Products and solutions Mar 29, 2004 2:00 AM
High accuracy at low cost: New hexagonal wire from Krupp Edelstahlprofile
Krupp Edelstahlprofile GmbH (KEP), a manufacturer of stainless steel long products, is unveiling a new hexagonal wire product at Wire 2004 in Düsseldorf. The product, on display in hall 12, booth 12 A 21, offers significantly higher dimensional accuracy than conventional hot-rolled hexagonal wire. Particularly pleasing for customers is that the new KEP product is only marginally more expensive than conventionally hot-rolled hexagonal wire.
Figures prove that KEP has taken a major step forward in wire manufacture. The maximum tolerance on hot-rolled hexagonal wire according to industry standards is plus/minus three tenths of a millimeter. The new KEP product offers a much smaller tolerance of only one tenth of a millimeter. In addition, the new product can be tailored much more accurately to customer requirements. It is available in sizes from six to 22 millimeters, with intermediate sizes possible in tenth of a millimeter increments. Standard hexagonal wire is supplied in sizes from nine to 22 millimeters but only in increments of one millimeter.
Wire of this shape and dimensional accuracy could previously only be produced by cold drawing, which is associated with costly pre- and post- treatment, making the end product correspondingly expensive. KEP also produces its new hexagonal product by cold drawing but has eliminated the pre-treatment steps. The company has succeeded in optimizing temperature control in the hot rolling mill so that the wire can be cold drawn and precisely shaped directly afterwards.
The wire is only solution heat treated after cold drawing, whereas in conventional production this step is usually also necessary after hot rolling. This means that the costs associated with heat treatment prior to cold drawing are completely eliminated. The result is cold-rolled quality at virtually the same price as hot-rolled material. In addition, solution heat treatment after cold drawing ensures that the product is not strain hardened and therefore can be processed without difficulty. KEP supplies the new hexagonal wire in the four austenitic grades 4301, 4305, 4404 and 4571, and in the ferritic grade 4104.
An up-to-date picture for the text is available on the internet at http://www.thyssenkrupp-steel.com/en/presse/bildergalerie, where journalists can use our online facility to obtain quick and easy accreditation to our Press Photo and Graphics Service.
Contact:
ThyssenKrupp Steel AG
Dietmar Stamm
Phone: +49 203 / 52 - 2 6267
Fax: +49 203 / 52 - 2 57 07
e-mail: dietmar.stamm@tks.thyssenkrupp.com
Bernd Overmaat
Phone: +49 203 / 52 - 4 51 85
Fax: +49 203 / 52 - 2 57 07
e-mail: bernd.overmaat@tks.thyssenkrupp.com