company news about What is drawing powder and does wire drawing lubricant powder affect the wire drawing process?

    Wire drawing powder also called “drawing powder” or ” wire drawing lubricant powder”, is the common name for dry “drawing lubricant”, usually divided into two types: calcium-based and sodium-based. In the process of cold drawing deformation of the steel wire, stainless alloys, copper, aluminum, it can play a role in lubricating performance, reducing its friction coefficient, saving energy consumption and extending the service life of the wire drawing die. During the drawing process, a lubricating film can also be formed on the surface to protect the steel wire.

For example, when the steel wire is cold-drawn, there will be some problems. The friction between the steel wire and the mold will generate a lot of heat, which prevents the mold from continuing to work because the wear is already too serious. Due to lubrication problems, the performance of the mold and the steel wire will decrease when drawing. At this time, the wire drawing lubricant powder can be used to solve this problem. How? We can use the drawing powder for lubrication and then dry drawing. Wire drawing powder can make the friction between itself and the mold smaller when the metal wire is drawn and deformed. So when we are working on the steel wire, the drawing lubricant powder is very important.

    The main components of wire drawing powder are slaked lime, animal oil, paraffin, soap, stearic acid, talcum powder and industrial alkali, etc. It is generally divided into sodium soap and calcium soap. Sodium soap is made by the saponification reaction of fatty acid (oil) and alkali. Calcium soap is made by the saponification reaction of fatty acid (oil) and white ash. Depending on the drawing process, the oil content of the selected drawing powder is also different. Generally, the higher the oil content, the more expensive the price.

What are the properties of drawing powder?

It can be firmly adsorbed on the surface of the steel wire and enter the drawing die with the steel wire, effectively separating the two interfaces of the deformation zone;
High pressure and high temperature resistance, can maintain its continuity and lubricity without being damaged, coking, agglomeration and deterioration, with good physical and chemical stability;
It has good extensibility and lubricity, not only can be firmly adsorbed on the surface of the steel wire, but also can be extended and deformed with the steel wire;
It does not pollute the environment, is harmless to the human body, and is rich in resources, low in cost, and easy to store.
A layer of lubricating film is formed between the drawn metal wire and the wall of the drawing die to reduce the interface friction and reduce the energy consumption;
Prevent bonding due to heat to reduce energy consumption and temperature rise, extend the service life of the drawing die, ensure the surface quality of the product, and make the deformation uniform;
Make the drawn steel wire have some characteristics, such as the thickness of the residual lubricating film, whether it is easy to clean, whether it is rust-proof, bonding ability, plating treatment, welding performance, etc.;

Of course, the function of wire-drawing lubricants is not just that simple. It can also make the finished metal wire more in line with our standards. For instance, it can make the finished product more convenient to clean, and it can also prevent corrosion, etc. It can be seen that it plays a very important role.

So what kind of effect will the wire drawing lubricant powder have on the drawing process?

The first is the temperature of the lubricating fluid. If the temperature of the lubricating fluid is too high, the heat generated in the wire drawing is not easy to take away, the wire will be prone to oxidation and discoloration, and it will also reduce the service life of the carbide wire drawing dies.

The second is the cleanliness of the wire drawing powder. The wire drawing lubricant powder should be kept clean. If acidic substances are mixed into the lubricating fluid, it will separate and lose its lubricating effect; if the alkali content or chloride ion content increase, the steel wire will be corroded; and if the mechanical impurities increase, which will affect the smoothness of the lubrication system and cause lubrication insufficient liquid supply will affect the lubrication and cooling effects.

Finally, it’s the concentration of wire drawing powder. The greater the concentration of it, the friction in the drawing process and the energy consumption will decrease, and the surface of the finished wire will become brighter. However, if the concentration is too high, the effect of flushing the mold holes will be less, and the surface of the wire will easily form grooves.