Wire Forming Material Options – Quick Facts

Did you know that there’s a wide array of materials used in wire forming? Each material has its own properties and benefits, so it’s important to select the right material for your parts.

Below, you’ll find an overview of the most common materials used in wire forming. There are many different materials used in wire forming. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll focus on individual types of materials.

Aluminum

Aluminum wires are especially useful for wire parts and components that can be difficult to form. Aluminum is more flexible than some other materials, like steel. Another main benefit of aluminum is the fact that it’s one of the lightest wire forming materials you can work with. Aluminum is inherently corrosion resistant, so in some applications it requires no additional finish.

Brass

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. The chemical composition of brass makes it extremely resistant to corrosion. Due to it’s color and corrosion resistance, brass is used where good aesthetics are needed. It’s often one of the top material choices for wires that require excellent thermal conductivity.

Bronze

Bronze is a corrosion-resistant material that is a good conductor of electricity. It is very similar to brass. While brass is predominantly copper mixed with zinc, bronze is mostly copper mixed with tin, and sometimes other material. Bronze is often used for custom springs that carry electricity.

Carbon Steel

If you’re looking for an extremely strong and shock resistant material, carbon steel is what you want. It’s inexpensive, as well. Carbon steel is ideal for wiry parts or components that have to remain sturdy and rigid. However, carbon steel comes with several disadvantages. It’s hard to bend, and it’s more susceptible to rust and corrosion.

Cold Rolled Steel

Cold rolled steel wire is formed by passing mild steel stock through a set of mechanically driven rollers. This process results in a steel wire that is stronger and harder than copper or aluminum wire. Cold rolled steel has a very smooth finish, and can be easily welded. It is more workable and less brittle than carbon steel.

Copper

Most formed copper wires are used in applications where electrical conductivity is important (eg electrical connectors). Copper has many positive attributes. For starters, copper is strong, very flexible, and non-magnetic. It has high electrical conductivity and high thermal conductivity. These properties make copper an ideal material for electrical applications and and parts that operate in high temperatures.

Nickel

Nickel is an ideal material for springs that are continually exposed to moisture and/or extreme temperatures. Nickel is very resistant to corrosion, and it can function normally in extreme high and low temperatures. While nickel in its pure form is magnetic, most nickel alloys are non-magnetic, which makes them especially useful in parts that require non-magnetic components to be able to function with other parts nearby.

Nickel alloys should never be used as electoral conductors because nickel is highly resistant to electric currents.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel wires come in a few different grades (304, 316, and 434, for example). Regardless of grade, stainless steel is a good material for wires that are used in parts that are exposed to high heat and/or moisture. Stainless steel can resist oxidation and chlorides (like salt on the street surface), and it functions well in extreme temperatures. Unlike steel, stainless steel is non-magnetic.

Titanium

Titanium is one of the strongest and most durable metals in the world. It’s an ideal material for springs, since it has good elasticity. It’s also naturally corrosion-resistant and it has a high melting point. One of the downsides to titanium is it’s high cost.

Beyond The Basics

Aside from these common materials, there are many other materials suitable for wire forming. Intran primarily uses Stainless Steel and Cold Rolled Steel. We are experts in wire forming these two materials. Our engineers are also very familiar with other materials used for wire forming. If you’re not sure which formed wire material is right for your part(s), we can definitely help you with that. Please contact us.