon – Contains a higher percentage of carbon compared to low or medium carbon steel.
I
Inconel – A family of nickel-chromium-based super alloys known for their resistance to oxidation and corrosion.
ISO Certification – A standard that ensures products and services are safe, reliable, and of good quality.
L
Low Carbon – Steel with a low carbon content, making it more ductile and easier to form.
Low Tensile – Wire or material with lower tensile strength, indicating it can withstand less stretching or pulling force.
M
Mandrel Wire – Wire used in mandrels to shape other materials.
Monel – A nickel-copper alloy known for its strength and corrosion resistance.
Music Wire – High-carbon steel wire known for its high tensile strength and used in springs and musical instruments.
N
Nickel Silver – Copper base alloys that contain 10-45% Zinc and 5-30% Nickel.
Nitronic – A trademark name for a family of nitrogen-strengthened stainless steel alloys.
Non-Ferrous Metals – Metals that do not contain iron, such as aluminum, copper, and brass.
O
Oil Hardening – Process of hardening a ferrous alloy of suitable composition by heating within or above the transformation range and quenching in oil.
Oil Tempered – Wire that has been heated and then cooled in oil to increase strength and hardness.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) – A company that produces parts and equipment that may be marketed by another manufacturer.
P
Packaging – Methods and materials used to protect wire during storage and transport, including spools, coils, and reels.
Phenolic – Phenolic, also known as phenolic resin or phenol formaldehyde resin, is a synthetic polymer obtained by the reaction of phenol (an aromatic alcohol) with formaldehyde. It is widely used in the manufacturing of high-strength, heat-resistant materials and components.
Plating – Plating is the process where a thin layer of metal is deposited onto a surface. It offers corrosion resistance, improves durability, provides hardening, alters conductivity, offers decorative finishing, improves wearability, reduces friction, and more .
Precision Engineering – Precision engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on designing, developing, and manufacturing highly accurate and consistent components and systems. It involves the creation of machinery, tools, and parts that require extremely tight tolerances and meticulous detail.
Precision Wire – Wire manufactured to exacting tolerances for high-precision applications.
Q
Quality Management System (QMS) – A formalized system that documents processes, procedures, and responsibilities for achieving quality policies and objectives.
R
Ra Finishes – A measurement of surface roughness, with Ra representing the average roughness.
Red Metals – Copper and its alloys, known for their reddish color and excellent electrical conductivity.
Reels – Cylindrical devices used to wind and store wire.
Respooling – The process of transferring wire from one spool to another to improve handling or storage.
S
Screen Cloth – Wire mesh used for screening and filtration applications.
Shaped Wire – Wire that has been formed into specific shapes, such as flat, square, or custom profiles.
Shear Knives – Cutting tools designed to perform shearing operations, where material is cut by applying a high-force, typically in a straight line.
Spools – Cylindrical forms around which wire is wound for storage and transport.
Spring Manufacturing – The process of creating springs from wire through coiling, bending, and heat treating.
Spring Tempered – Wire that has been heat-treated to give it the elasticity needed for spring applications.
Stainless Steel – An alloy of steel with chromium, offering high corrosion resistance.
Stainless Steels (302, 304, 304V, 316LVM, 17-4, 17-7) – Various grades of stainless steel with different properties for specific applications.
Swiss Screw Machine – (Also known as swiss lathes, or swiss automatic lathe). The holding mechanism (collet) for the bar stock is recessed behind the guide bushing. This offers additional support to the material as it is being machined providing better tolerances for the finishing operations. These are also particularly effective at turning small diameter parts.
T
Teflon – A brand name for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene known for its non-stick and high heat-resistant properties.
Tensile Strength – The maximum stress that a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled.
Through-Feed Centerless Grinding – A process where the workpiece passes through the grinding wheels without stopping, used for high-volume, precision wire production.
Titanium – A strong, lightweight, corrosion-resistant metal used in high-performance applications.
Tolerances – The permissible limits of variation in a physical dimension, ensuring parts fit and function correctly.
Tool Steel – A variety of carbon and alloy steels that are particularly well-suited to be made into tools due to their hardness, resistance to abrasion, and ability to retain shape at elevated temperatures.
Torsion Straightening – A process that uses twisting force to straighten wire and remove any residual stress.
U
Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS). The maximum tensile stress a wire can sustain without fracture, determined by dividing the maximum load by the original cross-sectional area of the wire. Also known as nominal strength or maximum strength.
W
Wire Fabrication – The process of shaping wire into specific forms and configurations for various applications.
Wire Forming – The process of creating shapes and components from wire using bending, coiling, and other techniques.
Wire Machinery Parts – Components and tools used in machines that produce or process wire.
Wire Manufacturing – The industrial process of producing wire from metal rod or bar stock.
Wire Milling – A machining process where a rotating cutting tool moves along multiple axes to remove material from a stationary wire workpiece, creating complex shapes, slots, and features.
Wire Straightening and Cutting – Processes used to straighten coiled wire and cut it to specific lengths.
Y
Yield Strength – The stress at which a material begins to deform plastically.
Z
Zinc – Chemical Symbol Zn. Element No. 30 of the periodic system; atomic weight 65.38. Blue-white metal; when pure, malleable and ductile even at ordinary temperatures; melting point 787°F.; boiling point 1665°F., specific gravity 7.14. Can be electrodeposited; it is extensively used as a coating for steel and sheet zinc. Finds many outlets, such as dry batteries, etc. Zinc-base alloys are of great importance in die casting. Its most important alloy is brass.
