Equipment: Part 2

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WIRE JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2008

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Equipment: Part 2 Perspectives: Perspectives:

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Seizing Seizing opportunity: opportunity: the the mindset mindset of of one one CEO CEO who who has has done done just just that that

Spring Spring World World速 preview: preview:

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OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL

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WIRE JOURNAL

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I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

CONTENTS

Volume 41 | Number 9 | September 2008

F EATURES

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Industry News . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Asian Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Fiber Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Spring World 2008 preview . . . .52

Fastener Update . . . . . . . . . 30

Spring and wire forming technology will be front and center October 15-17, 2008, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, USA.

WAI News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Equipment: Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . .58

Chapter Corner . . . . . . . . . . 34

This feature, the second of two parts, presents more equipment that was presented earlier this year at wire Düsseldorf, the world’s largest show for wire and cable equipment.

Mordica Lecture . . . . . . . . . . 74

T ECHNICAL P APERS

Technical Papers . . . . . . . 70-90

Analysis of the forming of points in wire nails Lucas Franciga, Jorgelina Geisler, Paulo Cetlin and Cristiano Cunha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Perspectives: General Cable . . 44

Products/Media . . . . . . . . . . 92 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Career Opportunities . . . . . . 99

Improvement of straightness in coiled bar with roller leveler straightener Ryota Hamada, Motoo Asakawa, M. agahira and M. Amari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Decoding codes, standards and fire safety markings Per elson, Marc ormandin, and Thomas Muehle . . . . 88

Advertisers’ Index . . . . . . . 102

Cover: Suppliers in this feature include Italian exhibitors, top left clockwise: DEM Costruzioni Speciali Srl, Officina Meccanica Domaso (OMD) and Gimax Group. See p. 58.

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE CONTENTS

P ERSPECTIVES . . . . . . . . . . .44 General Cable President and CEO Gregory B. Kenny shares his thoughts on how the company was able to transform itself into one of the world’s top wire and cable companies, with 13,000 employees in 23 countries and revenues topping $6 billion.

4 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

T RIUMPH

ON THE GREEN

. . . .38

It was “high five” time for the Charter Steel team of George Dowidchuk, Dave Light, Scott Fravel and Mark Zakds, winners of the 6th Annual WAI Ohio Valley Chapter Open golf tournament.

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EDITORIAL WIRE JOURNAL

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EDITORIAL

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Good intentions (and court rulings) do not always translate to pluses for manufacturing In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that manufacturers can establish minimum price policies with their customers, something that was prohibited since 1911. The intentions may have been good, but the court might have been better served listening more to people whose input should have mattered. Attorney Generals from 35 states along with consumer advocates and various retailers pleaded that altering the free-market environment is unhealthy. Some manufacturers had opposed that view, arguing that price and value are intertwined in the minds of consumers and that discounting can damage a product’s image. According to The Wall Street Journal, it didn’t take long for some sectors to react. Suppliers in some industries, including furniture and consumer electronics, enacted price policies prohibiting discounting. In one case, a business found that approximately 100 of its 465 suppliers established minimum price policies in the past year. That company reported that the new rules nearly destroyed its business model and that it was forced to diversify its product offering. This matter may not seem to directly impact the wire and cable industry, but what happens downstream ultimately can have an affect on how the overall product-to-marketplace process works. While I am sympathetic to the issues that challenge today’s manufacturers, it is hard to rally behind minimum pricing as it reverses a ruling that has been in place through numerous economic expansions, the opening of global markets and the birth of e-commerce. For the time being, it is too early to predict the full impact and, with e-commerce in its infancy, we may never be able to fully calculate the true cost increases that will be borne by the consumers, especially those spending billions on-line. However, we can be certain that minimum pricing will not help address today’s core manufacturing challenges of the global marketplace, workforce development, environmental compliance, tort reform and healthcare costs.

Steve Fetteroll WAI Executive Director

Publisher | Steven J. Fetteroll Editor-in-Chief | Mark Marselli Senior Graphic Designer | Bill Branch Director of Sales | Robert Xeller Advertising Sales | Anna Bzowski Director of Marketing Services | Janice E. Swindells Proofreader | Livia Jacobs Circulation Manager | Jan Valois Publications Advisory Board Antonio Ayala | J.J. Lowe, Mexico Ferruccio Bellina | TKT Group/President ACIMAF, Italy Anand Bhagwat | Wire and Cable Services, India Malcom Michael | Australasian Wire Association, Australia Don Schollin | Q-S Technologies, USA Ken Scott | UK Ralph Skalleberg | Skaltek USA Dave Stackpole | Nutmeg Wire, USA Giulio Properzi | Continuus Properzi, Italy Robert Wild | Niehoff Endex North America, USA WAI Executive Committee Liaison Dane Armendariz | Henkel Corporation Technical Advisors John Drummond | Scotia Group Nate Rosebrooks | Fluid Coating Technology R. M. Shemenski | RMS Consulting, Inc.

WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL (ISSN-0277-4275) published monthly by The Wire Journal, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Wire Association International, Inc., which is located at 1570 Boston Post Road, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA, and can be contacted at tel. 203-453-2777; fax 203-453-8384; Internet wirenet.org; e-mail mmarselli@wirenet.org. Address all correspondence concerning advertising production, editorial and circulation to the above address. WJI is printed in USA. Subscription rates: $110 per year, USA; $120 per year, Canada and Mexico; other countries, $140 per year (includes air mail). Single copies: $6 in the U.S.; all other countries $7. Periodicals postage paid at Guilford, CT 06437, USA, and at additional offices. Wire Journal International grants photocopy permission to libraries and others registered with Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), 21 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970, USA, for a fee of $0.50 per article. Payments should be sent directly to the CCC. Requests for bulk orders or reprints should be sent to the Wire Journal International, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA. © 2008 by Wire Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. The Publisher of WJI assumes no responsibility for the validity of manufacturers’ claims made herein. Back issues of WJI are on microfilm and available from University Microfilm, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. Phone: 313761-4700. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wire Journal International, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA.

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THE EXPERTS IN

ECCENTRICITY MEASUREMENT Unique cloud-diagram shows short-term variation

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CALENDAR

CALENDAR September 18-20, 2008: Cable & Wire 2008 Istanbul, Turkey. Contact: Mediaforce Fuarcilik Ltd. Sti., tel. 90-212-465-65-45; info@mediaforceonline. com; www.mediaforceonline.com. September 23-26, 2008: wire China Shanghai, China. Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, tel. 001-312-781-5180; fax 001-312-781-5188; info@mdna.com; ww.mdna.com. October 15-17, 2008: Spring World 2008 Rosemont, Illinois, USA. See preview on p. 52. October 20-22, 2008: ITC Mexico Monterrey, Mexico. To be held at the Crown Plaza Monterrey, this WAI ITC includes a technical conference, tabletop exhibits, a plant tour and networking opportunities. November 3-5, 2008: Electrical Manufacturing Expo Orlando, Florida, USA. To be held at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center, this event is put on by the Electrical Manufacturing & Coil Winding Association. Contact:

8 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Chuck Thurman, tel. 619-435-3629; cthurman @emcwa.org, www.electricalmanufacturing.org. November 9-12, 2008: 57th IWCS™ Conference and Symposium Providence, Rhode Island, USA. The IWCS returns to the Rhode Island Convention Center. Contact: Internet www.iwcs.org; phudak@iwcs.org; tel. 001-732-389-0990. November 20-22, 2008: Wire & Cable India 2008 Mumbai, India. Contact: Cheryl Fernandes, Confederation of Indian Industry, tel. 91-22-24931790, ext. 470; fax 91-22-24939463; www.ciionline.org. April 25-30, 2009: Interwire 2009 Cleveland, Ohio, USA. To be held at the International Exposition Center (I-X Center), Interwire incorporates: Interwire Trade Exposition, the technical program and the WAI’s 79th Annual Convention. It addresses ferrous and nonferrous manufacturing, and electrical/data/voice segments as well as wire forming and related wire and wire products. Contact: WAI, tel. 001-203-453-2777; fax 001203-453-8384; www.wirenet.org. ■

For more information, contact the WAI, USA. Tel. 001-203-453-2777; fax 001-203-453-8384; Internet www.wirenet.org. September 25, 2008: Mid-South Chapter’s 7th Seventh Annual Golf Tournament Florence, Alabama, USA. The chapter will go to a new course, part of the Robert Trent Jones Trail. October 15, 2008: Western Chapter’s 8th Annual Wild West Shootout Industry Hills, California, USA. The chapter will return to the Industry Hills Golf Club. October 20-22, 2008: ITC Mexico Monterrey, Mexico. To be held at the Crown Plaza Monterrey, this WAI ITC includes a technical conference, tabletop exhibits, a wire museum tour and networking opportunities. See preview that begins on p. 48. October 30, 2008: Southeast Chapter’s 7th Annual Golf Tournament

Conover, North Carolina, USA. The chapter will return to the Rock Barn Golf and Spa. November 11, 2008: Reconvene Providence, Rhode Island, USA. WAI will hold its second annual business meeting of the year in conjunction with the IWCS show. April 25-30, 2009: Interwire 2009 Cleveland, Ohio, USA. To be held at the International Exposition Center (I-X Center), Interwire incorporates: Interwire Trade Exposition, the technical program and the WAI’s 79th Annual Convention. It addresses ferrous and nonferrous manufacturing, and electrical/data/voice segments as well as wire forming and related wire and wire products. Contact: WAI, tel. 001-203-453-2777; fax 001203-453-8384; www.wirenet.org.

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 9

CALENDAR

W IRE ASSOCIATION I NTERNATIONAL E VENTS

INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS Atlantic Wire to close operations Atlantic Wire Company LLC, a Branford, Connecticut, USA, manufacturer of low to medium carbon and alloy steel cold-heading wire and processed rod founded in 1906, has filed for bankruptcy and as of press time planned to soon cease operations, with the loss of some 70 jobs. Atlantic Wire President Manfred Leong said that the company will complete orders in progress, sell off its equipment and close in a few weeks. The company’s environmental woes did not force the closure, he said, noting that almost a million dollars for equipment and expertise, which included hiring an environmental manager, had been spent to correct those problems over the last year. “There would not have been all that investment made if there was not the thought of success,” Leong said. If the environmental issues were completely factored out of the business, it still would have closed because of a combination of higher rod prices that could not be passed along to customers and a steady decline in demand from the slumping housing market, which accounts for much of Atlantic Wire’s production, he said. “As recently as 2005-06, we were shipping 2,000 tons of product a month, but that dropped to 1,400 tons and recently to under 1,000 tons.” The Atlantic Wire owners, Investors Services, Inc., a holding company, ultimately decided that the industry trends did not offer enough hope for the business to become viable, Leong said. The building, he noted, is owned by Atlantic Realty. Earlier this year, Atlantic Wire, founded by William Hitchcock, Sr., was in the local headlines for discharges into the Branford River that led to legal action from State Attorney General Richard Blumethal. He sued Atlantic Wire in January for 21 illegal discharges of toxic wastewater into the river since December 2005. In addition to the challenges of complying with environmental regulations, in October 2006, an agreement had been reached whereby Petron Atlantic, Inc., would have acquired Atlantic Wire and its sister company, Northeast Steel and Machine Products, Inc., whose operation is in Stow, Ohio. At that time, Petron Atlantic CEO Niraj Balasaria said, “We are extremely excited about our new affiliation with Atlantic Wire and Northeast Steel which will fit perfectly within our global manufacturing and sales organization.” But, a later press release notes that, “Effective January 15, 2008, the Management Agreement … by and between Atlantic Wire Company, LLC and Northeast Steel and Machine Products, Inc. and Petron Atlantic, Inc., expired.” No further detail was provided. A Northeast Steel spokesperson said that the company

remains in business and that there were no plans for it to close. Northeast Steel was described as “a complete wire service center and precision wire drawing mill.”

Molex Incorporated unit acquires majority share in Turkish cablemaker U.S.-based Molex Incorporated announced through its Premise Networks business unit, that it has become a substantial shareholder in HCS, a Turkish manufacturer of high-performance cables for the structured cabling market. A press release noted that HCS, which specializes in data cables for the Structured Cabling System Market, has its commercial operation in Istanbul and its manufacturing facility in Kayseri. All HCS products, it said, are manufactured to meet or exceed all relevant industry standards including ISO/IEc 11801, IEC 61156, CENELEC EN 50173, TIA/EIA-568A and TIA/EIA-568B. “We are excited about this opportunity and are confident that adding high performance cables to our solutions portfolio will significantly improve our competitive position in the structured cabling marketplace,” Molex Premise Networks President Dennis Curtis said in the release. “The combination of Molex’s global footprint in the market, and our expertise in manufacturing data cabling products, is a winning formula,” HCS Board Chairman Mustafa Boydak said in the release. “We look forward to working with Molex to expand our market penetration.” The release noted that HCS “offers an extensive cabling product portfolio and its technical and manufacturing expertise has earned (it) a strong reputation in the European markets it serves. All HCS products are manufactured to meet or exceed all relevant industry standards including ISO/IEc 11801, IEC 61156, CENELEC EN 50173, TIA/EIA-568A and TIA/EIA-568B.” Molex Incorporated, based in Lisle, Illinois, USA, notes that it operates 59 manufacturing facilities in 19 countries.

Draka to close wire plant in U.K. Draka Holding N.V. announced that it plans to stop production of copper wire in its Llanelli (UK) copper wire factory and consolidate production in other factories, within Europe, where wiredrawing is already part of the integrated manufacturing process. The Llanelli factory, which is part of the company’s Energy & Infrastructure Europe division, employs approximately 135 people, a press release said. The third party sales served by the Llanelli facility, it said, will be absorbed by Draka’s Derby site (UK).

Does your company have news that belongs here? E-mail it to the WJI at editorial@wirenet.org.

10 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

INDUSTRY NEWS

The closure of Llanelli has been discussed with the European Works Council and separately with the National Works Council in the U.K., the release said. The closure was part of Draka’s “Stop, Swap and Share” program, started several years ago to maximize deployment of resources.

Ceremony celebrates 1 billion ft of defect-free cable production It took years of round-the-clock production and incredible attention to accuracy and logistics by both Tyco Thermo Control’s plant in Menlo Park, California, and International Wire Group’s High Performance Conductors (IWG/HPC) plant in Inman, South Carolina, to accomplish a stunning feat: production and delivery of one billion ft of defect-free cable. “To my knowledge, this is the largest amount of cable ever produced without any defects with a 100% on-time delivery,” said IWG/HPC Senior Regional Account Manager Thomas J. Rosen.

Among those at the July 23 ceremony celebrating one billion feet of defect-free cable production are, l-r, IWG/HPC President Martin G. Dew, Purchasing Manager Mark Campisi, Tyco Thermo Control Plant Manager Kevin Friel and IWG/HPC Senior Regional Account Manager Thomas J. Rosen. The accomplishment was celebrated at a July 23 award ceremony at the company’s Inman plant, with all three shifts and management in attendance. HPC and Tyco Thermo Control produced more than one billion feet of defect-free, self-regulating cable using conductor mainly purchased from IWG/HPC. Tyco Thermo Control is a leading producer of heating cable in North America, and its product is used in self-regulating heating applications for freeze protection and temperature maintenance in oil pipelines, power plants, and residential applications. IWG/HPC notes that it is the largest manufacturer in North America for high-temp conductors used in demand-

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 11

INDUSTRY NEWS

ing applications for aerospace, military, medical, freeze protection and electronics. IWG acquired HPC from Phelps Dodge Corporation in 2006.

Severstal unit buys Redaelli Tecna, Italian-based wire-rope producer The Severstal-metiz Group, Severstal’s steel wire and wire products division, announced that it has acquired privately held, Italian-based wire-rope producer Redaelli Tecna, including its production, technological, center and distribution divisions. At Redaelli’s website, it notes that its wire ropes business produces special cables for industrial hoisting, mining industry, cableways, material transportation, oil industry, bridges, tensile structures, elevators, marine and fishing industries and power transmission lines. Production is done at its factory in Gardone Valtrompia (Brescia, Italy), which uses a very sophisticated computerized program to provide a fast and flexible technology. The value of the deal was not disclosed, but analysts estimated it at between US$93 million to US$156 million), the article in the Moscow Times reported. In it, it described the deal as a trend related to “cash-heavy Russian metals firms” looking to expand abroad. The companies said synergies would allow them to save US$16 million over the next five years, the report said. In it, representatives for Severstal observed that it would help the Italian firm to distribute in the former Soviet Union, while Redaelli said it would bring the Russian side closer to its European customers. “The acquisition of Redaelli will allow our company to widen our products line and widen our distribution capacities,” Severstal-metiz chief Olga Naumova said in a news conference via video link from Italy, the report said. It also cited Redaelli chief Maurizio Prete as saying that the company needed Severstal to boost capacity. “We have lots of orders and are now eight to nine months late with our clients because we do not have enough capacities to produce. I hope that we will be able to meet that demand with the help of our new Russian partners.” Redaelli was described as “a very profitable” company that will provide Severstal with much-needed expertise, said Yevgeny Bulanov, a metals analyst with CIG investment group, the report said. In it, Bulanov said that

Editor’s note Due to printer problems with electronic materials, the U.S. Synthetic Wire Die ads in the May 2008 and July 2008 issues were published incorrectly. WJI regrets the errors.

12 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

INDUSTRY NEWS

Redaelli has had very good profitability and that he valued the deal at topping US$90 million. Severstal-metiz wants to manufacture products with more added value, and Redaelli’s technologies can do that, he said.

CommScope reports consolidations U.S.-based CommScope announced that it is making changes in four countries as part of its plans to optimize its global operations that would see consolidations resulting in the loss of at least 85 positions and possible relocations for hundreds of others. A press release said that the company plans to consolidate elements of its antenna and cable production within its antenna, cable and cabinet group and enterprise segments into other existing facilities. It listed the proposed changes, some of which it noted are subject to employee consultation processes, as taking place as follows. England: Microwave antenna operations at three locations in the Stratford area would be shifted to existing Andrew antenna manufacturing facilities or outsourced. This would result in the closure of the Stratford, Bidford and Long Marston locations. Czech Republic: Base station antenna production in Brno would be discontinued and moved to existing Andrew antenna plants or outsourced. In addition, the connector, cable, and accessory assembly operations in Brno are also under consideration for relocation to other Andrew locations or outsourcing. Other operations in Brno would not be affected. Australia: Enterprise cabling operations in Brisbane will be discontinued by early 2009, with production moved to other CommScope facilities. Scotland: Machine shop operations in Lochgelly would be consolidated into other Andrew facilities or outsourced. Cable re-roll processes and some support functions are also being reviewed. Other operations in Lochgelly would not be affected. “The proposed changes are expected to result in a net reduction of at least 85 employees across the company,” the release said. “In total, more than 700 existing jobs could be affected by these planned actions, with the majority of these positions potentially relocated to other existing company locations.” “We regret that many of our people may be impacted,” said CommScope President and CEO Brian Garrett. “However, we can better serve and secure the long-term interests of our global employee population, as well as our customers and shareholders, by reducing costs whenever possible and improving utilization of our extensive capabilities in response to regional market demand. Combined with our previously announced actions that affected manufacturing locations in Belgium, Brazil and Italy, these proposed moves are expected to enable CommScope to have a much more highly efficient and properly utilized manufac-

14 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

AGENTS WANTED

INDUSTRY NEWS

turing footprint around the world.” “The savings from these new initiatives are incremental to the previously announced intention to create $90 million to $100 million in merger-related savings within two years of the December 2007 Andrew Corporation acquisition, of which $50 million to $60 million are expected to occur in 2008,” the release said.

CCPI acquires Able Wire Company U.S.-based CCPI-Inc. reports that it has acquired The Able Wire Company of Naugatuck, Connecticut, USA, which will become a new division of CCPI. Able Wire Company, which manufactures specialty wire and cable used for sectors from aerospace and oil refining to heat treating and ship-building, will be called CCPIWire & Sensors, a press release said. It added that CCPI-Europe Ltd. will locate a thermocouple manufacturing facility and calibration lab at the Able Wire facility. CCPI, founded in 1957, includes five divisions, and focuses on consumable products for the molten metals industries, both ferrous and nonferrous. Its wire focus is on thermocouple wires. It operates manufacturing facilities at its corporate headquarters in Blanchester, Ohio; CCPI See us at Europe Ltd. in Sheffield, England; IWCS 2008 and Gulf Temperature Sensors W.L.L Providence, RI in Manama, Bahrain. Nov. 9 - 12

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Huestis Industrial has broadened its air wipe offering to include two new Mini Wipes™ with .187” (4.8 mm) and .312” (7.9 mm) openings. Model MW0187 accepts wire sizes from a minimum of .094” (2.4 mm) to a maximum of .156” (4.0 mm). Model MW0312 accepts a minimum wire size of .219” (5.6 mm) to a maximum of .281” (7.1 mm). The addition of these two new models brings the Huestis Mini Wipe™ product offering to six and provides for applications from .343” (8.7 mm) and under. s Ceramic inserts offer chafe protection needed for bare wire applications s Non-opening, low-profile body easily fits into tight process lines s Offered with either flat or angled (90°) mounting brackets

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16 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

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PS Costruzioni reports a significant contract with the El-Sewedy Group Italy’s PS Costruzioni Meccaniche Srl, reports that it has achieved outstanding success in the Middle East for its wire and cable packaging systems, highlighted by a recent significant contract from Egypt’s El-Sewedy Cables. A press release said that the deal calls for PS Costruzioni to provide a total of nine coil winding systems, both semi-automatic and fully automatic, coil-winding systems, to process cables from 1 mm to 25 mm to final products that can have standard and variable sizes. Some of the systems will be commissioned at El-Sewedy’s base operations in Egypt, while others will go to branch operations in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemen and Ethiopia, the release said. The machines to be supplied include an automatic coiling machine, Mod. PS 600/25, that can produce three coils, 100 meter long, per minute, it said. These coils, it

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INDUSTRY NEWS

noted, can reach an O.D. up to 600 mm and can have a maximum weight of 80 kilos. El-Sewedy requires the coils to be packed with a diametral strapping system and thermo-shrinking film, with a label then applied along the outer perimeter of the wrapped-up coil, showing the company name and the cable data, the release said. It added that the PS Costruzioni equipment makes it possible for all these processes to be handled automatically.

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WireCo WorldGroup makes capital investment to expand its capacity U.S.-based Wireco WorldGroup announced that it will acquire a new multi-million dollar planetary strander, which is expected to greatly expand wire rope capacity by summer 2009. The company has ordered a 73 wire, 25 in. planetary strander made by Cabmach, a company of Mario Frigerio Group, that features the latest in stranding technology, and is an exact duplicate of a machine that WireCo WorldGroup installed in its China facility in 2008, a press release said. The new system will produce the Union® brand of surface mining ropes and will solidify WireCo WorldGroup’s position as a supplier of large diameter surface mining ropes, the release said. Adding the new system will require a physical expansion of the company’s plant in Sedalia, Missouri, which is expected to begin later this year, it said, noting that the large machine and anticipated increase of output will also require additional hires at the plant. “With plant expansions and new product innovations like our Union TufMax and PowerMax line of ropes, we continue to be the premier supplier of innovative high quality products to the mines,” said company CEO Ira Glazer. WireCo WorldGroup notes that it employs approximately 1,500 people at its locations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany and China. It is owned by investment funds managed by Paine & Partners, the San Francisco and New York-based private equity firm.

Italy’s OMD celebrates its 60th anniversary Italy’s OMD Officina Meccanica Domaso SpA, based in Domaso, this year celebrates its 60th anniversary. Founded in 1948 by Emil Kunz, the company, located on the Lake of Como, notes that over the years it has worked closely with spring manufacturers to design and produce its wide range of spring coiling machines, spring end grinding machines, chamfering machines, coiling benches, multiformer and special machines.

20 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

network and enhancing its portfolio of advanced technologies. Tenova, it said, has a network of 30 companies in five continents. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, CFS designs and supplies industrial furnaces and related equipment as well as melt shop process equipment for the metals industry. It serves the metal producing markets of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

REELEX adds R&D wing REELEX Packaging Solutions reports that it has added a new wing to its facility in Patterson, New York, that is devoted strictly to R&D of the REELEX® packaging system. Noting that REELEX tangle-free packaging has applications for thousands of products beyond LAN and coaxial cable, the new resources will enable the company to develop its packaging technology for a wider range of products including fiber optics, steel cable, building wire and more, a press release said. The new facility features a full machine shop for creating unique on-demand parts as well as a state of the art 3D printing machine for fabricating rapid prototypes, the release said. “Because we are the only company developing the REELEX package, we must have the ability to try new designs and adapt our technology to the unique characteristics of various products in a rapid manner,” said Frank Kotzur, REELEX’s VP of R&D. “We are positioning ourselves to meet as many packaging demands as possible.”

Tenova Group acquires majority share in Core Furnace Systems Italy’s Tenova Group will buy a controlling interest in U.S.-based Core Furnace Systems (CFS), a deal that is expected to be finalized this month. CFS will continue to operate under its current management team, a press release said. It noted that the deal will benefit CFS and its customers by providing it with access to Tenova’s global resource

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 21

INDUSTRY NEWS

OMD notes that it takes great care to meet the specific requirements of customers and to provide them innovative products and customer-orientated solutions. “The quality is continuously improved and this enables OMD to offer products which perform high demands. Thanks to its dynamic teamwork, customer relationship through local presence and a considerable export share, OMD has grown up to be one of the world-wide leading manufacturers of spring manufacturing machines. The company expresses its thanks to all those people who contributed to success during this 60-years period.”

INDUSTRY NEWS

IWCS event to include an expanded role by CCCA in technical program

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The International Wire & Cable Symposium, Inc., (IWCS), and the Communications Cable and Connectivity Association, Inc., (CCCA), announced their intent to expand the annual IWCS™ Technical Symposium and Conference to include more on structured cabling systems (SCS) and applications used in the Information Technology (IT) infrastructure for commercial buildings and critical facilities. This cooperation will be a pilot for the 2008 IWCS™ Technical Symposium, which will be held November 9-12 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island, a press release said. “The immediate goal is to emphasize IWCS as a new and differentiated SCS and IT infrastructure venue,” it said. Plans include the development of a designated “IT Infrastructure and Connectivity” track. “Together IWCS and CCCA will provide a complementary depth of information currently not available from other associations and conferences,” said Kevin St. Cyr, CCCA chairman and president of Berk-Tek. “Our relationship with IWCS gives CCCA a superb opportunity to extend our reach through technology and science-based research papers to help guide IT infrastructure planning and decision making.” “With this new relationship with CCCA, the IWCS Conference will expand its focus to include new and emerging applications and best practices in communications and data infrastructure,” said John Sicotte, chairman of the IWCS Board of Directors and a senior vice president of Corning Cable Systems.

1 year out, new company reports positive signs for its equipment Founded in September 2007, U.K.-based Threesixty Parkegate Technology Ltd reports that it is seeing success for its line of equipment to serve the continuous rotary extrusion market. A joint venture of Threesixty Technology, Ltd., and Parkegate Engineering Consultants, Ltd., the company notes that its Metalmorph range of continuous rotary extrusion equipment provides a flexible production process suitable for numerous applications in industries where nonferrous metals are required. Predominantly used in the production of wires and cables, such as ACS wire, OPGW and CATV, the technology developed by Threesixty Parkegate is also suitable for aluminum micro and super-micro multiport tubes; copper busbars, transformer strips, commutators and aluminum refrigeration tubes, as well as other specialized applications, it said. A press release said that while the joint venture is relatively new, it is supported by a team of industry veterans with more than 500 years expertise in metals processing indus-

INDUSTRY NEWS

tries, and 50 plus years in the continuous rotary extrusion industry. It adds that it has already landed contracts on four continents, including one secured at wire Düsseldorf from a Russian customer for a Metalmorph TTX-320 and complete production line to manufacture aluminum-clad steel wire. The company’s managing director, Carl Dawe, can be contacted at tel. 44-1202-593658, carl.dawe@360-parkegate.com; www.360parkegate.com.

Eurolls Group to celebrate growth, opening of new Cortinovis factory, at special event in Italy on October 10 One year after Italy’s Eurolls Group celebrated its 20th anniversary of activity, the global producer and supplier of equipment for the wire, cable and tube industries, will celebrate its own “Bergamo Pole,” the group of associated firms (Cortinovis Machinery SpA, Team Meccanica SpA and Vitari SpA) that are synergistically located in Val Brembo town, near Bergamo (Lombardy). “A big event is going to be held, with the participation of the major Italian political authorities and specialized media of the industry: the core of the event will not be only the opening of the new factory of Cortinovis Machinery SpA, but also an important round table to outline the direction of the company,” a press release said. Cortinovis Machinery is a historical name, which the current management is further establishing as a worldwide leader, and is part of the overall Eurolls Group, which continues to grow despite slowdowns in parts of the world, the release said. It observed that the Group has been able to do so because of its “long-term, farsighted strategic plans.” The event is scheduled for October 10 in Cortinovis Machinery’s works.

Nexans closes Intercond deal Nexans reported that it has closed its acquisition of Intercond, an Italian manufacturer of special cables, mainly for industrial equipment including subsea activities. The US$140 million deal, announced on May 29, reinforces the group’s leadership in the fast-growing industrial cable activities, a press release said. It noted that Intercond, which employs 150 people, will complement the Group’s existing business units based in Europe, “making of Nexans one of the worldwide leaders in both above mentioned activities.” ■

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 23

ASIAN FOCUS

ASIAN FOCUS Early exhibit numbers are good for Wire & Cable India this November

Report: China manufacturing to top U.S. soon, but news not all bad

Organizers of Wire & Cable India 2008 have high hopes when the event is held Nov. 20-22 at the MMRDA Grounds, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, India. To date, Wire & Cable India 2008 has received overwhelming response with over 170+ companies confirming their participation, notes a press release from the organizers, the Confederation of Indian Industry, which issupported by the Int’l Wire & Machinery Association (IWMA), Steel Wire Manufacturers Association of India (SWMAI), Telecom Cable Manufacturers Association (TCMA) and Electrical Cable Development Association (ECDA). Overseeing the

China may overtake the United States as the world’s leading manufacturer as soon as 2009, but that measure may not be quite as significant as it sounds, reports Global Insight, a privately held company that provides comprehensive economic and financial information available on countries, regions and industries. “Recent forecast revisions suggest that China will overtake the U.S. as the world’s leading manufacturer earlier than previously anticipated,” a press release said, attributing the outlook to the country’s rapid gains in the market shares of textiles, basic metals, computer equipment, appliances and mineral products. “In nominal U.S. dollar terms, U.S. manufacturing weakened sharply in 2007, and despite the outlook for a modest recovery in the coming years, China’s unprecedented growth rates should secure the largest share in global manufacturing as early as 2009,” the release said. The U.S., however, will continue to lead in selected high-valued manufacturing industries such as aerospace, pharmaceuticals and specialized equipment, it said. It also noted that manufacturing accounts for only 12.5% of U.S. GDP, dwarfed by the U.S. service sector, whereas 36% of the Chinese economy is engaged in manufacturing. The report concludes that the rapid rise in China’s manufacturing sector is not likely to choke the U.S. economy. The expanding Chinese market is more likely to open up greater opportunities for the U.S. as well as other producers, but several important areas of economic growth—such as finance, information technologies, and business services, in addition to such manufacturing industries as aircraft, pharmaceuticals, heavy capital equipment, and scientific and medical equipment—are all expected to remain larger in the U.S. than in China, it said. That news is mixed for the wire and cable industry as the report cited the U.S. manufacturing industries likely to lose the most ground in terms of world output share as textiles, basic metals, mineral products, computers, electrical equipment and household appliances. Global Insight forecasts that Chinese inflation will be greater than that of the U.S., and that China’s economic growth will support an appreciation of the yuan relative to the U.S. dollar in the coming years. It added that China’s rapid manufacturing growth will open up “vastly greater trade opportunities for the U.S. manufacturing and service industries where (it) enjoys a comparative advantage.” In the past, while China saw its manufacturing growth

Attendees at the inaugural Wire & Cable India show.

event is the chairman, Deepak Chhabria, Managing Director, Finolex Cables Limited. The event will showcase the latest machinery, equipment, raw materials and accessories required by the Indian wire and cable manufacturing industry. The inaugural event, held in 2006, saw more than 125 exhibitors accounting for more than 60,000 sq ft of exhibit space, with 50% international participation from 20 countries and more than 4,000 attendees, the release said. The exhibitors include 98 overseas companies from 18 countries, including the U.S., Switzerland, U.K., Germany, France, UAE, Spain, Netherlands and Finland, among others. There are also country pavilions from China, Taiwan, Italy and Austria. Contact: Romaldine Ayire, Conf. of Indian Industry, tel. 022-2493 1790; romaldine.ayire@ciionline.org.

Have news that belongs here? If so, e-mail it to editorial@wirenet.org.

24 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

ASIAN NEWS BRIEFS ArcelorMittal interest in China Oriental reduced ArcelorMittal’s plan to acquire a majority stake in China Oriental may turn out to be less than the world’s largest steelmaker had hoped for. According to wire reports, the company likely will have to settle for a stake of just under 30 percent in China Oriental, even though it had at one time appeared confident of holding more than 70 percent.

Prysmian wins Chinese cable contract Italy’s Prysmian Cables & Systems reported that it had been awarded a contract worth about US$16 million from China Nuclear Power Engineering Company (CNPEC) for two types of special cables for use in nuclear power plants. A press release said that Prysmian will develop and install high-tech special cables with a high resistance to radiation exposure for the nuclear reactors. The cables will be manufactured in the French plant of Paron and in the new Chinese Tianjin factory and delivered to the two stations over a time span of four years, it said. ■

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 25

ASIAN FOCUS

surging at a 10-15% compound annual growth rate (based on real, value-added terms) in its post-liberalization period, U.S. manufacturing growth remained above 3%, with no evidence of choking by the rapid Chinese expansion. Global Insight projects China’s manufacturing growth to be trimmed from its current 15% to 8% by 2015, and U.S. manufacturing growth to be around 2.2%. Further, manufacturing means more to the China economy than it does to the U.S. economy, the release said. “As noted above, manufacturing accounts for more than one-third of China’s GDP, but only about one-eighth of U.S. GDP.” Globally, manufacturing accounts for only 17% of GDP (in nominal terms), while the service sector weighs in at 65%, the release said. “The U.S. share of world services output, currently at 32%, will remain far larger than China’s share, currently at 3.7% and expected to reach only 8.0% by 2015.” The release said that China’s manufacturing growth will be increasingly diverted to meet growing domestic demand. “Indeed, income gains and the consequent demand growth within this giant nation will enhance rather than hinder opportunities for external producers.”

PEOPLE

PEOPLE As part of its efforts to consolidate the leadership of its North American operations. General Cable Corporation reported the promotion of Gregory J. Lampert to North American President and CEO. He joined the company in 1998 and has worked in a number of senior and executive management capacities, most recently as Executive Vice President and Group President, North America Electrical and Communications Infrastructure. He previously held engineering and management positions with The Dow Chemical Company. He holds a B.S. degree Gregory J. Lampert in chemical engineering from the University of Cincinnati and a Master’s degree in strategy, finance and marketing from the University of Chicago and is a former chairman of the Standing Commission of the International Cablemakers Federation. The move will enable company President and CEO Gregory B. Kenny to further focus on the company’s globalization strategy. Based in Highland Heights, Kentucky, USA, General Cable Corporation is one of the world’s largest cable companies. Industrial Steel and Wire Co., has named Robert J. (Bob) Kerr as District Sales Manager, South East, responsible for sales from the company’s Charlotte warehouse. He has a wide knowledge of the wire industry, having previously worked for Insteel Wire Products, Leggett & Platt Group, Cargill Steel & Wire and Bekaert Corporation. He holds a degree in Business Administration and Economics from St. Ambrose University Iowa. He replaces Richard Potosnak, who is retiring having spent over 40 years in the wire industry. Based in Chicago, Illinois, USA, Industrial Steel and Wire Co., supplies wire and strip from stock and is one of the world’s largest distributors of spring wire. John Dace has been promoted from vice president of sales to general manager of Liberty Wire & Cable. He joined Liberty 19 months ago and previously served as director of commercial sales for Chief Manufacturing. Prior to that he was national sales manager at 3M Company and a regional sales manager at Nalco Chemical. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned as an officer in the Marine Corps. Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA, Liberty Wire & Cable, a division of Communications Supply Corp. (CSC), specializes in cable for audio/video and security applications. Joseph M. Hogan, who has had held key positions for more than two decades at GE, has been named CEO of

26 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

the ABB Group. During his 23 years with GE, led GE Medical Systems and then GE Healthcare from November 2000, during which time he grew the business by $11 billion. Prior to this, he served as president and CEO of GE Fanuc Automation North America, Inc., a global supplier of industrial controls systems and a joint venture between GE and FANUC of Japan. He previously held a number of key positions in sales, marketing and product development at GE Plastics. He holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Geneva College and an MBA from Robert Morris University. Michel Demaré, ABB’s Chief Financial Officer, who has held the CEO position on an ad-interim basis since February 13, 2008, will continue to serve as ABB’s CFO. Based in Zurich, Switzerland, the ABB Group supplies power and automation technologies to utility and industry customers. ick Szczechowski recently joined Wheelabrator Plus as an account manager for Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. He has extensive experience with industrial sales and holds Baldor Motors & Drives certifications. Wheelabrator Plus, the parts, equipment modernization and service division of U.S.-based Wheelabrator Group, supplies wheel- and air-blasting technology.

Nick Szczechowski

Alloy Polymers, Inc., announced that, as a result of the company’s ongoing succession planning process, Charles M. Chiappone has been given the additional title of Chief Executive Officer. He joined the company in 2006 as president and COO, and was instrumental in improving operational efficiencies, building a new leadership team, expanding the company’s service offering and the acquisition of A. Schulman, Inc.’s Orange Texas compounding facility in Orange, Texas. He has more than 20 years of experience, with past employers including GE and SPX Corporation. He holds a B.S. degree in marketing and management from Siena College and an MBA degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. The move will enable Executive Chairman and major shareholder Kamini Pahuja to focus on growing Alloy Polymers in emerging markets such as Asia and Middle East. Based in Richmond, Virginia, USA, Alloy Polymers, Inc., supplies compounds for multiple products, including electrical compounds. Sunil Bhaskaran has been appointed Executive-InCharge (Global Wires) for India’s Tata Steel. In this new position, he will be responsible for developing the company’s global wire businesses, which include: Wire Division, India; The Siam Industrial Wire Co. Ltd.,

Ron Schmidt, formerly Director of OEM Sales for Maxcess International, has been promoted to Vice President of Market Development, North America and Export. In his new role, he will lead the effort to expand the company’s business in existing as well as new markets. Based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, Maxcess

International is the parent company of Fife (guiding and inspection), MAGPOWR (tension control), and Tidland (winding and slitting). Belden-Malaysia has named Seth Yeong Thin Chew as a sales representative, responsible for the company’s industrial cable and AV/Broadcast vertical market in Malaysia. He has experience in selling industrial products, systems and services, with almost five years spent providing technical support and three years in sales. BeldenSeth Yeong Malaysia is part of U.S.-based Thin Chew Belden, a supplier of signal transmission solutions for data networking and a wide range of specialty electronics markets. ■

Ron Schmidt

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 27

PEOPLE

Thailand; Wuxi Jinyang Metal Products Co. Ltd. China; and Lanka Special Steel Limited, Sri Lanka. He joined Tata Steel in 1987, and has previous experience in its Special Products Division, steel marketing and sales, including exports, before joining Tata International in 2002. Upon moving back to Tata Steel in 2005, he was Sunil Bhaskaran placed in the MD’s office and later was appointed as Chief-Global Wires, the position which he currently holds. He will work out of Mumbai. Based in Jamshedpur, India, Tata Steel Limited produces steel products, including wire.

FIBER WATCH

FIBER Fiber performed at Olympic-level No medals were awarded, but the logistics to enable the world media to cover the openings of the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing required a mammoth effort. China Netcom, the fixed-line telecom partner of the Games, provided high definition TV signals for 37 domestic and foreign TV broadcasters, enabling four billion viewers to watch the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony lasted for more than five hours, during which time China Netcom used 15 satellite antennas and transmitted the signals through 28 signal carriers and transmission bandwidth with 35 gigabits of submarine and terrestrial optical fiber cables to transmit the TV programs for more than 30,000 minutes, a press release said. More than 6,000 km of pipelines and more than 50,000 core-km of optical fiber cables were laid, with some 6,000 workers involved, the release said. China Netcom provided six set of Ku-band movable satellite telecom systems to support the broadcasting work of the TV stations from the U.S., Hong Kong,

E-mail: fukaseco@ja2.so-net.ne.jp http://www.fukase.co.jp

28 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Mexico, Brazil and Japan, the release said. It also introduced duel-routebackup by using optical cables in the key telecom networks, it said. “Thanks to the adequate preparation, the opening ceremony was held successfully,” the release said, noting that the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee congratulated China Netcom on its achievements for the Games. ■

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FASTENER UPDATE

FASTENER UPDATE Anixter acquires QSN/QSM Communications products distributor Anixter International Inc. reports that it has acquired the assets and operations of QSN Industries Inc. and all outstanding shares of Quality Screw de Mexico S.A., a deal worth approximately US$80 million. QSN, which distributes and manufactures fasteners for original equipment manufacturers, operates 13 facilities in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, a press release said. Its manufacturing facility is located in Wood Dale, Illinois. The company, founded in 1977, notes at its website that in 1997 it opened Quality Screw Mexico, allowing QSN to “cross product” into Mexico. Quality Screw de Mexico, based in Aguascalientes, Mexico, distributes fasteners and has five operational sites in Mexico. “These acquisitions leverage our existing infrastructure and bring an important new critical mass to our North American OEM Supply business by adding locations in Mexico as well as manufacturing capacity,” said Anixter President and CEO. “The manufacturing capabilities acquired with the QSN operations will provide Anixter

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30 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

with enhanced flexibility to meet supply chain commitments where quick turnaround times are important to rapidly changing customer requirements. This strong and robust operational model will better position us to drive future organic growth.”

ITC finds against steel nails from China, four U.S. companies cleared The U.S. International Trade Commission supported an earlier finding by the U.S. Department of Commerce that certain steel nails imported to the U.S. had been sold as less-than-fair value, a decision that results in a DOC antidumping duty order on imports of this product from China. The case stems from a May 29, 2007, petition filed by Davis Wire Corp.; Gerdau Ameristeel Corp.; Maze Nails; Mid Continent Nail Corp.; Treasure Coast Fasteners, Inc.; and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union. The action included a group of 24 Chinese producers and exporters; several UAE companies and eight U.S

B/E Aerospace to open plant B/E Aerospace Inc. is opening a plant in WinstonSalem, North Carolina, USA, as part of a manufacturing expansion for the Florida-based manufacturer of aircraftcabin interior products and aftermarket distributor of aerospace fasteners.

The nearly 90,000-sq-ft building, which will be used as a seat-assembly plant, was vacated in 2007 by Hanesbrands, Inc,. as part of its continuing consolidation of domestic manufacturing, distribution and warehousing operations, reports The Winston-Salem Journal. “The new space will allow us to better utilize and focus our Fairchild Road operations on the manufacture of aftermarket parts and components,” B/E President and COO Michael Baughan said in the report. “Given the growth of our business over the past four years, the new facility allows for a more focused and efficient operations model.” On July 29, B/E reported that it nearly doubled its net income for the second quarter to a record $53.9 million, led by a broad-based increase in aftermarket demand for aerospace fasteners, which provided a significant contributor to the profit surge in the second quarter. Baughan said that he does not expect the new plant to result in significant increase in employees. The new site is located across the city from the company’s headquarters. “We look at these as different businesses, so there are no concerns about them being separated across town,” Baughan said. “This move allows us to optimize our production requirements for each business, while providing sufficient capacity and flexibility for future growth.” ■

QUEINS: YOUR BEST PARTNER FOR CABLE MACHINES MANUFACTURING RANGE FOR NEW MACHINES

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SEPTEMBER 2008 | 31

FASTENER UPDATE

importers of nails from China. According to procedure documents, China and the UAE accounted for 50.8 percent of world exports of nails and staples in 2006, the next 10 largest exporting countries totaled 37.5 percent of world exports. The nails in question include raming nails and galvanized bulk nails, paper collated nails, plastic collated nails, and coil nails (excluding roofing nails). The UAE companies were dropped but the finding was that nails from China had been “dumped,” except for those imported by four U.S. fastener manufacturers (ITW, Senco, Specialty Fasteners, and Stanley). On July 21, the ITC reported that the above-named four U.S. fastener manufacturers had increased their imports as part of acceptable business practices, “as their domestic production of steel nails has declined, indicating that their primary interest is shifting from domestic production to importation.” Tariffs are set from 21.24 percent to 118 percent.

WAI NEWS

WAI

NEWS

Timely tradition continues at WAI A special tradition continued with the winding of the grandfather “long case” clock on August 4, 2008, at WAI’s headquarters in Guilford, Connecticut, USA. The ceremony, which included 35 guests, was performed by D.M. Sandy Saunders of Bucks, England. The Wire Association International received the antique clock in 1948 as a gift from the British members in appreciation for support received from the U.S. wire industry during World War II. The 32 subscribers that gifted the clock to the Association resolved that the clock be permanently placed in the Association’s office as a reminder of the international friendship existing among the members. Traditionally, a United Kingdom wire industry veteran makes the annual trip to perform the ceremonial winding of the 400-day mechanism. Saunders was the 54th person to serve as a Clockwinder. Saunders’ background included a commission in the Fleet Air Arm from 1954 to 1958, extended service as a Reserve Officer and four decades in a wide range of industrial businesses including wiredrawing.

32 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

WAI President Ron Reed, l, displays a plaque bearing the Livery Company shield presented to the WAI by Clockwinder D.M. Sandy Saunders and his wife, Rosemary.

Mexico ITC update: additions to both tabletops and tech papers With the WAI’s International Technical Conference in Mexico just a month away, the programs and events are being finalized, led by strong demand for tabletops and the addition of two more presentations. The event, to be held October 20-22 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Monterrey, Mexico, will include a technical program, an opening reception to be held at a local brewery, a tour to a unique wire museum, tabletop displays, as an opportunity to make contacts, and more. WAI Sales Director Robert Xeller reports that with additions since the last issue, all 46 tabletop positions have been filled. Added since the August issue are: Beta LaserMike, Hearl Heaton/Pentre Group, J J Lowe Associates, Madem Reels USA, Niehoff Endex North America, Precision Die Technologies, Queins & Co GmbH, SAMP USA, Wire & Plastic Machinery, Yield Management Corp. and Zumbach Electronics. WAI Director of Education Marc Murray reports that two more technical papers have been added to the program, the details as follows. “Aluminum versus copper – review of the technical challenges and potential applications where a substitution

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WAI NEWS

When asked for a special memory of the wire industry, Saunders recalled for those in attendance about sailing in a NATO Task Force in 1966 as First Lieutenant. His assignment at the time was to clear the unswept minefields bordering the Straights of Dover, which were anchored by wire to the sea bottom. President Ron Reed, who introduced Saunders and his wife Rosemary, shared the message of Peter Rigby, who served as the clockwinder on the 50th anniversary. At that occasion, Rigby said, “There was no reason for America to get involved, it wasn’t your war. America came to our aid, America landed us the materials we needed. There was no formal provision for repayment, not even a formal account kept. The U.S. came to our aid and that is why it gives the clockwinders so much pleasure to come over and wind this clock.” Saunders recently served the Master of the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers alias Wire Workers and has worked to continue the Wire Link Travelling Scholarship Program that is jointly funded by the Livery and the Wire Foundation. Saunders, who presented a plaque inscribed with the Livery Company shield to Reed that will be displayed alongside the clock, said that he was honored to join the prestigious club of past clockwinders.

WAI NEWS

could be considered and assessment of its viability as a true alternative, by Enrico Conte, Sampsistemi, Italy. In recent years, the increased cost of copper has created a need for alternatives in specific applications where copper used to be the preferred choice. This paper examines the properties and advantages of both aluminum and copper and their implications on the manufacturing process from raw material to finished product. The primary factors for consideration are product performance, equipment requirements, process limitations, and substitution cost as well as overall economic and environmental conditions. “Performance of nanoclay in a flame-retardant jacket compound,” by Sergio Castañeda and Octavio Parra, Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo Condumex (CIDEC), Mexico; and Eduardo Ramírez and Saúl Sánchez, Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada (CIQA), Condumex, Mexico This paper analyses the performance of a high filled flame-retardant, halogenfree compound intended for jacketing when it is modified with nanoclays. The study looks for the effect in mechanical, physicochemical, and rheological properties of the material. Results showed that the use of nanoclays decreased the flame-retardant filler content in the compound—with a minor change in mechanical and physicochemical properties—but enhanced rheological behavior as expected. The schedule for these and other papers can be seen by clicking on www.wirenet.org and then clicking on the Mexico ITC icon at the top right of the page and then “View Technical Program.” Information on registration, tabletops and more can also be found at the site. ■

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34 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

S AV E T H E D A T E

WIRE, CABLE, AND FASTENERS The largest and longest-running wire industry trade show in the Americas.

SHOW: APRIL 25-30, 2009 EXHIBITS: APRIL 27-30, 2009 I-X CENTER, CLEVELAND, OHIO, USA

INQUIRE ABOUT AVAILABLE EXHIBIT SPACE TODAY! Interwire sales at WAI: 203-453-2777 or IFE sales at IFMSA: 203-794-0444

INK TO INDIA. BOLTS TO BANGLADESH. MACHINES TO MALAYASIA. If you’re selling wire and cable supplies, equipment, or manufactured products, meet Interwire, the gold standard in wire and cable trade events in the Americas and honored by Tradeshow Week as one of the top 200 Trades shows in the U.S. We’ll be back at Cleveland, Ohio’s I-X Center and backed by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Buyer Program putting special focus on U.S. exports around the world. Exports happen. And trade is in the air at Interwire 2009 where we expect delegates from more than 50 countries. So whether it’s wire to Wales or an order for fence in the outback, Interwire offers you a global marketplace on an international stage. And if it’s a new national account you’re looking for, join in. They may need tin in Tinseltown.

The Commercial Service logo is a Registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Commerce, used with permission.

To reserve exhibit space at Interwire—the largest wire and cable marketplace in the Americas in 2009—call now for availability or check online at: http://www.wirenet.org/events/interwire/index.htm

ORGANIZED BY: The Wire Association International, Inc.

INTERWIRE 2009 EXHIBITING COMPANIES as of August 2008

ABP Induction Ace Metal Inc. ACM AB - KSM AEB International Inc. AIM Inc. All Forming Machinery Inc. Amacoil Inc. Amaral Automation Associates Ametek Specialty Metal Products A. Appiani Srl Arcelor Mittal Atlantic Wire Co. LLC AW Machinery LLC AWPA American Wire Producers Association AXIS Computer Systems Inc. Aztech Lubricants LLC B & H Tool Co. Inc. Balloffet Die Corp. Bao Zhang Galvanized Iron Wire Co., Ltd. Bartell Machinery Systems LLC Base Ten Consulting Inc. BCS Industries LLC Beta LaserMike Beta Systems Srl Blachford Corp. Bongard Machines USA LLC Boockmann GmbH/The Slover Group Boxy SpA Breen Color Concentrates Inc. Butt Welders USA Caballe SA Cable Consultants Corp. Canterbury Engineering Co. Carpenter Technology Corp. Carris Reels Inc. Cemanco LC CeramTec AG CERSA-MCI Chin Pu Jir Enterprise Co. Ltd. Clifford Welding Systems (Pty.) Ltd. Clinton Instrument Co. CM Furnaces Inc. CMEC International Exhibition Ltd. CN Wire Corp. Coats North America. Cometo Snc Commission Brokers Inc. CommScope

Condat Corp. Conductix Wampfler-Delachaux Conneaut Industries Inc. Continuus-Properzi SpA CoorsTek Cortinovis Machinery America Inc. CRU North America Inc. Davis-Standard LLC Design & Engineering LLC Die Quip Corp. Domeks Makine Ltd. Sti Donnelly Reels E-Beam Services Inc. Ebner Furnaces Inc. Ebner Industrieofenbau ECD Inc. Engineered Control Systems Inc. Engineered Machinery Group Enkotec Co. Inc. ERA Wire Inc. Er-Bakir Elektrolitik Bakir Esteves Group Etna-Bechem Lubricants Ltd. Etna Products Inc. Eurodraw Energy SpA Eurolls Group Eurowire Magazine George Evans Corp. EVG Inc. Fabritex Inc. Fenn Technologies FIB Belgium SA Fil-Tec Inc. Filtertech Inc. Fine International Corp. Fisk Alloy Wire Inc. FMS Force Measuring Systems AG FMS USA Inc. Fort Wayne Wire Die Inc. Frey Group LLC Frigeco Srl Frontier Composites & Castings Inc. FSP-One T. Fukase & Co. Ltd. Garg Sales Inc. Gauder SA Gavlick Machinery Corp. Gem Gravure Co. Inc. GEMCO Electrical

GENCA Corp. W. Gillies Technologies LLC Gimax Srl GMP-Slovakia Rudolf Grauer AG Guill Tool & Engineering Co. Hafner & Krullmann GmbH Vom Hagen & Funke GmbH Heacock Metal & Machine Co. Inc. Heany Industries Inc. Hearl Heaton Heatbath Corp. Henkel Corp. Heritage Wire Die Inc. Hezel GmbH & Co. KG Gebruder Hilgeland-Nutap GmbH Hofmann Ceramic GmbH Houghton International Inc. Howar Equipment Inc. Huestis Industrial Huettner Maschineenfabrik GmbH IDEAL Welding Systems Ideal-Werk India Steel Works Ltd. Industrial Steel & Wire Co. Industrial Heating Magazine Inosym Ltd. InterWire Products Intras Ltd. Iowa Steel & Wire Italian Trade Commission IWE Spools & Handling GmbH IWG High Performance Conductors Inc. IWMA International Wire & Machinery Association Kemaite Optic & Electric Products Co. Ltd. Kinrei of America Klaus Jakob Messlechnik AG KMK GmbH Ernst Koch GmbH & Co. KG Albert Krenn Friedr Krollmann GmbH Kuhar Metallizing Co. Inc. Lamnea Bruk AB Lamnea Bruk USA LaserLinc Inc. Laurel Wire Co. Leggett & Platt Wire Group Leoni Wire Inc. Lesmo Machinery America Inc. Lloyd & Bouvier Inc. J.J. Lowe Associates Inc. M + E Macchine + Engineering Srl MacDermid Inc. Madem Reels USA Inc. Madem SA Magnetic Technologies Ltd. Magnus Equipment MAGPOWR Maillefer SA Mapre Belgium SA Mario Frigerio SpA Markem-Imaje USA Maschinenfabrik Niehoff Mathiasen Machinery Inc. William McCaskie Inc. Merritt Davis

ORGANIZED BY: The Wire Association International, Inc.

Metavan NV MFL USA Service Corp - Frigerio The MGS Group (MGS-Hall-Northampton) MGS Manufacturing - The MGS Group Micro Products Co. Microdia Mikrotek Machines Ltd. Morgan-Koch Corp. Mossberg Reel LLC /Boxy Group NEPTCO Inc. Nextrom Oy Niagara Composites Industries Inc. Niehoff Endex North America Inc. Northampton Machinery Co. The MGS Group Northeast Steel Corp. Norwalk Innovation Inc. NUMAMERICA/NUMALLIANCE Oklahoma Steel & Wire OM Frigerio OM Lesmo OMA USA Inc. OMCG North America Inc. OMCG SpA Panchmahal Steel Ltd. Paramount Die Co. Inc. Parkway-Kew Corp. Pave Automation Design PEKUtech GmbH Phifer Wire Inc. Pioneer Machinery Co. Ltd. Pittsfield Plastics Eng. Inc. Plasmait GmbH Plasticolor/Woywod GmbH Polyone Pourtier SAS Power Sonics LLC PrintSafe Process Control Corp. Properzi International Inc. Proton Products Ltd. QED Wire Lines Inc. Qinhuangdao Yanda-Guohai Stainless Steel Co. Ltd. Qual-Fab Inc. Queins & Co. GmbH Rad-Con Inc. Radyne Corp. Rainbow Rubber & Plastics Rautomead Ltd. Reelex Packaging Solutions Inc. RichardsApex Inc. Rizzardi Rohmann LP Rosendahl Maschinen GmbH Rosendahl Nextrom Technologies Roteq Machinery Inc. Saarsteel Inc. SAMP SpA (SAMPSISTEMI) SAMP USA Inc. Sanxin Wire Die, Inc. SARK-USA Inc. Sarkuysan SA H A Schlatter AG Schlatter Inc. Schnell (Wire System) SpA Schunk Graphite Technology

Sealeze Setic SAS Shanghai Nanyang Shanghai Yingong Wire Products Equipment Co. Ltd. Shijiazhuang Kingway Metal Products Co. Shuster-Mettler Corp. Sictra Srl SIKORA International Corp. Simpacks Singleton Reels Sirio Wire Srl Sjogren Industries Inc. Skaltek Inc. SKET Verseilmaschinenbau GmbH Sonoco Crellin Inc. Sonoco Products South Fence Machinery Ltd. Staku-Anlagenbau GmbH Steuler Anlagenbau GmbH & Co. KG August Strecker GmbH & Co. KG Summit City Enterprises T & T Marketing Inc. TAK Enterprises Inc. Talladega Machinery & Supply Taymer Industries Inc. Team Meccanica Srl Technical Marketing Services Teknor Apex Co. Tensor Machinery Ltd. Teurema Thermcraft Inc. Timco Inc. Troester GmbH & Co. KG Tubular Products Co. Tulsa Power LLC Unitek North America Inc. Uniwire International Ltd. Urbano Associates US Synthetic Wire Die Vandor Corporation Vitari SpA Vollmer America Inc. Wafios AG Wafios Machinery Corp. Wardwell Braiding Machine Co. Wardwell Italy SRL Watson Parts & Service Weber & Scher Mfg. Co. In.c Wire & Cable Asia Magazine Wire & Cable Technology International Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp. wire 2008/Messe D端sseldorf North America The Wire Association International Inc. Wire Journal International Wire Lab Co. Wire Machine Systems Inc. WireCo WorldGroup WireWorld Witels Albert USA Ltd. Woodburn Diamond Die Inc. Worth Steel & Machinery Inc. Woywod Kunststoff Maschinen GmbH Wyrepak Industries Inc. Zhejiang Minmetals Zumbach Electronics Corp.

CHAPTER CORNER

CHAPTER CORNER 3-way tie for first at Ohio Valley Chapter’s 6th Annual Tourney Golfers were fit to be tied at the 6th Annual WAI Ohio Valley Chapter Open golf tournament held Thursday, August 7, 2008, at the Grantwood Golf Course in Solon, Ohio. An event record 58 golfers teed off on a near-perfect day for golf at the Cleveland area course. The three top teams all scored 8-under par 63, so team prizes were determined by tiebreakers. The winning team was the Charter Steel foursome of George Dowidchuk, Dave Light, Scott Fravel and Mark Zak. Second went to Dane Armendariz, Henkel Corp.; Bob Shemenski, RMS Consulting; and Allegheny

three closest-to-the-pin holes, Charter Steel and Sumitomo Electric Carbide Inc for the two long drive holes and the accurate drive hole was sponsored by Wire Lab Company. Corporate hole sponsors included American Spring Wire, Canterbury Engineering, Core Furnace Systems, Die Quip, Hi Specialty America, Premier Wire Die and R E Warner & Associates. “The chapter thanks these companies for their support and for helping the tournament grow,” said Chapter President Armendariz. “Mike Caranna did another outstanding job of chairing the event, and several people let me know how much they enjoyed the day. We look forward to making it even better next year, and to getting more people involved in the chapter and the WAI.”

Midwest Chapter meeting speaker to assess economy, manufacturing

WAI Ohio Valley Chapter Open chairman Mike Caranna (far right) presents prize to the tourney’s first place team from Charter Steel (L-R): George Dowidchuk, Dave Light, Scott Fravel and Mark Zak. Ludlum’s Paul Harton and Terry Jurkovsky. Third place went to Vincent Griffin and Mike Swift, Premier Wire Die, along with Jerry Richards, Adco Inc., and Dave Simpson, Sumitomo Electric Carbide Inc. “In addition to being our largest field ever, this was the most competitive tournament we have held,” said event Chairman Mike Caranna of American Spring Wire. “It was really exciting to have three teams tie for best score.” In the skills contests, Electrovations’ Kregg Himes won both long drive contests, Jerry Anderson, Canterbury Engineering, won the accurate drive hole, and American Spring Wire’s Greg Bokar, Hi-Specialty America’s Tom Britt and Armendariz, won the closest-to-the-pin holes. Along with the largest field, the chapter had the strongest sponsor support to date. The $10,000 hole-inone was sponsored by the I-X Center, site of Interwire 2009. The other exclusive sponsorships included Enkotec, Ivaco Rolling Mills and US Synthetic Wire Die for the

38 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

“Economic Assessment,” a practical outlook with a strong focus on the manufacturing sector, is the topic of the WAI Midwest Chapter Dinner Meeting on Tuesday, October 14, 2008, at the Donald E Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. The meeting is being held the evening prior to the opening of the Spring World Show at the same site. Taking a look at the overall United States economy and drilling down to the manufacturing sector will be William A. Strauss, senior economist and economic advisor in the economic research department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. As the economy enters its seventh year of expansion there are concerns about its sustainability. The struggling housing market, the pull-back in manufacturing, and higher energy and commodity prices are just some of those factors. Strauss will look at the performance of the overall U.S. macro economy with specific attention paid to key economic sectors and indicators. Strauss holds a B.A. degree in economics and geography from SUNY and an MBA degree in economics from Northwestern University. “We keep hearing how some companies are doing very well, while others are really struggling,” said Midwest Chapter President John Kukalis of Henkel Corp. “We thought that bringing in an economist like Bill Strauss, especially with his expertise in the manufacturing sector, would be interesting to a lot of people in the industry.” The dinner meeting will begin with a networking reception at 6 pm, followed by dinner and the speaker at 7 pm. Registration for the event is $65, $55 for members. The registration deadline is October 8. The form can be downloaded at the chapter’s webpage. For more details, contact WAI’s Chip Marsh at tel. 203453-1748; cmarsh@wirenet.org.

If energy costs are a concern for your business and the concept of renewable energy is intriguing, the WAI New England Chapter’s event on Thursday, October 9, is one program you will want to attend. Dinner speaker Leighton Lee IV, facilities manager of the Lee Company in Westbrook, Connecticut, will present “Energy Resources for Practical Facilities Management,” at the meeting at Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Lee, who led the company’s process of integrating renewable energy into its operations at the Restrictor Group facility, has practical ideas to share. “Renewable energy sends a very positive message to employees with new, clean technology and pride from knowing that your company is on a path of self-reliance,” says Lee. “This is an attractive option for progressive companies looking to save money on electricity bills while demonstrating support for clean energy.” The Lee Company recently added over 1,700 rooftop solar panels that will deliver 20% of the building’s power load. Lee will discuss his experiences and inform attendees about available government and utility funding.

“The costs associated with energy needs in today’s economy are having a much greater impact on manufacturers,” said New England Chapter Education Chair Denise Coyle, Chromatics, Inc. “This program provides a real example of a company that looked to ways to incorporate a renewable source as a means of cutting energy costs which have the secondary benefit of enhancing the green footprint of the company.” The event will begin with a networking reception at 5:30, followed by a buffet dinner and the presentation. Registration is $60, $50 for members. Sponsorship opportunities also exist for companies at $200, with recognition at both the event and in the WJI. For more details, contact WAI’s Chip Marsh at cmarsh@wirenet.org; tel. 203-453-1748.

Mid-South Chapter to challenge ‘Fighting Joe’ golf course this month The “Fighting Joe” links-style golf course will provide the challenge for the 7th Annual WAI Mid-South Chapter Golf Tournament on Thursday, September 25, 2008, in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The course, one of two tracks at the Robert Trent Jones

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 39

CHAPTER CORNER

New England chapter speaker topic: energy independence technology

CHAPTER CORNER

Golf Trail Shoals site, is named after General “Fighting Joe” Wheeler, the only Confederate General to attain the same rank later in the United States Army. It was the first Trail course to top 8,000 yards. This links style course is described as simply good straight-forward golf. “We wanted to try a new setting for the chapter’s tournament, and the Robert Trent Jones Trail is famous for quality golf,” said tournament Chairman Andrew Stromer. “The Shoals courses are fun to play and provide enough challenge to make the day exciting. This event is a great opportunity to entertain clients and network with your industry colleagues.” Team and individual prizes will be awarded, including a shot for $10,000 by acing a designated hole. Exclusive sponsorship opportunities ($200 to $500) are available and non-exclusive corporate hole sponsorships are $100. All sponsors get to display company information on tabletop space at the reception and dinner, and will be recognized at the event and in the WJI. The registration fee is $115 and non-golfers can attend the networking reception and dinner for $35. Deadline for registering is Sept. 19. Registration/sponsorship forms can be downloaded at the Mid-South Chapter webpage. For more details, WAI’s Chip Marsh at tel. 203-4531748; cmarsh@wirenet.org.

40 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Wild West Shootout Golf Tournament set for next month in California The WAI Western Chapter’s 8th Annual Wild West Shootout golf tournament is set for Wednesday, October 15 at the Eisenhower Course of the Industry Hills Golf Club at the Pacific Palms Conference Resort in Industry Hills, California. The best ball scramble format tournament features team and individual prizes, including a $10,000 hole-in-one prize, long and accurate drive holes as well as closest-to-the-pin holes to test their skills as well as a slew of raffle prizes. “We already have a driver and putter committed as raffle prizes and the course is a great setup for a scramble tournament,” said tournament Chairman Michael Weiss of Whitmor/Wirenetics. “We want this to be a first-class event for all players.” Check-in is 10 am with the shotgun start at 11 am. The registration fee is $135 and non-golfers can also enjoy the event by attending the dinner for $40. Sponsorships are available for companies, including exclusive sponsorships for the hole-in-one and skills contests ($150 to $300), and non-exclusive corporate hole sponsorships are $100 each. “This tournament is a great opportunity to network with your industry colleagues,” said Western Chapter President

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CHAPTER CORNER

Michael Howard of Coast Wire & Plastic Tech. “Michael Weiss has been working hard to build on the event’s previous successes, and we encourage you to come.” The registration deadline is October 8. Forms can be found at the Western Chapter webpage, or contact WAI’s Chip Marsh at cmarsh@wirenet.org or tel. 203-453-1748.

Southeast Chapter Golf Tournament: possible shot for first 100+ field The 7th Annual WAI Southeast Chapter Golf Tournament is set to go on Thursday, October 30, returning to the Rock Barn Golf and Spa in Conover, North Carolina. After two years of almost reaching 100 golfers, the chapter is looking to top the century mark this year. Team and individual prizes will be available, including a shot at $10,000 by acing a designated hole. “This tournament really brings a great group of people together from the industry,” said tournament co-chair and chapter President Steve Vannais, Davis-Standard. “It’s a lot of fun and a wonderful opportunity to entertain clients, network with colleagues and just have a good time.” He added that the raffle prizes proceeds will support the Southeast Chapter’s Scholarship Fund.

42 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

The day begins with check-in and a box lunch at 11 am, followed by a shotgun start at noon. A barbecue dinner and the awarding of prizes take place following the round. The registration fee of $125 covers greens fees, cart, range balls, lunch and the barbecue awards dinner. Non-golfers can network with their industry colleagues at the barbecue dinner for $35. Sponsorship opportunities are available for companies looking for added exposure, with exclusive sponsorships offered for all the skills contests as well as for the beverage cart, awards dinner and lunch. $100 hole sponsorships are also available on a non-exclusive basis. All sponsors will get recognition the day of the tournament as well as in the WJI wrapup. “It’s really special the way the sponsors support this event,” said co-chair Tim McElhany of Process Control. “They get nice exposure through their sponsorships, and their support helps ensure that everyone has a good day. We really appreciate the way these companies get involved.” Deadline for registration is October 23. Registration and sponsorship forms can be downloaded at the chapter’s webpage. For more details, WAI’s Chip Marsh, tel. 203453-1748, cmarsh@wirenet.org. ■

PERSPECTIVES

PERSPECTIVES General Cable: a decade of action This article looks at the transformation of General Cable Corporation in one decade from a moderately successful albeit provincial U.S. cable company with two primary product lines, to one of the world’s top five cable companies with an expansive product portfolio and a truly global manufacturing presence. It includes a look below at what the company has achieved, a Q&A with company President Gregory B. Kenny and a Q&A with a stock analyst who follows the business.

In an industry not necessarily known for swift change, General Cable Corporation has managed incredible growth in less than a decade by a combination of tenacity and patience, the product of a three-stage mission. Led by CEO Gregory B. Kenny, the company created and followed a new game plan for how it would manufacture cable, add new product lines and expand its global presence. Those elements overlap, but what may be the most remarkable element is how the company has been able to steadfastly follow that path, showing no signs of slowing down. The numbers reflect just how remarkable the company’s transformation has been. About one decade ago, revenues outside the U.S. accounted for about 5% of General Cable’s revenue base. Today, that same figure is more than 70%. In 2003, General Cable had 6,000 employees in eight countries and revenues of about $1.5 billion. At last count, those numbers were 13,000 employees in 23 countries and estimated revenues of more than $6 billion. The biggest single key has been acquisitions, the most notable being the 2007 addition of Phelps Dodge International Corporation (PDIC), which had production and distribution centers in 19 countries, and gave General Cable a presence in

Latin America, Sub-Sahara Africa and Southeast Asia. Other acquisitions such as Enica Biskra in Algeria (2008), NSW in Germany (2007), Plaza Cable in India (2007), Huaming in China (2007), E.C.N. Cable in Spain (2006), Helix/Hitemp in the U.S. (2005), Silec Cable in France (2005), Beru S.A. in Mexico (2005) and BICC (1999), also played a large role. Those deals and internal initiatives saw General Cable widen its product lines from communications and construction cable to include a wide range of power cables, turnkey submarine networks, portable cord products, multi conductor cables, transportation products, industrial harnesses and more. Adding companies and product lines has been a big part of the success, but the company’s ability to embrace lean manufacturing and to apply it across its acquired businesses was also key. At Wire Expo, keynote speaker Mark Thackeray, General Cable’s senior vice president of North American Operations, explained how the company embraced lean manufacturing. A close look at how the manufacturing process worked ultimately resulted in major changes that took years to fully realize the desired results. Thackeray explained that the focus was on understanding

Perspectives is an occasional section that presents commentary/analysis from individuals on different industry topics.

44 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Q&A: President & CEO Gregory Kenny General Cable Corporation General Cable President and CEO Gregory B. Kenny, who joined the company in 1992, became company president in 1999 and CEO in 2001. He previously was a foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of State and held a number of positions for Penn Central Corp. He holds a B.S. degree from Georgetown University, an MBA from The George Washington University and a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard University. He recently discussed his company’s remarkable growth with WJI.

One finding the process brought about, Thackeray said, ran counter to industry practice. “Inventory hides weaknesses,” he told the audience, noting that having a pile of product to turn to is easier than proper planning. Another lesson he said was learned, was that the conventional belief that price equals cost plus profit is not correct. With a lean approach, he said, the real formula is profit equals price minus cost, and going from that basis is how a company improves.

opportunity there. We also saw opportunity in the developing world, and the purchase of BICC in 1999 helped establish us globally. At the time it was not earning much money so it was also a turnaround, although they had some wonderful technology and brand recognition. WJI: How much concern was there about the decision to become a global company again? Kenny: It was an easy one for me because of the time I had spent overseas earlier in my career with the U.S. State Department, which made me relatively comfortable in a non-U.S. environment. I was dealing with U.S. economic policy and trade policy and commercial policy globally, and got to see firsthand the collision of U.S. economy policy with the rest of the world. I was working for the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs back in the early 80s and I spent time in the Middle East. I also was the commercial counselor in Venezuela and learned some Spanish. And my dad worked for Pan American Airways, so I got to travel occasionally with him. At a relatively early point in my 20s, I saw how interrelated the world was becoming and the relative different paces of different economies and aspirations of people.

WJI: You have had a long tenure with General Cable. At what point was the decision made for the company to restructure its operations and focus, and why? Kenny: That really dates from the late 1990s, a period when the U.S. wire and cable market was strong. At the same time, we saw vulnerabilities, as we really just had a focus on a couple of products (communications and construction cable) in one market (North America). At the time, we had to ask, as a board of directors, what business we were in. General Cable was once quite a global company and then for a variety of reasons became much more domestically focused. Wire and cable was a big globWJI: What did you see as the keys al business, relatively unconsolidated, for the company at that time? and the question was whether we would Kenny: We saw several things that focus on getting very, very good at making General Cable Corp. President and could make us different, lean manufacwire and cable and reinvest in the business CEO Gregory B. Kenny. turing being one of the most imporor instead follow the path others have chotant. We had already gone in that direction through Steve sen: “Take the cash and become a multi-national conglomerRabinowitz, the former CEO, who brought a lot of the GE ate.” We chose the former route. playbook with him when he joined General Cable in 1994. At that time the wire and cable industry, in many ways, was WJI: What was the mindset that led you to go into Europe? kind of a manufacturing backwater. It was not generally assoKenny: At that point, despite our success in communicaciated with leading practices around continuous improvement tions cable, primarily in North America, we felt the European or lean, but Steve brought some of those ideas from GE. He’s market was in a state of disarray and restructuring. We saw been retired now for seven years and we’ve come a long way

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 45

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how to make what was needed, when it was needed; how to prevent material flow from being interrupted; and making employees an integral part of the ongoing improvement processes. It was not a simple process but the more that lean methods were employed, the better the results were understood and became accepted, he said. The gross scrap rate went down, machine downtime was reduced and productivity went up.

PERSPECTIVES General Cable’s manufacturing plant in Rayong, Thailand.

since then. We’re very proud that four of our plants have won IndustryWeek’s “Top 10 Best Plants in North America” award. WJI: How did lean become such a priority and how has this focus gone over with the employees? Kenny: Lean is really an organized effort using tools like Six Sigma to continue to eliminate waste. Inventory is a form of waste because it is capital that is not earning, it’s sitting, and if you’re sitting on a pile of inventory, you don’t have to be really good at listening to your customers and forecasting what you actually need. Building inventory has long been done in American manufacturing, but it’s not a good idea. As for implementation, our workforce understands that they’re in a global business. Not every aspect of it is global but in general we’re competing in the U.S. against folks who are bringing in product from all over, so they realize we need to be the low-cost producer to have control of our destiny. While this was working in other industries, there was some skepticism. However, once you get it started and employees begin to visibly see the difference, it starts to accelerate. WJI: How has that translated to the shop floor? Kenny: Some plant workforces get it quickly, for others it takes more time. And then, sometimes it has different meanings overseas. Lean was more of a Japanese-U.S. concept that has now spread deeply into Europe and other areas of manufacturing. Phelps Dodge took lean with a slightly different variant but they were doing some extraordinary things in that area in developing countries, places where people don’t usually look at as a candidate for lean because labor is less expensive say, than labor would be in the U.S. and Europe. But they were doing lean in these developing countries every bit as well as we were in the U.S. 46 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

All our plants are in different stages in the lean journey. You never run out of ideas, you never run out of improvement but some of them are further down the journey. And while there are expectations they will continue to improve, the rate or magnitude of the improvement changes as they get closer to a point of zero defects and zero touch times and you begin to run at your vision of zero waste. To continually improve, you put aside materials, inflation, deflation and volume, and what’s left is simply the cost to make one unit production. We have expectations that we can drive that cost down every year, and that drives lean as a tool. As for making this work, the process has to include all the employees. Just bringing in lean experts and not involving the people on the floor would be less effective. Experts can be helpful as catalysts, but if you rely on outsiders and hand them the keys, it never really becomes part of your culture. It’s got to be part of what you do, so we’ve trained hundreds of blackbelts and greenbelts, which makes it self-sustaining, and then we continue to try and improve that. WJI: How does General Cable view its company structure? Kenny: We’re organized in three major regions: 1) North America; 2) Europe and North Africa; and 3) Latin America, sub-Sahara Africa and Mid-East/Asia-Pacific. There are similarities in some of the markets, and we have certain values as a group that we hold, like safety and continuous improvement, but we’ve found great talent in every acquisition. We don’t look at our acquisitions as overseas assets and I don’t really think of this company as having a headquarters. Headquarters is wherever we are and we aren’t U.S.-centric. Look at our operating committee that runs the company: we have a Spaniard, a Costa Rican, a British citizen who’s become a U.S. citizen, and two Americans. This diversity is critical. We’re listed on the New York Stock Exchange but

WJI: Why was the Phelps Dodge acquisition so important? Kenny: We had been interested in Phelps Dodge for a very long time. It was a relatively unique opportunity for us to get a major position in the developing world with a company who shares the same values as General Cable does around safety, lean continuous improvement and transparency. They ran that business in a very similar way to the way we do, so it was a very good cultural fit. Phelps Dodge was truly a transformational event, for while we had a position in the developing world, we were primarily European and North American in focus. The people at Phelps Dodge, particularly in the Southeast Asia market, the Latin America market and the sub-Sahara and African market, have a lot of expertise and they are full of ideas to continue to build out those businesses.

WJI: Regarding acquisitions, how is it that General Cable has been able to make so many deals? Kenny: I think that companies seeking a partner take a very close look at the people who want to buy or merge with them. It’s a big world but a small one as well. I think our track record and reputation are very important. Companies have to be able to see themselves as a part of you and see the strength of the combination. And yes, we do have a strong view of where we want to go and a lot of the situations we’ve looked at are places where we bring value uniquely. We’ve brought certain technology that others didn’t bring or we saw value in a situation where others didn’t see it. If you look at BICC in 1999, you could have said, “Well the European market is a mess, there’s too much cost and this thing is just going to get worse,” but we saw it differently. We saw some good people and some great positions. We have a toolset at General Cable that works pretty well for us but we also improve by these deals. Each company that we have merged or acquired with, has brought things, those “Ah-has,” where you find yourself saying, “Hey, they’re better than we are in those areas.” So, if someone is thinking about selling their company you can bet they will check and see what kind of folks we are, and they’ll see that we’ve been a good partner to others, that we want to get better too, and that we’ve got 13,000 people who are part of that effort, and that matters.

WJI: Does there reach a point where future growth by acquisitions will be harder to realize? Kenny: We’re a long way from being done. We have the capital structure to continue to grow with the business. We have a track record of growing both strategically in products and markets as well as by new geographies. If you look at our history, we bought Silec because they brought not only a major position in the WJI: Would you consider an acquiEuropean energy infrastructure sition in the U.S.? business, which we thought would Kenny: Absolutely. The U.S. is still be a growing business, but they 15 percent or so of the world wire and were the leader in the world in cable market. We have an extraordihigh-voltage cabling. We bought nary range of products but there are NSW because we saw huge opporGeneral Cable’s plant in Bangplee, Thailand. some things we’d like to do more of, tunity for undersea cabling, both so I would say that you could expect to power and communications and see us continue to build out in the U.S. control, and there were very few around niche markets or getting bigger in the currently served people who could do that, and then we bought Phelps Dodge markets. It’s just a question of if we see the right opportunity because they were a really well-run company and brought and how well it fits with us. tremendous insight into other opportunities in developing markets. In the case of NSW, we invested a lot of money to WJI: What are you proudest of having accomplished? allow them to also address the undersea energy cable busiKenny: I guess it’s the culture that we’ve built, because ness. With Silec, we brought lean into those facilities and these journeys involve groups of people with a common view they brought know-how around connectors and high-voltage about a set of values that are consistent. I like to give people systems that was unparalleled as they essentially invented the the responsibility to go make things happen. We like to say business in many ways. that we’d rather make the right call eight out of 10 times So we have a mixture of product expansion and geographic than go two for two. You learn from your mistakes and go expansion and we have the capital structure to keep on going. forward. So I think just the fact that we enjoy what we do We’ve said, “This is our business.” We will try to be quietly each day, see opportunity and potential, quietly celebrate sucone of the best at it in the world. We have superb people and cesses and learn from mistakes as part of our culture...that’s a clear vision of what we’re doing and a supportive board and probably the thing that enables us to keep on going and investor base, so we’ll keep on building this business out. hopefully be successful. We’re full of ideas.

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I’m as excited about an idea coming from our new acquisition in Algeria as one coming from our plant in Indiana.

PERSPECTIVES A timeline of General Cable Corporation’s “lean” progress since 1999.

WJI: One last question. For all the work that goes into making a key decision, especially for an acquisition, does it still sometimes just come down to going by gut feelings? Kenny: There are times in this industry when you have to make what I call “a lonely decision.” Sometimes you can’t go just by the numbers because our business is really non-linear, so if you look at formulas and say, “Well, we pay this multiple of earnings to buy things,” well, what is earnings and what are the people there like and what might they be able to do? We’ve acquired places when you could say, “Why would you go there?” because of this issue or that issue, or kept a plant open when it would have been easier to say, “Let’s just close this because it will never be good.” Sometimes those decisions come from a small group of people or sometimes it’s alone, where you take your counsel and make your call. It starts with great preparation and then at the end it’s sometimes just judgment or instinct, but it’s always a lot of work up front to get there so you’ll be able to make those decisions or those gut instinct calls. The world’s uncertain and life’s uncertain, so we make lots of calls,

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including some that appear to be against the popular wisdom. Such as buying a manufacturing plant in France or going into Algeria when the newspapers still have reports of unsettled conditions, including a more than 10-year war that just ended. You have to make decisions based on your view of where these things may be someday. Nothing is static and you saw a lot of that with people wanting to go to China because they say that China is, and will be, a certain way. Well, China today looks different than the China of five years ago. There is a herd instinct to go to certain places and to avoid others. I like it when the herd is moving because it opens up opportunity elsewhere. I think part of our culture is to allow those decisions to be made because the day we don’t, and people just follow the herd because they are afraid of making lonely decisions, that’s the day we really lose what I think makes us special. And that’s taking risks together, sharing those risks and making decisions as opposed to being paralyzed by fear to fail. It all comes back to us being willing to go for eight out of 10 instead of two for two. ■

Analyst Nat Kellogg covers General Cable, Belden, CommScope and Anixter for Next Generation Equity Research, LLC, a U.S.-based equity research firm that focuses on small to mid cap-sized companies for institutional investors. He can be contacted at nkellogg@nextgenres.com, www.nextgenres.com. He recently discussed General Cable’s operations with WJI.

WJI: In terms of growing its international revenues, should what General Cable has accomplished in the last decade be considered remarkable, and if so, why? To what degree can the company’s success be seen as a result of good planning versus good timing (or a combination therein)? Kellogg: I think General Cable has done an excellent job growing its international business. Clearly a lot of this was planned as it has become clear over the last decade that there are tremendous growth opportunities in Asia, Latin America and the emerging markets in general and it makes sense for General Cable to have exposure there. I also think that Greg Kenny and his team deserve credit for being opportunistic. I think the PDIC acquisition is the perfect example. They couldn’t plan on having Freeport buy Phelps Dodge. But when they did, General Cable saw the opportunity, knew PDIC was a high quality asset, and jumped at the opportunity. I think that has been the key to the company's success. WJI: Expanding via acquisitions in key regions makes sense: but is it as simple as that? What has General Cable done right in terms of choosing and making its acquisitions? Does investor support play an important role in this initiative? Kellogg: Historically, my perception is that General Cable has ensured they are getting a good value by getting a good price. However, that has often left them with a lot of integration work as they bring acquired business up to General Cable’s company-wide operating standards. I think with PDIC they will generate a good return on capital but they were also buying a high quality company that is already operating very efficiently. I think investor support plays a small role in that it allows General Cable to raise capital at attractive rates. WJI: What are the keys for a company being able to control its growth as operations expand? Have you seen changes in how they approach acquisitions in recent years? Kellogg: Certainly as they grow it becomes harder to “move the needle,” meaning as the company gets bigger it takes an increasingly large acquisition to have a meaningful

impact on General Cable’s growth. I think it is also important for them to keep a conservative balance sheet so they can continue to be opportunistic when it comes to making acquisitions. The key to controlling growth as they expand is to make sure the quality and efficiencies do not begin to suffer. And clearly it makes sense to focus on making acquisitions in high-growth markets around the world, but I think that overall they have kept the same rigorous approach when it comes to decisions. WJI: Can General Cable continue to expand as it has or are there some inherent limiting factors that prevent it from growing beyond a certain size? Kellogg: As I said above, it does get hard to “move the needle” as they grow. However, the global wire and cable market is roughly $150 billion and General Cable will have sales of $6 billion to $7 billion this year, so there is still plenty of room for growth. WJI: General Cable has placed a heavy focus on lean manufacturing: is that something that analysts consider when assessing a company? Do you believe that these efforts have had a meaningful influence on the company’s overall success? Kellogg: I think the lean manufacturing is incredibly important and one of the ways that General Cable differentiates itself. When you are spending almost $3 billion annually buying copper and aluminum and almost $1 billion on petroleum-based compounds, being lean is very important. The company does an excellent job making sure there is as little waste as possible in the manufacturing process and making sure they do not use more material than necessary. This is a key to meeting their margin targets and generating good returns for shareholders. WJI: The transformation of General Cable took years for its success to be reflected in its stock price: was this longterm commitment to a business plan noteworthy for a publicly traded company? Kellogg: Wire and cable space certainly went through the boom (late 1990s) and bust (2001-2003) cycle, but I think General Cable did a commendable job right-sizing their business, focusing on the electrical wire and cable market and seizing the growth prospects in the emerging markets. WJI: Aside from the acquisitions and its focus on lean manufacturing, are there other aspects about General Cable that warrant highlighting? Kellogg: I think they deserve a lot of credit for doing an excellent job managing the huge escalation in the cost of copper and aluminum over the last few years. Metals make up 55%-60% of their cost-of-goods-sold and they have done a truly excellent job recovering the metal price inflation and not allowing it to affect their results.

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Q & A: Nat Kellogg, Next Generation Research Equity LLC

INTERNATIONAL TECHNIC AL CONFERENCE

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SPRING WORLD

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Spring World returns to Rosemont this October Spring World® 2008 and Wire Forming will take place October 15-17, 2008, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, USA. The event returns to a familiar setting, one conveniently located, but there is more interest in whether the backdrop of a questionable U.S. economy will effect activity at the biennial trade show. The organizers―the Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers, Inc. (CASMI)―believe that the outlook is positive. The good news, as of midAugust, was that the exhibitor base was in good shape, accounting for 92 percent of the floor space, they say, noting that this period should be viewed as a time for spring makers to analyze trends, re-tool equipment, re-organize the shop floor, and identify new equipment options. “In this fiercely competitive marketplace, with spring manufacturers facing all sorts of economic and business challenges, spring manufacturing executives should be attending this year’s Spring World,” show Chairman Rick Richter, president of R-R Spring Corporation in Addison, Illinois, said in a press release. “It is the perfect time to do some strategic planning, to step back and analyze your customers’ future needs, and figure out what equipment will best serve those needs. Spring World gives you a chance to see all this machinery in one place, and allows you to kick some tires to find out what will work best for you.” This year the Spring World show floor will present technology from spring-making equipment manufacturers and metal providers from the U.S. and all over the world, including China, Taiwan, Japan, India, and companies in Europe, the release said. It noted that registration for the 2008 show was currently at about the same pace it was for Spring World 2006. The 2006 event, it reported, had a total of 3,318 preregistrants, with 2,134 spring manufacturers in attendance, and over 1,000 exhibitor personnel registered. The event also includes wire forming equipment, although that segment represents less than 10 percent of activity. “If you are in the spring industry, you should be at Spring World 2008 to see the equipment, and meet with your peers and competitors. ” said CASMI President Dan Bishop, of Automatic Spring Coiling. “This is our industry show and we need to support it to help make our industry stronger.” CASMI Executive Director Tom Renk said that he has seen good signs of show activity. “On the attendees’ side, the

52 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Wafios Machinery Corp. was among the exhibitors in 2006.

registrations are slowly coming in and we believe the show will be as large as 2006,” he said. There has also been more activity by exhibitors, he said, noting that there has been a stream of companies the last two weeks who had been holding off making commitments for a booth. He also reinforced the view that it was important for spring manufacturers to keep up with technology. “The economy is a concern, but now is a good time for companies to analyze where they are. They may need more tooling and that’s the kind of thing you don’t do when you’re really busy, so this is a good time to come and see what’s available as well as get a good deal. We’re telling people that, “‘Now is the time to retool.’” Regarding the floor activity, Renk said that there had been concern that exhibitors would cut back on the size of their booths and how much equipment they bring, but that hasn’t proved to be the case. He added that while wire forming remains a small slice of the event, it is seen as a growth area to be developed. Advance registration is free up until Sept. 25 for qualified company executives and personnel with primary business in manufacturing springs and or wire forms. No OEMs are eligible to attend. After September 25th there is a $15 registration charge for CASMI members, and a $25 charge for non-members. Registration can be done on-line at www.springworld.org. To register and for further information, contact the CASMI SpringWorld Show Office at tel. 630-369-3466, or Show Manager Tom Renk at the same number, or tom@casmi.org.

SPRING WORLD

Exhibitor comments I’ve got a sense it is going to be a very bleak year. We’ll get Chicago area people but the out-of-town numbers will be reduced and companies will send fewer people, not as many as in 2006. We’ll have as much equipment or more than the last show, including our top machines, the CSX, a hybrid wire former that we expect a lot of people are going to want to see at our booth. Still, this show is important. I’ve been in the spring business for 20 years, but on the sales side for only two years. When I came as an attendee we came there with a purpose. We were there to buy, and to get a great deal. Probably 80% of our sales are to existing customers, so our goal is to get a few new ones. Chris Dix, RK Trading. We expect to have a very good show. We’re introducing a new machine, the AFC AccuForm Compact, as well as a new concept to wire forming. I can’t tell you exactly what that concept is because it is going to be introduced at the show. I can say that while it is simple, it represents the next step that most wire shops will be looking for. If you’re not moving in this direction, you’re going to have longterm competitive issues. We’re very excited about this introduction and expect that it’s going to draw a lot of interest from attendees. As for the wire bending sector, we’ve had a good year so far, aside from a slow spot in the beginning of the second quarter that was basically a cyclical thing, but we’ve picked up and are on our way to another record year. Constantine Grapsas, AIM Inc.

Activity at the InterWire Group booth in 2006.

I have been exhibiting at CASMI since 1984 and this will be my lucky 13th show. This show is our premier event. I generally display between seven and 12 machines. This year I will bring nine or 10 pieces of equipment, if I can keep them in inventory. The automotive segment of the economy is looking bleak, and the housing crisis also reflects a drop in appliances being purchased, hence, many springs lost. But overall, the economy is still growing and manufacturing in general is quite robust. I believe this will be a successful exhibition. Carl B. Atwater, A.I. Technology, Inc. I think of this as the mystery show. I don’t have a clue at the moment what with the questionable economy how this show will be, but we’re not cutting back on our exhibit. Spring World is a good show. It’s the best show from the standpoint of sales at the show. The attendees are largely from the Midwest but we get some attendees from Europe and South America too. We plan on what to exhibit and hope that it matches what people want. We’ve had shows where we sold out all our equipment. We like to sell before the show but it’s great to get a sale on the floor and we hope that will happen this year too. It would help if there was more promoting of wire forming. Tim Weber, Forming Systems Inc. We’re not cutting back at Spring World. This has been a great show for us, a key show, but we’re not counting on a whole lot of business. The auto industry is not good but the industry is not in dire straights. My customers are very cautious. They haven’t stopped buying but they want to make sure they will get work before they place an order. I expect to see some sales but I don’t see a lot shaking loose right now. Jim Maguire, Maguire Machinery, LLC. I have somewhat mixed feelings about Spring World. Business has slowed a lot since March and I don’t know what to expect other than probably fewer people than at the 2006 show. Quite frankly, I don’t expect a lot, but we will be there for the exposure. We have not cut back our booth size and we’ll have the same amount of equipment. This is not our biggest show as we sell wire formers and this show is predominately spring makers, but we want more diversity, so we will be there. Heinz Roth, Mang Systems. ■

Spring World Alphabetical list of exhibitors/booths A-1 WIRE TECH, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1214 A.I. TECHNOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0807 ACCRA-WIRE CONTROLS, INC. . . . . . . . 0823 ADMIRAL STEEL LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0928 AIM, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1405 ALL FORMING MACHINERY, INC. . . . . . . 1427 ALLOY WIRE INTERNATIONAL . . . . . . . . 1025 ALLOY WIRE INTERNATIONAL (USA). . 1025A AMERICAN SPRING WIRE CORP. . . . . . . 0920 AMSTEK METAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1425

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ANCHOR ABRASIVES CO.. . . . . . . . . . . . 0627 ARCELORMITTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1419 ASAHI-SEIKI MFG. CO. LTD.. . . . . . . . . . . 1505 AUTOMATED INDUSTRIAL MOTION (AIM)0527 BEKAERT CORPORATION . . . . . . . . . . . . 1021 BENNETT-MAHLER/NIMSCO . . . . . . . . . . 0905 CASMI / SPRING WORLD. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1100 CENTRAL WIRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1129 CINETIC LANDIS GRINDING . . . . . . . . . . 1026 DELL MARKING SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . 1112

DIE QUIP CORP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1229 DSR WIRE CORP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1029 E.C.D. INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1328 EASEN CORP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1215 ELGILOY SPECIALTY METALS . . . . . . . . 1132 EMANON CORPORATION . . . . . . . . . . . 0505C ERA WIRE, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1032 EXACT SOFTWARE NA, INC.. . . . . . . . . . 1115 FORMING SYSTEMS, INC.. . . . . . . . . . . . 0505 FURNACE FIXERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1124

SPRING WORLD

Exhibitor comments I’ve got a sense it is going to be a very bleak year. We’ll get Chicago area people but the out-of-town numbers will be reduced and companies will send fewer people, not as many as in 2006. We’ll have as much equipment or more than the last show, including our top machines, the CSX, a hybrid wire former that we expect a lot of people are going to want to see at our booth. Still, this show is important. I’ve been in the spring business for 20 years, but on the sales side for only two years. When I came as an attendee we came there with a purpose. We were there to buy, and to get a great deal. Probably 80% of our sales are to existing customers, so our goal is to get a few new ones. Chris Dix, RK Trading. We expect to have a very good show. We’re introducing a new machine, the AFC AccuForm Compact, as well as a new concept to wire forming. I can’t tell you exactly what that concept is because it is going to be introduced at the show. I can say that while it is simple, it represents the next step that most wire shops will be looking for. If you’re not moving in this direction, you’re going to have longterm competitive issues. We’re very excited about this introduction and expect that it’s going to draw a lot of interest from attendees. As for the wire bending sector, we’ve had a good year so far, aside from a slow spot in the beginning of the second quarter that was basically a cyclical thing, but we’ve picked up and are on our way to another record year. Constantine Grapsas, AIM Inc.

Activity at the InterWire Group booth in 2006.

I have been exhibiting at CASMI since 1984 and this will be my lucky 13th show. This show is our premier event. I generally display between seven and 12 machines. This year I will bring nine or 10 pieces of equipment, if I can keep them in inventory. The automotive segment of the economy is looking bleak, and the housing crisis also reflects a drop in appliances being purchased, hence, many springs lost. But overall, the economy is still growing and manufacturing in general is quite robust. I believe this will be a successful exhibition. Carl B. Atwater, A.I. Technology, Inc. I think of this as the mystery show. I don’t have a clue at the moment what with the questionable economy how this show will be, but we’re not cutting back on our exhibit. Spring World is a good show. It’s the best show from the standpoint of sales at the show. The attendees are largely from the Midwest but we get some attendees from Europe and South America too. We plan on what to exhibit and hope that it matches what people want. We’ve had shows where we sold out all our equipment. We like to sell before the show but it’s great to get a sale on the floor and we hope that will happen this year too. It would help if there was more promoting of wire forming. Tim Weber, Forming Systems Inc. We’re not cutting back at Spring World. This has been a great show for us, a key show, but we’re not counting on a whole lot of business. The auto industry is not good but the industry is not in dire straights. My customers are very cautious. They haven’t stopped buying but they want to make sure they will get work before they place an order. I expect to see some sales but I don’t see a lot shaking loose right now. Jim Maguire, Maguire Machinery, LLC. I have somewhat mixed feelings about Spring World. Business has slowed a lot since March and I don’t know what to expect other than probably fewer people than at the 2006 show. Quite frankly, I don’t expect a lot, but we will be there for the exposure. We have not cut back our booth size and we’ll have the same amount of equipment. This is not our biggest show as we sell wire formers and this show is predominately spring makers, but we want more diversity, so we will be there. Heinz Roth, Mang Systems. ■

Spring World Alphabetical list of exhibitors/booths A-1 WIRE TECH, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1214 A.I. TECHNOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0807 ACCRA-WIRE CONTROLS, INC. . . . . . . . 0823 ADMIRAL STEEL LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0928 AIM, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1405 ALL FORMING MACHINERY, INC. . . . . . . 1427 ALLOY WIRE INTERNATIONAL . . . . . . . . 1025 ALLOY WIRE INTERNATIONAL (USA). . 1025A AMERICAN SPRING WIRE CORP. . . . . . . 0920 AMSTEK METAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1425

54 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

ANCHOR ABRASIVES CO.. . . . . . . . . . . . 0627 ARCELORMITTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1419 ASAHI-SEIKI MFG. CO. LTD.. . . . . . . . . . . 1505 AUTOMATED INDUSTRIAL MOTION (AIM)0527 BEKAERT CORPORATION . . . . . . . . . . . . 1021 BENNETT-MAHLER/NIMSCO . . . . . . . . . . 0905 CASMI / SPRING WORLD. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1100 CENTRAL WIRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1129 CINETIC LANDIS GRINDING . . . . . . . . . . 1026 DELL MARKING SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . 1112

DIE QUIP CORP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1229 DSR WIRE CORP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1029 E.C.D. INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1328 EASEN CORP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1215 ELGILOY SPECIALTY METALS . . . . . . . . 1132 EMANON CORPORATION . . . . . . . . . . . 0505C ERA WIRE, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1032 EXACT SOFTWARE NA, INC.. . . . . . . . . . 1115 FORMING SYSTEMS, INC.. . . . . . . . . . . . 0505 FURNACE FIXERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1124

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SPRING WORLD

GIBBS WIRE & STEEL CO., INC. . . . . . . . 1114 GIBRALTAR CORPORATION . . . . . . . . . . 1313 HALDEX GARPHYTTAN CORP. . . . . . . . . 1128 HS WIRE TECHNOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1133 HSI-HUEI SHANG IND. CO. LTD./FSI . . . 0505B HTC-HSIN TONG CHEN MCH. LTD./FSI 0505A ILLINOIS MANUFACTURING FOUND. . . . 1528 IMAGINE MACHINERY CORPORATION . 0521 INDUSTRIAL STEEL & WIRE CO. . . . . . . 0921 INSTRON CORPORATION . . . . . . . . . . . . 0833 INTERWIRE PRODUCTS INC. . . . . . . . . . 0733 IST/NIMSCO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0909 JAYCASE MFG./FSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0505G JN MACHINERY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1012 JOWITT & RODGERS CO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1120 KATO SPRING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1433 KISWIRE / KOSWIRE / KISWEL . . . . . . . . 0721 KRUEGER STEEL & WIRE . . . . . . . . . . . . 0732 LAPHAM HICKEY STEEL CORP. . . . . . . . 1608 LARSON SYSTEMS, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1121 LAUREL WIRE COMPANY, INC. . . . . . . . . 1127 LEGGETT & PLATT WIRE GROUP . . . . . 1220 LINK ENGINEERING COMPANY . . . . . . . 0821 MAGNETIC INSPECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1017 MAGUIRE MACHINERY, LLC . . . . . . . . . . 0405 MANG SYSTEMS, INC.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0727

56 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

MAPES PIANO STRING CO. . . . . . . . . . . 1324 METAL IMPROVEMENT CO.. . . . . . . . . . . 1030 MIDWESTERN RUST PROOF, INC . . . . . 1216 MOON ENTERPRISES, INC. . . . . . . . . . . 1530 MOUNT JOY WIRE CORPORATION . . . . 0924 MOYER PROCESS & CONTROL CO., . . 0726 NIPPON SEISEN CO. LTD. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1310 NORTH AMERICAN SPRING TOOL. . . . . 1015 NORTHEAST STEEL CORPORATION. . . 0927 NORWALK INNOVATION INC. . . . . . . . . . 1513 NU COIL INDUSTRIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1519 NUMAMERICA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1014 OMD OFFICINA MECCANICA DOMASO . TBD OMD SPA DOMASO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1507 ORIIMEC CORP. OF AMERICA. . . . . . . . . 1105 PHOENIX MACHINERY, LLC . . . . . . . . . . 1126 PRECISION STEEL WAREHOUSE. . . . . . 1113 PROTO MANUFACTURING LTD. . . . . . . . 0926 PYROMAITRE, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1325 RAAJRATNA METAL INDUSTRIES LTD. . 1429 RADCLIFF WIRE, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1013 RF WIRE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC . . . . . . . 1332 RK TRADING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0707 ROEHRIG ENGINEERING INC. . . . . . . . . 1131 SANDVIK MATERIALS TECH. WIRE DIV. . 0929 SAS-SPRING ANALYSIS SYST./FSI. . . . 0505H

SENECA WIRE & MFG. CO. . . . . . . . . . . . 1225 SHINKO MACHINERY CO., LTD.. . . . . . . . 1213 SIMPLEX RAPID/NIMSCO . . . . . . . . . . . . 1005 SIVACO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1331 SPECIALTY ROLLED METALS . . . . . . . . . 0931 SPECTRAL SYSTEMS, INC.. . . . . . . . . . . 1224 SPECTRUM INDUSTRIES, INC. . . . . . . . . 1231 SPRING MANUFACTURERS INSTITUTE 0621 SPRING MANUFACTURERS SUPPLY CO.1526 SPX PRECISION COMP. FENN DIV.. . . . . 1413 SUMIDEN WIRE PRODUCTS CORP. . . . . 1524 TAUBENSEE STEEL AND WIRE CO. . . . . 1024 TBE-T. BUTLER ENGINEERING./FSI . . . 0505F THREE J’s INDUSTRIES. INC. . . . . . . . . . 1326 TOOL KING INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1500 ULBRICH STAINLESS STEELS . . . . . . . . 1212 UNITED WIRE COMPANY. . . . . . . . . . . . . 0933 VAGA INDUSTRIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0925 VICTORY MACHINERY EXCHANGE . . . . 1020 VICTORY REBUILDING & PARTS TECH.1020A WAFIOS MACHINERY CORP.. . . . . . . . . . 1205 WHITELEGG MACHINES LTD./FSI . . . . 0505E WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL . . 1228 WIRE FORMING TECHNOLOGY INT’L . . 0827 WRCA WIRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1117 ZAPP PRECISION STRIP, INC.. . . . . . . . . 1230

EQUIPMENT

Eq quipment: Part 2

T

his feature, the second of two parts, presents a wide range of capital equipment, much of it presented at the wire Düsseldorf show that was held earlier this year.

Below are brief edited write-ups provided by the equipment suppliers.

BUSS AG At wire Düsseldorf, Germany’s BUSS AG displayed the latest launch of its new BUSS Kneader MX generation, a quantum leap in cable compounds processing. It is a further development of the universally renowned BUSS MKS Kneader, optimized for processing polyolefin-based cable compounds and specialty master batches. The new high performance kneader family has outstanding commercial advantages: throughput of the new MX kneaders is 2.5 times Hans M. Huegel, general sales manager Asia Pacific, BUSS Asia more than equivaPacific Pte. Ltd., with the compa- lent size machines, thus reducing ny’s new Kneader MX model. investment outlay and processing costs accordingly; halogen-free, flame-retardant cable compound quality is better than ever, even with very high filler content; mechanical strength is improved, flame resistance is more effective, and end-user processing is

58 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

enhanced; and specific power consumption is 15% lower due to more efficient energy utilization. The technical innovations that have made this quantum leap possible include: a new four-flight screw with increased inner/ outer screw diameter ratio and a redesigned kneading chamber, enabling screw speeds up to 800 rpm without exceeding the maximum admissible temperature of 190°C for HFFR cable compounds; a flanged extruder screw specifically designed to build up the pressure required for melt filtration and hot melt pelletizing; and screen changer and pelletizing systems that can be individually shifted along two axes, which not only facilitates access to each module for cleaning and maintenance purposes, but enables faster product changes. www.busscorp.com.

Caballé S.A./Technical Marketing Services At wire Düsseldorf, Spain’s Caballé S.A., represented in the U.S. by Technical Marketing Services, displayed a new double-twist strander, model CDT-1250. The solutions based on double-twist technology best align with competitive strategies of high volume and standard conductors. In these increasingly more competitive and demanding markets, only those able to offer the fastest, most efficient and most economic solutions will have a place in the future. Caballé’s double twist systems require

Cortinovis Machinery SpA Cortinovis Machinery SpA, part of the Eurolls Group and represented in North America by Cortinovis Machinery America, offers a central tube strander that is designed to operate at speeds of 550 rpm stranding, 120 m/min linear and 120 m/min rewinding. The system exceeds the rates of a rigid strander for manufacturing strand. Product can be made compressed or compacted, round or sector shaped, straight or pre-spiralled, from 7 to 61 wires, cross lay or unilay construction, copper or aluminum. The tube-shaped rotors allow a rigid and simple construction and a high speed. Each tube is dynamically balanced and supported with roller bearings, oil lubricated, for extra long life. The straight wire path gives good tension control and simple string up. The bobbins are permanently fitted inside the tube and, when empty, have to be refilled. The bobbins are braked with pneumatic brakes with control and set up from control desk; the tension is maintained constant from full to empty bobbin from the

PLC which controls the air pressure of the brakes. The wire is supplied in stem packs or bobbins, situated at the side of the machine. All bobbins are simultaneously re-filled up by means of an AC motor and every bobbin can be filled with a preset quantity of A central tube strander from wires, so there Cortinovis Machinery SpA. will be no wire scrap. The refilling is made at high speed, 200 m/min., to minimize the stopping time of the line. The wire supply in stem packs or coils provide additional advantage to the wire department and to the handling of the plant. Also, see p. 92 for a special in-line stretching system from Eurolls. Tony DeRosa, Cortinovis Machinery America, tel. 908-4799818, cortinovis@cortinovisamerica.com.

DEM Costruzioni Speciali Srl Italy’s DEM Costruzioni Speciali Srl, a company specializing in the design and manufacture of cold rolling lines and renowned for its cold rolling cassettes, has developed a special collapsible coiler for making coils from 1 to 5 tons, thanks to its vast experience and customer-oriented philosophy. The company’s engineers have created this user-friendly machine to make all operations fast and easy and to reduce line downtimes, thanks to the automatic opening/closing front door with special patented locking system, automatic coil height pre-set adjustment and special coil locking/unlocking system. The coiler (see cover) is provided with precision laying software that synchronizes the sideways positioning movements with the rotation in order to obtain a perfect side-by-side coiling of the wire. The machine can coil flats, squares or round wires with speeds in relation to the line speed. A heavy-duty structure, rational design and the use of only high quality components ensure reduced, fast and easy maintenance with low downtimes and long machine life. It can also supply a coil ejection and tilting unit for fast coil removal from the coiler. The range is completed with its horizontal/vertical, single or double automatic spoolers. info@demills.com, www.demills.com.

FLYMCA S.L. At their booth at wire Düsseldorf, representatives from Spain’s FLYMCA and its used equipment subsidiary, FLYRO, talked to attendees about the company’s robust and trusted technology. FLYMCA continues to offer strong stranders with a high-working capacity and low

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 59

EQUIPMENT

low investment and provide high productivity by combining process speeds with high level of use. The result is “Your Best Return on Investment.” The introduction of double-twist solutions replacing classical schemes based on tubular and rigid stranders usually requires a rethinking in how a factory designs its products and organizes its proTechnical Marketing Services duction. The President Pat Carney by Caballe introduction of S.A.’s CDT-1250 double-twist unilay and Single strander at wire Düsseldorf. Input Wire (SIW) concepts are key in capitalizing the possibilities that double-twist technology offers. Caballé’s specialists can help customers obtain the best productivity. Its broad range of cabling solutions based on double-twist technology summarizes a long evolutionary process applying this technology to the greatest range of possible cables. For its double-twist strander, Caballé has developed specialized ancillary devices including payoffs, pre-twisters, post-forming heads, water-blocking systems, etc. This full solutions approach enables the company to offer cable makers a complete catalog of solutions for unilay stranding of soft bare rigid, round and sector conductors and also flexible ropes; stranding of ACSR and some AAAC and hard Cu conductors; and laying up of insulated conductors for low voltage. Patrick Carney, tmspat@cox.net or www.cmcaballe.es.

EQUIPMENT

maintenance requirements. The company’s most successful machine continues to be its rigid strander with fast loading system by side or by top. The compact machines are neatly finished and can produce top results for copper and aluminum strands or for screening and armoring purposes from multi-wire bobA model of a FLYMCA rigid bins. The sysstrander. tems incorporate a precise system to control the wire’s tension by the PLC in real time. The tubular strander, on bearings, is designed to achieve a long useful life working at high production levels. The bow/skip stranders are offered as simple yet reliable systems at a low price or more sophisticated for easy use. To complete the range of manufacturing, FLYMCA offers a complete range of drum twister lines that allows the use of all types of bobbins, from standard to large dimension sizes, and can be used for armoring or cabling straight and sectorial LV, MV and HV cables. Also, planetary stranders, bunchers and the ancillary equipment necessary to incorporate into he lines to manufacture low, medium and high voltage cables. Be it new, used or refurbished equipment, LYMCA & FLYRO offer full options to cabling ompanies around the world. www.flymca.com.

Gimax Group The latest development in Gimax is a totally new design in automatic respooling – a totally automated line to spool bare wire onto small 4 in. plastic spools. These spools will hold 2 lb or 1 kg of steel wire, but the system can be used for other nonferrous wires. The line, which is in its prototype stage was exhibited at wire Düsseldorf (see cover) and is now undergoing further development before being supplied to its final customer, who will field test the machinery for Gimax. The line, which is capable of producing one spool in 45 seconds, is complete with a standard Gimax payoff (different sizes are available) and dancer. The line is further equipped with an automated loading system of empty spools onto the machine where they are prepared for the initial wire hooking and then respooled at a linear speed of 2000 ft/min (10 mps). The finished spools are discharged along a chute that can be connected to an existing system the customer may already have to collect the finished spools. This line will fully automate a process that up to now has always required an operator constantly attending his machine, therefore reducing the manpower requirement to a minimum as no operator is required. www.gimaxgroup.com.

60 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Officina Meccanica Domaso (OMD) At wire Düsseldorf, Italy’s Officina Meccanica Domaso (OMD), with 60 years’ experience as a manufacturer of spring end grinding machines, showed technology that included its H-100 model (see cover). The production range includes two series: the H Series (models: H50, H80, H100, H150), which are traditional pendulum grinding machines with one grinding wheel for grinding one spring end at a time and for big production volumes, it offers the HA-2 series (models HA80-2 and HA100-2), which has two grinding wheels and a horizontal axis, with automatic progressive cycle for simultaneous grinding of both spring ends. These machines are designed for working in aggressive environments and are complete with technically reliable solutions, accuracy and selected materials. The pendulum grinding machines have a horizontal spindle for grinding on the front surface of the grinding wheel with automatic feed and automatic compensation of the grinding wheel. The machines offer the following working methods: spindle group feed with constant grinding pressure; single group feed with variable pressure; and grinding with cooling breaks. The HA-2 series includes a double, horizontal mandrel and a loading plate for the simultaneous grinding of both spring ends. The machines are equipped with an automatic control and positioning system, automatic grinding wheel compensation, automatic dressing for grinding wheels, electronic adjustment of the loading plate rotation and system for recycling cooling water. The machines are PLC controlled and use a simple and functional operator interface for programming and diagnostics. It is also possible to use an inverter that makes it possible to program the rotation speed of the grinding wheel according to the used abrasive material and/or the processed material. www.o-m-d.it.

Otomec Srl At wire Düsseldorf, Italy’s Otomec Srl, which specializes in engineering and manufacturing cleaning and plating plants for wire strips and bars, displayed its latest model MICROPLATER. The system, in full operation, performed electro-nickel and copper plating of aluminum wire in a double layer. The equipment, supplied with payoff and take-up capacity for reels up to 400 mm flange, matches the requirements of electro plating on final wire sizes of 0.10 mm up to 0.50 mm. The system can plate copper, aluminum, alloys and brass in a single wire or stranded up to four wires. The plating material can be silver, tin, nickel or copper and multiple layers can be produced at the same time. Wire tension control is very accurate control and process speeds can go up to 200 mt/min. The layer is smooth and concentric and thickness is very precise and even. This newest system completes the company’s wide range of market supply for the cleaning and plating of: steel wires up to 8.00 mm with zinc,

wire rod for producing sub arc welding wires, water treatment and re-cycling units, are designed to meet customer needs while meeting the most severe environmental standards. www.otomec.it.

Pressure Welding Machines Ltd. (PWM) At wire Düsseldorf, U.K.-based Pressure Welding Machines Ltd. (PWM), which designs and manufactures high-performance cold welding equipment and dies for the world market, launched a new version of its best-selling HP100 air/hydraulic cold welder. PWM’s new HP100 auto model can be used in either normal or automatic mode. In normal mode, the operator loads the material and then presses the foot pedal four to six times to activate the multiple upset process and complete the weld.In automatic mode, the operator simply loads the material, presses a button and the machine does the rest. In either mode, the HP100 auto guarantees consistent high quality welds on nonferrous materials from .039 in. to .197 in. (1 mm to 5 mm). The machine’s powerful solid steel welding head is mounted on an ergonomically designed trolley with a sloping platform that gives the operator a clear view of the weld area. The HP100 auto is clean, quiet and easy to use, eliminating the need for operator training. No heat, flux or fillers are required during the cold weld

Machines and facilities for forming and processing of wire

e.g. strip shaping mill WSR280 Rolling force max. 900 kN Strip width up to 180 mm Rigid design for minimized product tolerances

Project planning Supply Installation Training Service

Unwinding Profile drawing Cleaning Profile rolling Spooling Bar cutting

www.karl-fuhr.com

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copper and nickel; nonferrous, copper, alloys, brass and aluminum from 0.10 mm up to 5.00 mm with silver, tin, nickel and copper with multi layers; steel, copper and brass strip up to 400 x 2 mm with zinc, tin and nickel; and steel and copper bars and tubes up to 6 m long with tin, silver and zinc. Observes Otomec’s Alberto Otomec Srl’s Pietro Rusconi, “There is an Rusconi with the company’s increasing requireMICROPLATER system. ment for plated and clean wire surfaces. The reason for this increased demand is to improve electrical conductor performance, prevent oxidation, provide more aesthetic presentation of the product and increase added value.” Otomec’s production, which includes inline pickling, drawing and coppering machines for steel

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process, no fumes are generated and the weld cycle is completed in minutes. Power consumption is minimal as the HP100 auto model only requires a supply of compressed air and a single phase electrical power supply. Notes PWM Managing Director Steve Mepsted, “The HP100 has been one of our best-selling PWM Managing Director Steve models for the Mepsted points out the fine points of last five years. the new HP100 cold welder. The machine is reliable, economical and simple to operate, and can be wheeled quickly to the weld area, reducing downtime. In automatic mode, the machine provides wire and cable manufacturers with an effortless way of welding copper and aluminum wire and strip. Ideal for high cycle welding, the HP100 auto can be used to recycle short lengths of wire that might otherwise be discarded because they are too time consuming to weld,

so helping manufacturers to reduce wastage and material costs.” An automatic version of PWM’s larger HP200 model, with 2 mm to 6.50 mm capacity, is also available. www.pwmltd.co.uk.

PS Costruzioni

At wire Düsseldorf, Italy’s PS Costruzioni displayed and operated an automatic coiling machine, model PS 350/6-2, that is suitable to process flexible cables from 2 mm (0.08 in.) up to 8 mm (0.31 in), and solid cables from2 mm (0.08 in.) up to 4.5 mm (4 in.). The system Attendees at wire Düsseldorf includes the folinspect a PS Costruzioni coiler. lowing units: a soundproofed cone, suitable for unwinding 800 mm (31.44 in.) reels; a measuring system; a spark tester for detecting any cable faults; a console and electric cabinet and PLC; a coiling head; and a tunnel that is capable of thermoshrinking coils, having a max O.D of 350 mm (13.76 in.). The above-described line ended with a thermoshrinking tunnel. It is worth noting that all PS machines have a modular structure, which means that further units, such as the labeling machine or the diametral/ toroidal strapping machines, among others, can be added any time, to the basic line, In fact, Kinrei is your source for the latest technology in cabling, according to the cable market’s varying stranding and twinning solutions. Our double twist twinners packaging demands. Typically, after the and cablers produce today’s highest performance data and tunnel a palletizer automatically communications cables. Our complete Stranding Systems processes the coils, which have been output levels are 15 – 40% higher than competitive machines. previously wrapped up, both with therAnd that’s just the beginning — to moshrinking film or placed into cardlearn more visit www.kinreiusa.com board boxes. www.pscostruzioni.com for product details!

Kinrei is Kabling

Reifenhäuser

Also representing: Donnelly High Performance ABS Reels Watson Parts and Service Company Featuring OEM Replacement Parts & Rebuilds The Kinrei HK560 Watson Machine Company • Wire Machinery Corporation of America, Inc. The Edmands Company • The New England Butt Company • Peachtree Fiber Optics

Call for a quote, 973-677-9500, ext. 143. Or e-mail shess@kinreiusa.com

Donnelly Reels KINREI OF AMERICA, L.L.C. | 26 NORTH CENTER STREET | ORANGE, NJ 07050 973-677-9500 | WWW.KINREIUSA.COM

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At wire Düsseldorf, Germany’s Reifenhäuser presented new developments in extrusion equipment for wire, cable and steel pipe sheathing. Its main focus was its advanced extruders provided with gearless REItorque direct drive technology. These extruders, which have a single-screw design with screw diameters ranging from 25 to 90 mm and L/D ratios of 25 and 30, have reduced maintenance requirements and provide higher efficiency, both advantages coming from its direct drive technology. The protective surface coating

Rosendahl Maschinen GmbH At wire Düsseldorf, Austria’s Rosendahl Maschinen GmbH presented technology that included metal tape forming and welding technology. A specialist in microwave cable insulation and metal tape forming, the company has broadened its application capability for the welding and corrugation segments. Specific MV and HV cable for applications such as wind farms, of shore power staA sheathing system from tions, multiRosendahl Maschinen GmbH. national power grids, can require cable designs providing superior mechanical and thermal stability, water and/or gas tightness and short circuit resistance. For metal sheathing of power cables by means of smooth or corrugated aluminum or copper sheath, Rosendahl offers solution for the tape forming, welding

The concrete fibres machine

Concrete Fibres Machine BF-100

BF -100 is designed for the manufacture of concrete fibres in high volumes. Depending on wire diameter

Rudolf Grauer AG Maschinenbau CH - 9113 Degersheim Switzerland Tel. +41 71 372 80 40 Fax +41 71 372 80 45 Internet: www.grauer.ch E-Mail: info@grauer.ch

and quality, this high volume machine can produce up to 600 kg of concrete fibres per hour.

Quality System ISO 9001

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of the plasticizing unit has been further optimized. New surface coating processes provide enhanced abrasion resistance for the extruder screws from chlorine. Changes in raw material recipies have been taken into account by constant optimization of the Reifenhäuser extruders. Sophisticated screw geometries allow an optimal production of cable Reifenhäuser Sales Manager sheathings. Raw Lothar Staubi with one of the materials, such as company’s extruders. rigid and plasticized PVC, metallocenes, PP, PE, TPE, PUR and PA, can now be processed more economically without the need for a costly, time-consuming screw Spiral mandrel melt distributors adapted to the new high-performance raw materials are available for extrusion of single- and multi-layer pipes. www.reifenhauser.com.

EQUIPMENT

and tube reduction process, including adequate downstream equipment. Based of the experience of more than 30 projects since 2002 and with the progress made in metal tape forming, longitudinal seam welding and metal tube reduction technology, many new applications has been developed at Rosendahl and provided to the market. Technologies developed and optimized for this applications are: static and roll formers for various materials; laser and TIG welding processes to ensure perfect weld seams with minimal heat affected zones and best mechanical properties; and high speed corrugators are available for helical and annular corrugators design for copper, aluminum and stainless steel. www.rosendahlaustria.com.

SAMP USA/SAMPSISTEMI At wire 2008, SAMPSISTEMI introduced a new BS 800 static spooler for reels up to 800 mm. This new machine offers many advantages compared to the previous design (SS/1-800), including: a much more compact than the previous version, with its size now more similar to a machine for a 630 mm reel; being easier to install in an existing production system where space is limited; simplified foundations, resulting in easier installation work; mechanical and electrical components that come as standard within the product line for static spooler

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machines; a new bi-helicoidal belt system instead of a flat type that results in less wear, less tension loss and less slippage; a new simplified wire path for applications in both rod breakSAMP USA Managing Director Dominique Perroud by the compa- down and multiwire line producny’s BS 800 static spooler. tion systems; a built-in dancer option depending on the process requirement; available systems for a long inner-end are available; and conveyor systems designed for flexible loading/unloading configuration and ease of operation. With this BS 800 updated design, SAMPSISTEMI continues its focus on developing new solutions while continuously improving the existing technology. SAMPSISTEMI continues to bring innovation, quality improvements and the latest technological advances to its customers operating within the wire and cable industry. www.sampinc.com or www.sampsistemi.com.

Skaltek AB continues its practice and legacy of furthering technology with the company’s Mini Pac model, which was developed to create an attractive package for the manufacturer, sales, distributor and the end-user, using a minimum of packaging material. This packaging concept was first introduced in Europe but has spread to many countries since then. The goal Skaltek AB’s Bernt Gahn with one was to use a of the company’s innovative models, minimum of the MP240 Pure system. resources and to create significant savings for all involved. Today with high raw material prices, costs that were acceptable in the past must be considered and anything that is not necessary, has to be eliminated. It is a global market, and in such a market Simplicity will only survive. For example, 2007-2008 has been a year where

Skaltek’s packaging concept has now been introduced to the MC cable market with leading cable and wire manufacturers leading the way. When the shrink film packaging concept was introduced in North America in 1993 the savings were so significant that the payback in some cases was as short as six months. Since being introduced, several of the original machines are still in production, having paid back many times over In 1999, Skaltek introduced the “Pure” concept and the design team met frequently during the design process, starting meetings saying, “If anything can go wrong, it will,” and planning how to avoid that. As a result, the up-time and reliability of the machines was improved by as much as 20%. Working closely with the operators, we humbly ask ourselves what can be done better, or simpler. It’s like a living stream – a well that is pure. Skaltek Quality Security. www.skaltek.com.

Ultimation Machines Ltd. At wire Düsseldorf, U.K.-based Ultimation Machines Ltd. displayed its latest Ultimat models of two-axis wireforming machines that are suitable for the manufacture of supermarket shelving, point of purchase displays and automotive components, etc. This included the UME-65 model, which comes stanadard with a touch screen PC

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Skaltek AB/Skaltek Inc.

EQUIPMENT

control and has an adjustable table for larger products and fan guard spirals. Also shown was the company’s UMW65 wire forming and welding machine, suitable for a range of 2 mm to 8 mm. This model is now available with an updated welding system to give strong, clean and burr-free butt A two-axis wire forming machine welds in stainless from Ultimation Machines Ltd. steel, making it ideally suited for manufacturers of dust collector cages and automotive hose rings. The UMW can be combined with the innovative UCW series of machines to create a fully integrated forming and welding cell, with rectangular butt-welded frames being produced directly from coil, on the UMW65 wire forming and welding machine. The completed frame can then be transferred into the UCW-65, where upon the frames support /brace wire is fed direct from coil, straightened, cut to length and welded into the butt

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welded frame. All Ultimat models feature a “closed die” forming and cutting system, giving a high quality square, burr free cut and butt weld. Options available from Ultimation include – secondary bend head for high speed production of complex wire forms and automatic part unloading systems. With models for 2 mm to 16 mm wire, Ultimation has a machine to suit everyone’s requirements. www.ultimat.com.

Vitari SpA At wire Düsseldorf, Vitari Spa, part of the Eurolls Group and represented in North America by Cortinovis Machinery America, displayed a full range of models suitable for automatic wire straightening and cutting-off drawn wire 0.6 to 4.0 mm. It has a top A Vitari automatic wire straighten- speed of 120 m/min and is fully er and cut-off system. electronic, having three independent

Wafios AG At wire Düsseldorf, Germany’s Wafios AG premiered its FMK series, a new addition to the company’s spring coiling machine range for the manufacture of torsion springs. Just the look of the machine makes it perfectly clear that the development and design team at Wafios was not just seeking to enhance performance or improve individual technical features in this new model. No, the new FMK was clearly intended from the outset to attract attention as a completely new and integral machine concept. The FMK is being launched in two basic versions. The FMK 2 covers the working range from 0.6 – 2.0 mm,

while its bigger sister, the FMK 3, is for 1.2 – 3.2 mm. Both models come with 6 axes as standard issue, which can be upgraded to a maximum of 8 axes. The basic equipment package comes with 6 CNC axes and 1 rotary unit. The equipment variants optionally permit 7 CNC axes with a total of 2 rotary units, 8 CNC axes with 3 rotary units or 8 CNC axes with 2 rotary units plus 1 indexing mandrel. Two axes are reserved for wire feed, one is intended for rotatable wire guidance, and the remaining two The new FMK coiler from Wafios. axes control the compound table. The Cartesian compound table system permits simple low-cost tool design even when producing complex spring geometries. Its outstanding flexibility permits a wide application spectrum for the produced torsion springs. By eliminating the need for additional tool carriers such as sliding elements, cost outlay in production can be substantially reduced. Eccentric operations are possible with-

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servo motors for feed, spinner and cutting control. Features include electronic variable feed speed complete with user-friendly control panel so variable speeds adjustment is possible during operation, electronic variable rotor and independent feed speed, simpler set-ups as rotor and feed speed adjustments can be executed separately, independent clutch controls for accurate straightness, and more. Vitari also manufactures machines to manufacture barbed wire, fence wire, nails and other specialty applications. Tony DeRosa, Cortinovis Machinery America, tel. 908-479-9818, cortinovis@cortinovisamerica.com.

out major tooling output. Coiling, bending and cutting tools are positioned on the compound table. The ability to program additional setting positions helps substantially reduce tool adjustment distances and consequently makes for a sustainable increase in economy. As a result, with only two axes the compound table offers almost the same functionality that one can get from a conventional spring coiling machine. The FMK series comes with a new version of the proven control software Wafios WPS 3. Alongside familiar features such as clearly arranged intuitive menu prompting on the touch screen, and continuous monitoring of all machine functions, the control system also offers user support in the configuration and positioning of tools. The automatic control system permits a significant reduction of set-up times, as once a position has been selected it can be saved and simply accessed again in the program for repeat production runs. For torsion spring manufacturers, the FMK series from Wafios offers an alternative to existing machines on the market, and sets whole standards in terms of flexibility and economy. The Wafios FMU series machines (0.16 – 6.3 mm wire diameter) are still available for the manufacture of highly complex springs.

Wire Lab Company (WILCO) U.S.-based Wire Lab Company (WILCO) manufactures the most comprehensive line of mechanical descaling machinery available to steel wire producers. Such a wide

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variety of models allows customers to put in place any of the five currently available models that most closely matches wiredrawing requirements with consideration given for machinery investment, maintenance cost, cost for any consumable items and overall quality requirement of the finished wire product. At wire Düsseldorf, WILCO showed a range of its mechanical descaling technology. The choice to present such a variety of models is in Wire Lab Company’s Rob Fulop response to the and Al Luikart by the company’s changing nature model 1250 descaling system. of the steel wire industry in general and the very real fact that the increase in foreign rod supplies and especially the higher degree of surface corrosion is presenting wire drawers with serious quality issues while, at the same time, limiting options due to cost issues. Where there is more of a focus on higher wire quality, customers may consider a WILCO descaler incorporating the company’s automatic rod brushing unit, such as the Model 1250 shown. This descaler incorporates eight standard wire brushes oriented 90° to the wire rod, which is beneficial in

Woywod/PLASTICOLOR At wire Düsseldorf, Germany’s Woywod Kunststoffmaschinen GmbH & Co.KG., displayed a PLASTICOLOR gravimetric throughput measurement system suitable for single extruders as well as for co-extrusion lines. A weighing hopper is mounted directly on the flange of the extruder feeding port. Signals from the haul-off/winder and the extruder are connected to the control. Based on the permanent comparison between set-value and actual consumption of material, the extruder is kept on a constant output and with the speed signal from the winder/haul-off, a weightlength-value (gram/meter or ounces/yard) is being generated.

The system allows the operator to run the entire line in automatic mode and to maintain the same amount of material on the cable. Further information, such as total consumption of material, are available and could be used. From l-r, Thomas Siedlarz, Unitek The modular North America, and Woywod/ principle of the PLASTICOLOR’s Reinhold PLASTICOLOR Bollschweiler and Paul Hansen by a System makes it PLASTICOLOR gravemetric system. possible for throughput measurement control to be combined with existing dosing and mixing equipment. www.plasticolor.de. ■

WIRE & CABLE EXTRUSION

Increase Productivity! Improve Throughput! Optimize Product Quality! When you need expert solutions for your Wire & Cable Extrusion Processes, you need Canterbury Engineering. Canterbury’s vast design and manufacturing capabilities offer a complete line of custom designed Crossheads, In-line Heads, Screws, Barrels, Breaker Plates and more. Plus, Canterbury offers the best in Rebuilds, Relines, Repairs, and all OEM Replacements. For more information, contact Canterbury at 1-800-241-7650, or online at www.cec75.com

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producing a beneficial in producing a radial brush mark, for better lubricant pickup, and providing approximately 350 tons of brush life per set. The most unique feature, however, is that the advanced controls continually monitor brush condition and automatically, with no operator intervention, adjust the wire brushes to account for wear. The automatic controls assure that the material is consistently very clean since no operator adjustment of the machinery is necessary, thus eliminating unbrushed or inadequately brushed rod that will result from improper brush pressure adjustment in other types of non-automatic brush systems. www.wirelab.com.

E DA L ER W INN AWA R

D

Analysis of the forming of points in wire nails

M

TECHNICAL PAPERS

TECHNICAL PAPER

Critical factors for successful nail production have been analyzed by FEM, SEM and experimental methods in alternative machines. By Lucas Franciga, Jorgelina Geisler, Paulo Cetlin and Cristiano Cunha

Nails have been employed in the joining of materials since the beginning of the Roman empire; the first “automatic� nail manufacturing machine is believed to date back to 1590, in England1. They can be manufactured through cutting from sheets with various thickness (cut or square nails) or utilizing wire forming (wire nails)1. There are many types of nails, according to their application, displaying various shapes and sizes of their heads, bodies and points. Fig. 1 illustrates some types of nails commonly manufactured. There are currently two basic types of wire nail manufacturing machines: alternating and rotary ones. In the former model, a certain length of the wire initially undergoes a heading operation. See Figs. 2(a) and 2(b). This is followed by the feeding

Fig. 1.Various types of commonly manufactured wire nails.

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of a wire length corresponding to the body of the nail. See Fig. 2(c) and the point is formed through the alternating movement of two dies. See Fig. 2(d). This operation also involves the separation of the new nail and of the remaining base wire. See Fig. 2(e). This cycle is continuously repeated, each cycle producing a new nail. Rotary machines utilize dies inserted in revolving wheels, forming the nail point through a tangential movement in relation to the wire. See Fig. 3(a). The headless nail is then transferred to another part of the machine, where the heading operation takes place, also through a rotary movement of the die. See Figs. 3(b) and 3(c). Fig. 4(a) displays the typical point of a nail. Figs. 4(b) and 4(c) show situations where the flash produced by the point forming process did not separate from the point itself, and was not eliminated by the final finishing of the nails by tumbling. This adhered flash occurs occasionally in the manufacturing of nails, and represents a problem to the nail manufacturers. Since wire for nails is an important family of products for Acindar SA, it wants its clients to experience the best possible results, optimizing the overall satisfaction in the supplier-client chain. As there is a lack of reports in the literature concerning the forming of wire nail points, Acindar SA started an investigation of this manufactuirng process, with a twofold objective: to deliver the best possible wire for nail-manufacturing clients and to supply technical support that will help further improve their process. This paper analyzes some aspects of the base wire and of the nail manufacturing process that can be of importance in the adequate forming of nail points. The following points are discussed: the separation of the flash from the nail point; the material temperature distribution resulting from the point forming; the effect of the critical damage for ductile fracture of the material on the flash separation; the effect of the amount of residual lubricant on the wire before the point forming; the effect of var-

TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 2. Schematic showing nail manufacturing in an alternating machine.

Fig. 3. Schematic showing nail manufacturing in a rotary machine.

Fig. 4. Correctly formed nail point (a), point displaying a single flash (b) and two flashes (c).

ious types of wire rod initial surface preparation; and the evolution of the processing load during the point forming. Experimental methods Among the various wires employed in the manufacturing of nails, a wire with a diameter of 3.33 (Âą0.08) mm, drawn from a wire rod with diameter of 6.40 mm, was chosen for the study; its chemical composition is as follows:

The tensile strength of the wire, which is a property considered to be of importance in the manufacture of nails2, is between 810 and 1010 MPa . Drawing was performed with tungsten carbide dies with a total angle of 12°, involving eight passes at a final drawing

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speed of 8 m/s, utilizing calcium soap in the first die-box and sodium soap in the remaining passes. The wire rod underwent mechanical descaling by bending, without the application of any final lubricant carrier. In order to evaluate the effect of the amount of residual lubricant on the nail forming process, wires

were also drawn according to the six conditions described in Table 1 Other tests were performed employing different initial wire rod descaling and surface preparations, as specified below. Chemical descaling: batch immersion in chloridric acid, water sprayed, water immersion, phosphate immersion, borax immersion; Shotblasting and phosphating: batch shotblasting followed by phosphate immersion; and bending and coating: online bending and coating process followed by immersion in inorganic salts solution. SolidWorks 2005 software was utilized in order to prepare initial drawings of the cutting dies and the wire (Figs. 5 and 6). These data were then fed to the finite element simulation

Table 1. Different lubrication conditions to obtain different coating mass.

Fig. 5. Die utilized in the manufacturing of the nail point.

Fig. 6. Model of the point manufacturing created in the SolidWorks 2005 and fed to DEFORMŠ 3D V6.0.

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Fig. 7. Flow stress of the material utilized in the FEM simulation, at various temperatures and strain rates.

TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 8. (a) Flash adhering to one side of the nail point (15X) and (b) magnification of the region marked by a white square in Fig. (a) (40X) – SEM.

software DEFORMŠ 3D V6.0. Ten restrictions to the dies movement were created to avoid alignment and positioning problems during the simulation; these restrictions covered parallelism, tangency, concentricity and coincidence. The material of the wire was considered as rigid plastic in the simulation, which also included heat generation and transfer aspects. A mesh of 30,000 tetrahedral elements was employed, and mesh refinement was imposed on the region close to the extremity of the nail point (the region of highest effective strain). The tensile strength of the material was measured in the initial wire rod and after each drawing pass up to the final wire diameter, utilizing a mechanically driven EMIC model Fig. 9. Velocity of various points in the nail and in the flash during the point forming.

Fig. 10 (a) View of the region of the nail where the flash-point separation stopped (250x) and (b) Magnified region (500X) of the separated region.

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DL5000 machine. Considering the low sensitivity of the flow stresses of steel to variations in the strain rate at room temperature3, these measurements were taken as a baseline curve for a strain rate of 1/s. Since the point forming is performed at high speeds, the material is heated to reasonably high temperatures and undergoes high strain rates. The DEFORM software has its internal library covering ranges of strain rates and

temperatures for various materials. Considering a material in this library similar to the one under processing in the present case, the basic curve was fed into the program, and a high temperature (1200°C) and high strain rate (100/s) curve was also selected. DEFORM then performs all necessary step-bystep interpolations during the forming, for all adequate temperatures and strain rates. Fig. 7 illustrates four of these curves, including the baseline one (20°C, 1/s). It is important to notice that at 20°C, the material displays very little strain rate sensitivity. It should also be noted that the DEFORM performs an extrapolation of the available experimental data up to very high logarithmic strains (up to a value of five, in the present figure), which occur during the point forming. The material with the characteristics displayed in Fig. 7 will hereafter be named Material I. In order to evaluate the effect of the material strength on the die loads, another fictitious material was also considered (Material II), whose stress-strain curves were taken as 50% higher than those displayed in Fig. 7. The simulation covered 100 steps of 0.001s each. This step may be corrected by the software during the simulation, according to the convergence criteria utilized; in the present case, the Fig. 11. (a) View of the lateral view of the nail where the flashNewton-Raphson method was chosen as the iterseparated from the point (15x) and (b) magnified region (65X) ation method. The die speed was taken as constant of the separated region. at 20 mm/s, which is the approximate speed of the real point forming process. The forming of the nail point is a very fast process, and it was considered that most of the heat generated in the process remains in the material (an almost adiabatic situation). In order to simulate these conditions, the heat transmission coefficient between the wire and the ambient (at 20°C) was taken as 0.2 N/m2K. Friction between the wire and the nail was described by a friction factor of 0.12, according to recommendations of the software. The mechanical damage in the material can be evaluated by various damage criteria existing in the literature4. In the present case, the damage was described through the normalized Cockroft & Latham criterion5, which is given by the equation:

Eq. (1)

Fig. 12. (a) to (g) FEM simulation of the forming of the nail point, showing that lateral flash separation occurs from the base towards the top of the point.

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where σ* is the maximum tensile normal stress in each point, is the effective strain, is the effective stress, and C is the critical level of damage, associated with the fracture of the material5,6. In the present case, simulations were initially run with a high value of C so that no fracture would

TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 13. (a) Distribution of temperature along the nail height; (b) region where the nail point was sectioned in the FEM software (c) transversal section in the cut region and (d) temperature distribution in the transversal section according to the FEM simulation.

occur; subsequent simulations were then run with values of the critical damage chosen at steps in the simulation approximately corresponding to situations were the flash usually separates from the nail point. Results Separation of the flash from the point. Fig. 8(a) shows a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) photo of a nail point with one adhering flash. It can be seen that the flash is already partially separated from the point in the region of its base, but keeps adhered closer to the point. Fig. 8(b) shows a detail of the separated region, as indicated by the white square in fig. 8(a); it is observed that the nail moves in relation to the die in such a way that there are scratches in the flash approximately parallel to the separation line. This indicates that during the point forming, the material in the flash region moves in a direction diagonal in relation to the nail axis, as illustrated in Fig. 9, where the velocities of the various points of the nail and of the flash during the forming process are shown.

Fig. 14. Distance between the cutting dies at three different moments of flash separation, for materials with various critical damage (C) values.

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Fig. 10(a) displays a detail of the region indicated by a white square in Fig. 8(b), with a higher magnification (250X). The scratches from the friction with the die are clearly seen. The white square in Fig. 10(a) indicates the region examined with higher magnification (500X) and shown in Fig. 10(b). This figure displays many sheared dimples, connected to the “voidsheet” mechanism7. Fig. 12 shows a FEM simulation of the flash forming and separation process, utilizing a critical damage value corresponding to a position of the dies approximately equal to that observed experimentally. At the beginning of the separation of the material of the current nail and the next one (see Fig. 12 (c)), the distance between the dies was 0.72 mm; when this separation was of 0.58 mm, there was a complete separation between the two succeeding nails and the lateral flash began

to separate. See Fig. 12 (d). The final separation of the lateral flashes occurred at a separation of 0.36 mm. See Fig. 12 (g). The comparison of the results in Fig. 12 and those in Fig. 8 confirm the capacity of the FEM simulation to adequately describe the forming and fracture processes in the forming of nail points. Temperature distribution in the material resulting from the point forming. The “void sheet” mechanisms mentioned in the previous section are often associated with the adiabatic heating of the material. In order to evaluate the levels of temperature in the material during the point forming, the FEM simulation was run considering the heat generated by the deformation under basically adiabatic conditions (low levels of heat transfer from the material to the ambient). Fig. 13 (a) shows the overall distribution of temperature in the nail point sur-

Fig. 15. (a) Indication of the region at the base of the nail point (15X) and (b) magnification at the region of the base of the point (50X) (SEM).

Fig. 16. Histogram of remaining coating mass on the wire, all leading to good results in the nail point manufacturing.

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Fig. 17. Die life for various surface preparation methods of the wire rod.

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faces in contact with the cutting dies do not display any such residues, suggesting that the residual lubricant on the wire surface may have limited effect on the nail point forming process. Fig. 16 shows that the various lubrication conditions in the present experiments (see Table 1) led to a range of residual lubricant amount. All the wires prepared under these conditions were utilized in nail manufacturing, and no appreciable difference was found in the process performance, confirming the above hypothesis. Effect of the initial surface preparation of the wire rod. No difference was observed on the Fig. 18. Evolution of the load on the cutting dies with processing nail forming performance for the various wire time, for two material strengths and two die/material friction rod surface preparation methods employed in conditions. this investigation and previously described. The life of the cutting dies was evaluated for these conditions, and the results are shown in Fig. 17. Although a considerable dispersion was observed in the die life, no appreciable difface. It can be seen that temperatures around 180ºC are easily ference in the average lives resulted from the various wire rod reached. Fig. 13 (b) shows the region where a transversal secpreparation methods. tion of the nail point was obtained in DEFORM. This section Evolution of processing load during the point forming. Fig. is displayed in Fig. 13 (c), where one can observe its central 18 shows the evolution of the load on the cutting die along its part, which will become the nail point, and the still adhering successive positions. This load is affected basically by the lateral flashes. The temperature distribution of the material in strength of the material and by the friction levels between the the chosen section is shown in Fig. 13 (d). Maximum heating die and the material. The simulations were run for two coeffioccurs exactly in the region of the separation between the cients of friction (0.12 and 0.25) and for material I (mechaniflash and the point, and the iso-temperature line “J” correcal behavior described in Fig. 7) and for material II (strength sponds to a temperature of 155ºC. 50% higher than that of material I). It can be clearly seen that Effect of the critical damage of the material on the flash sepstronger materials, associated with higher friction between the aration. The critical damage causing fracture in a material is material and the dies, will impose higher working loads on the directly linked to the base material ductility. The FEM simucutting dies. The effect of higher friction is more pronounced lation of the point forming process was initially run with a for higher strength material, probably due to the higher levels value of the critical damage (C, in equation 1) of 0.6. The of pressure applied on the material. same simulations were then run for lower critical values of Conclusions damage, namely 0.45, 0.35 and 0.30, corresponding to mateThe forming of the nail points in alternating nail machines rials with decreasing ductility. Fig. 14 shows the distance involves a movement of the nail in a direction parallel to the between the point forming dies, at the following moments: (i) nail axis and away from the cutting dies. Initial flash separation between nails (corresponding to Fig. The lateral flash generated during the forming of nail points 12 (c)), (ii) Initial lateral flash separation and (iii) complete separates from the point starting from the base and proceedseparation of the lateral flash. ing to the top of the point. The separation of the lateral flash It can be seen that lower ductility materials (i.e., displaying involves the “void sheet” mechanism. lower values of C) will fracture at a greater distance between The finite element method (FEM) simulation of the nail the dies than materials with higher ductility. From the operapoint forming adequately describes the experimentally tional point of view, materials with lower critical damage valobserved process. For the present simulations, the predicted ues (C) will lead to easier flash separation in the forming of temperatures in the material reach about 160ºC during formthe nail points, and to less risk of die damage associated with ing. small distances between dies. . According to the FEM simulations, the separation between Effect of the residual lubricant layer on die wear. Fig. 15 (a) two successive nails and between the nail point and the laterindicates a region in the base of the point where one can al flash occurs at a certain separation of the cutting dies. The observe both the original surface of the wire and the faces of distance between the dies at the moment of these separations the point that were in contact with the cutting dies. This region increase as the material ductility is lowered. is magnified in Fig. 15 (b), where the white regions on the No effect of the initial wire rod preparation method or of the original surface of the wire are drawing soap residues. The

TECHNICAL PAPERS

residual lubricant layer on the drawn wire was detected on the life of the nail point cutting dies. The load on the cutting dies during the nail point forming process is sensitive to the friction between the dies and the material and to the strength of the nail material. References 1. History, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail_(engineering) 2. B. Golis et al., “Indicator to estimate wire quality for nail production,” Wire Journal International, October 2001, pp. 99-103. 3. Hensel , T. Spittel, Kraft und Arbeitsbedarf Bildsamer Formgebung, Leipzig, 1st. Ed. 1964. 4. A. Sabih, et al., “Workability criterion for internal ductile fracture in the steel cold heading process,” Wire Journal International, March 2006, pp. 155-159. 5. M.G. Cockroft and D.J. Latham, J. Inst. Metals, Vol 96, 1968, p. 33. 6. G.E. Dieter, Workability Testing Techniques, American Society for Metals, Metal Park, Ohio, 1984, pp. 17-18. 7. H. Rogers, The tensile fracture of ductile materials, Trans. Met. Soc. AIME, vol. 218, 1960, pp. 498-506. ■

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Lucas Franciga is an industrial engineer and process engineer in the wire mills of Acindar SA, an Arcelor Mittal Company, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is involved in many improvement projects within the group and serves as a Black Belt Project Leader for its Six Sigma program. He has previous experience in modeling, simulaFranciga tion, and optimization of supply chain networks. He holds a degree in logistics and case solving from from Buenos Aires University. Jorgelina Geisler is a metallurgical engineer and the technology and quality control area manager at the Acindar wire mills. She graduated from San icolás Regional College of ational Technological University (UT ), Geisler Argentina, with degrees in industrial management from Austral University and continued education from San icolás Regional College. Paulo R. Cetlin is a professor at Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, where he has offered consulting and personnel technical training for the steel industries in Brazil, Argentina, and Europe, particularly in the areas of metal forming Cetlin and wiredrawing. He engaged in post-doctoral studies in metallurgical engineering at McGill University, Canada, and holds a Ph.D. degree in metallurgical engineering from UFMG, an M.Sc. degree from the University of Florida, and a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from UFMG. He has published more than 250 papers in various scienCunha tific and technological magazines around the world. Cristiano da Costa Cunha is an undergraduate student in mechanical engineering at UFMG. Since 2006 he has been dedicated to the use of Finite Element Simulation in the analysis of metal forming problems in UFMG’s Metallurgical and Materials Department. This paper, which was presented at WAI’s 77th Annual Convention, May 2007, won the WAI’s top award in the ferrous category.

CALL FOR PAPERS The Wire Association International (WAI), Inc. invites authors to help define its 2009 technical program offerings by submitting an abstract today. Technical and practical topics welcome.

April 25-30, 2009 Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Abstract Deadline September 2, 2008 Author Notification October 6, 2008 Paper Deadline December 1, 2008

Accepted authors have the benefit of complimentary meeting registration, a year’s free membership to WAI, and a copy of the Conference Proceedings materials. Authors have access to the conference sessions, exhibit hall, and opening reception. In addition, most participants find that the experience of presenting a paper and the exposure that follows is mutually beneficial to the author and his or her company. Whether your field of expertise is in a ferrous, nonferrous, electrical, fiber optic, or general discipline, WAI wants to hear from you. Why not share your expertise, your current research findings, and your viewpoint with your industry colleagues at Interwire 2009? Submit your abstract today! Log on instructions are on the abstract form on the reverse side.

Interwire 2009 is organized by The Wire Association International, Inc. 1570 Boston Post Road • P.O. Box 578 • Guilford, CT 06437-0578 USA Tel.: (001) 203-453-2777 • Fax: (001) 203-453-8384 • Web site: www.wirenet.org

CALL FOR PAPERS Abstrac ts In order for the Wire Association’s Technical Papers Committee to properly assess the scope and content of your proposed technical article, please submit a 75 word abstract, typed in English, on the form below. Authors will be notified of acceptance.

Pa p e r s An “Author’s Guide” containing detailed instructions on how to prepare the paper and oral presentation will be e-mailed to accepted speakers. Only original papers not previously published will be accepted for Wire Association International paper awards and possible publication in Wire Journal International. Only papers received by the manuscript deadline will be included in the Conference Proceedings materials. Note: If your paper is received after the deadline we cannot guarantee that your presentation will be scheduled in the technical program.

Log on to submit your abstract 1. Log on to www.wirenet.org. 2. Click on the horizontal tab called “technical” on the main page. 3. Select the “Call for Papers” tab from the drop-down menu. 4. Complete and submit the abstract form.

Please complete the following information and e-mail, mail or fax to: Marc Murray, Director of Education, The Wire Association International, Inc., 1570 Boston Post Rd., P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578 USA, Tel.: (001) 203-453-2777, Fax: (001) 203-453-8384, E-mail: mmurray@wirenet.org.

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Interwire 2009 is organized by The Wire Association International, Inc. 1570 Boston Post Road • P.O. Box 578 • Guilford, CT 06437-0578 USA Tel.: (001) 203-453-2777 • Fax: (001) 203-453-8384 • Web site: www.wirenet.org

Improvement of straightness in coiled bar with roller leveler straightener One study finding was that the straightness of coiled bars to be used for wiredrawing could be improved by better controlling the rolling parameter and adjusting the roller’s intermesh. By Ryota Hamada, Motoo Asakawa, M. Nagahira and M. Amari

Straight bars are used as shafts in precision machinery and the office automation industries. Excellent straightness is necessary because the straightness of the material affects the accuracy of the manufactured products, which in turn influences productivity1-2. Roller-leveler straightening is the most popular method for shafts manufactured by forging, because of its simple mechanical structure. However, this method still relies on the experience and perception of the workers who produce them, and on trial and error. There has been a large amount of research conducted on roller leveler straightening methods for sheets and plates, the strain and bending moments of the sheet during straightening and the effects of the intermesh conditions on the residual stress distributions3-4. However, there has been less research conducted on bars and wires. Further study is needed to determine the optimal roller-leveler

straightening methods for bars. The purpose of this study is to determine methods that will increase the limit of straightness of bars produced from a coiled bar. This was done by altering the radius and pitch of the coiled bar. Experimental method Fig. 1 shows the roller-leveler straightening apparatus used in this study. The bar was fed through pinch rollers after straightening. The X-axis was defined as the direction of the fed bar, the Y-axis was defined as the direction of straightening, and the Z-axis was defined as the vertical direction to the X-Y plane. Fig. 2 depicts the definition of the roll intermesh, h, which was defined as the displacement of the roller. The roll intermesh h was defined as 0 when the rollers had min-

Fig. 1. Overall view of roller leveler straightening apparatus used for bar in coil in test.

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TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 2. Definition of roll intermesh.

imal contact with the bar. If the roll intermesh increased, the bend of bar also increased (see Fig. 2). Fig. 3 shows the eddy-current sensor. The roll intermesh, h, was measured with this sensor. The measurement accuracy of this sensor was +/- 1μm. Five straightening rollers were used. The roll numbers were defined as shown in Fig. 4. The roll intermesh was adjusted by moving the even-numbered rollers. Each of the rollers could be moved independently. The position of the odd-numbered rollers was fixed. Fig. 5 shows the curvature, κ. As the curvature, κ, closed in on 0, the bar’s straightness improved. When the direction of the curvature after straightening was positive with respect to the Y-axis, this curvature was defined as positive. Fig. 6 demonstrates the approach angle, ω. The approach angle, ω, was the angle between the plane of bar curvature and the X-Y plane before being fed into the roller intermesh. When the plane of curvature was in the X-Y plane, this approach angle was defined as 0. In order to evaluate the rotation of the bar through the apparatus, a mark-off

Experimental results and discussion Effect of the approach angle on the straightness in the -dimentional bars. Fig. 9 shows the effect of the approach angle on the resulting straightness of the bar. In this experiment, h2 was fixed at 4.0 mm, and ω was fixed at 0°, 45° and 90°. When the approach angle ω was fixed at 45° and

Fig. 3. Measuring method of roll intermesh.

Fig. 4. Arrangements of rolls for roller straightening.

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line was applied in the longitudinal direction of bar. The mark-off line was measured as the tilting angle θ. Before straightening, the tilting angle θ was 0. A positive tilting angle was defined as rotation in the clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 7. The material used in this study was a 6 mm diameter, 0.45% carbon steel drawn bar. Table 1 display the chemical composition of the material. Fig. 8 indicates the two bar types before feeding. In order to examine the effects of the initial conditions on the resulting straightness, two types of bars were investigated: curved bars (2-dimensional bars), and curved and twisted bars (3-dimentional bars).

TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 5. Measuring method of straightness.

90°, there was a limit to the resulting straightness. As the approach angle ω decreased the straightness limit also decreased. Especially, when ω was fixed at 0°, there was no straightness limit observed. Also, when ω was fixed at 90°, the curvature decreased compared with initial curvature. This result shows roller-leveler straightening decreased curvature in the Z-axis direction. Effect of the no. 2 roll intermesh on the straightness of 2dimentional bars. The effects of the no. 2 roll intermesh h2

on curvature of Z-axis direction were investigated. Fig. 10 shows the effect of no. 2 roll intermesh on the straightness of the 2-dimentional curved bars. In this experiment, ω was fixed at 90° and h2 was set at 1 mm and 4 mm. The result demonstrated that, as the no. 2 roll intermesh increased, the curvature in the Z-axis direction decreased. In general, the curvature in 3-dimentional space was expressed by projection on the X-Y (KZ) and the X-Z (KY)

Table 1. Bar chemical composition.

Fig. 6. Measuring method of approach angle.

Fig. 7. Measuring method of bar tilting.

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TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 8. Original conditions of bar.

Fig. 9. Effect of approach angle on straightness.

plane5. Fig. 11 depicts a mechanism for the decrease in curvature in the Zaxis. The white circle represents the initial curvature, the double circle represents straightening curvature and the black circle represents residual curvature. Straightening curvature was on the KY-axis, because straightening took place in the X-Y plane. When the roll intermesh, h, was 0 mm and ω was fixed at 90°, the bending strain was generated in the X-Z plane. This strain was overlapped bending strain by roll intermesh. When the 2dimentional curved bar curved in the Z direction was fed into the roller-leveler straightener, bending strain generated on the inclined plane from the X-Y plane and decreased in curvature of the Z-axis direction. As the degree of bending increased, curvature in the Z direction decreased. The effect of the approach angle on the straightness of 3-dimentional bars. Next, the effect of the approach angle, ω, on the straightness of the 3dimentional bars was investigated. Fig. 12 shows this effect. In this experiment, h2 was fixed at 4.0 mm, and ω was a fixed angle: 0°, 45 ° and 90°. The results show that as the approach angle decreased the straightness limit decreased, but it was still large. Fig. 13 shows the shape (curved and twisted) of the 3-dimentional bars. When the approach angle was fixed at 0 degrees, the plane of curvature did not correspond to the X-Y plane, because of the 3-dimentional bars was twisted. The best approach angle was calculated taking into consideration the radius and pitch as follows.

Eq. (1)

Fig. 10. Effect of no. 2 roll intermesh on straightness.

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where (P = pitch of the 3-dimentional bars, φ = radius of the 3-dimentional bars and X = the distance between the beginning of the apparatus and

TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 11. Mechanism of decrease curvature of Z direction.

Fig. 12. Effect of approach angle on straightness.

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TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 13. Bar in coil.

Fig. 14. Effect of best approach angle on straightness.

Fig. 15. Relationship between measurement distance and tilting angle.

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point of first bending) Fig. 14 shows the effects of the best approach angle on the straightness of the 3-dimentional bars. In this experiment, the best approach angle was calculated as 21.5°, when h2 was fixed at 1 mm and 4 mm. The results showed that as the no. 2 roll intermesh increased the straightness limit decreased. The results demonstrated that the approach angle that was fixed at 21.5° was most effective for straightness. However, there was a limit to the straightness. Fig. 15 shows the rotation of the 3dimentional bar. In this experiment, h2 was fixed at 4.0 mm, h4 was fixed at –1.65 mm, and ω was fixed at 21.5° As the bar rotated during straightening about 8°, there were changes in the plane of curvature of the bar and in the X-Y plane. The limit in the straightness was considered to the most likely because of this difference. Conclusion In this paper, the effects of the roll intermesh and the approach angle on the straightness limit by rollerleveler straightening were investigated and discussed. The followings are the findings of this experiment: * when the approach angle, ω, was fixed at 90°, and curved (2-dimentional) bars were fed into roller-leveler straightening, the curvature in the Z-axis direction decreased; * when the approach angle, ω, was fixed at 90°, and curved (2-dimentional) bars were fed into roller leveler straightening, as the no. 2 roll intermesh h2 increased, curvature in the Z-axis direction decreased; and * when the approach angle ω was fixed at 21.5°, the angle was most effective on the straightness of 3dimentional bars.

Ryota Hamada is a student in the school of science and engineering at Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. Dr. Motoo Asakawa is a professor in the mechanical engineering department at the Waseda school of science and engineering. He came to the university 10 years ago from Sumitomo Metals Co. He has studied both the process engineering and materials engineering of the mechanical parts of cars, trains, aircraft, and construction and electric devices. He earned a doctoral degree in bar and rod rolling from Waseda in 1980. He is a recipient of Japan’s Okochi Memorial Prize, the Society for Technology of Plasticity Prize, the Institute of Metals Prize, and Iron & Steel Institute Prize. M. agahira is a graduate student in the school of science and engineering at Waseda University. M. Amari works at Asahi Sunac Corporation, Aichi, Japan. This paper was presented at Wire Association International’s 77th Annual Convention, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, May 2007.

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References 1. Y. Onoda, T. Yanagihashi, T. Hama and M. Asakawa, Advanced Technology of Plasticity, 2002 Proceedings of the 7th ICTP, 2002, pp. 625-630. 2. K. Li, C. Chen, S. Yang, Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 94, 1999, pp. 157-166. 3. Japan Society for Technology of Plasticity: “Straightening of Metal Products – Technology to Straighten Sheet, Tube and Others,” 1992, pp. 42-63. 4. K.Park, S.Hwang: ISIJ International, vol. 42-9, 2002, pp. 990-999. 5. H. Suzuki, J. Araki and N. Yamamoto, Journal of the Japan Society for Technology of Plasticity, Vol. 15-156, 1974-1, pp. 35-42

Hamada

Asakawa

agahira

Amari

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TECHNICAL PAPER Decoding codes, standards and fire safety markings This paper presents a standardized hierarchy of LAN cables types that form the basis for cable fire safety enforcement in the United States. By Per Nelson, Marc Normandin, and Thomas Muehle

The information age has driven explosive growth in the amount of cabling used in commercial and residential structures. Buildings are providing higher and higher levels of function. Networks reach nearly every room and connect a widening array of devices and utilities. These changes are putting more category cables into buildings. While drivers behind increased cabling are easy to see in the world today, the cabling itself is not. It is hidden in many places including inside walls, above ceilings and below floors. But what is even more difficult to see are the characteristics of the materials used to make the cables. Without analytical scrutiny it is impossible to know the properties of materials composing cable jackets, insulation, spacers, conductors and other components and media. Crucial

Table 1. FPA 70 ational Electrical Code® Cable Substitution Hierarchy ( FPA 70 ational Electrical Code® -2005).

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properties such as combustibility and smoke generation are unknown unless specific analysis is performed. What is known, however, is that combustion properties vary among commonly used cable materials. Some polymers used to construct cables burn readily, leading to high heat output while others self-extinguish if ignited, even when the surrounding air contains unnaturally high concentrations of oxygen gas. As data communications cables are networked throughout buildings, use of flammable cables could propagate and distribute combustion and smoke in the event of a fire. The fact that cables are installed in hidden spaces makes the problem more challenging because these areas can be inaccessible to sprinklers and other fire countermeasure devices. The recognition of the potential threat to life and property presented by hidden and unprotected flammable cables led local authorities to require telephone/data cables be installed inside metal conduits. The advent of inherently fire resistant cables (using fire retardant insulation and jacketing materials such as fluoropolymers) made it possible to mitigate fire spread risks in cable installations without steel tubing. Subsequently, installation requirements for cables were changed to allow the new use. Regulation cable fire safety A four-part system that includes fire codes, listing requirements, fire safety testing procedures and third party verification has been established to provide local authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) with codes and enforcement tools. One important clarification is that published codes do not have the force of law unless adopted by an AHJ. This system maintains use of cable types based on the level and/or type fire performance with the demands of the installation space. The published codes of greatest relevance to fire safety of data communications cables in the United States are NFPA 70 ational Electrical Code® also known as: “NEC,” and NFPA 90a, “Standard for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems”. Both are published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Together these two codes,

Cable types Cable types, as defined by the NEC, are differentiated into fire performance classes. Fire performance classes are used in combination with building space definitions to guide cable installation.

The following section provides an introduction to building space definitions, installation examples and test specifications that characterize cable types. CMP. The most stringent cable defined in NFPA 90a/NFPA 70 is denoted type CMP. Cables listed and marked CMP are qualified for use in ceiling and floor air handling plenum spaces as well as most other areas/spaces within a building. Plenum spaces are defined by NFPA 90a as: “A compartment or chamber to which one or more air ducts are connected and that forms part of the air distribution system.” (NFPA 90a-2002) This definition encompasses hidden ceiling and floor spaces that are used for air handling, among other purposes, such as network cabling. Spaces inside air supply ducts and air handling rooms are considered off limits for cables except when installed in metal conduit. Fire performance qualification testing is conducted according to NFPA 262 “Standard Method of Test for Flame Travel and Smoke of Wires and Cables for Use in Air-Handling Spaces.” The apparatus employed by this test has been referred to as the “Steiner Tunnel.” Testing involves securing test cable lengths horizontally, side by side, across the width and along the length of a metal ladder like structure inside the testing tunnel. A standard flame is ignited at the air inlet end of the tunnel that continues to burn throughout the testing period of 20 minutes. Flame spread as well as peak and average smoke density are measured over the test duration. The performance specifications for CMP type cable are defined in NFPA 90a and noted both in NEC, NFPA 262, and UL 444. CMR. Often referred to as a “Riser,” CMR type cables are accepted by the NEC® be installed in vertical runs and shafts. (NFPA 70 National Electrical Code® -2005). Testing for certification of CMR cables is conducted according to ANSI/UL 1666 “Test for Flame Propagation Height of Electrical and Optical-Fiber Cables Installed

Reference Table 2: Summary of installation and listing requirements for ational Electrical Code® cable types (UL 444-2005, FPA 90a-2002, and ational Electrical Code®-2005).

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which are adopted by many AHJs, prescribe requirements for data communication cables used in buildings. Listing requirements for cables are primarily contained in listing standards documents like UL 444 “Communications Cables” and CSA C22.2 0.3 “Test Methods for Electrical Wires and Cables” (although some are in codes and others in test method documents). Listing standards provide supplementary definition of cable types, testing requirement references, and performance criteria. These listing standards also cover testing a range of other safety and performance criteria unrelated to fire performance. Test methods govern the testing of cable products called for by code(s) and listing standards for a given fire safety category. Relevant test standards for category cable listings are NFPA 262, UL1666, CSA C22.2 0.3, UL 1685, and UL 1581. Cable performance criteria are contained in either test standards, listing standards, code documents, or in combination. Third party certification is a critical component of any cable type fire safety mark. Proper use of a third party marking in conjunction with a fire safety code means: recognized input materials are used; the cable construction has been tested and passed the relevant standard; and raw materials and cable samples are subject to follow-up verification testing to determine continued conformance to the certification. Improper and counterfeit use of third party markings is a significant threat to the fire safety of data-communications cables. Enforcement of the proper use of each marking is carried out by the third party entity.

TECHNICAL PAPERS

Vertically in Shafts.” Performance criteria of a cable is specified in the test document (ANSI/UL 1666-2002). The standard sets maximum limits to vertical flame travel and temperature within the test chamber. CMG and CM. One of two general use cable types, CMG is defined in NEC as “resistant to the spread of fire”; they can be installed in cable trays, raceways, and distributing frames. They cannot be installed in plenum and riser spaces in buildings. (NFPA 70 National Electrical Code® -2005). Listed CMG type cable is tested to FT4/IEEE 1202 type vertical mounted cable flame exposure (excluding the smoke measurements). Methods are described both in UL 1685 and CSA C22.2 0.3. A maximum char spread is established for listing. Unlike CMG, NEC suggests that CM type cable can be tested according to ANSI/UL 1581-1991, Reference Standard for Electrical Wires, Cables and Flexible Cords. CMX and CMUC. Cable deemed suitable for use in dwellings and underneath carpet are designated CMX and CMUC respectively. NEC requires that these types cable be listed as “resistant to flame spread.” NEC suggests and UL 444 requires compliance to the method and criteria described in the VW-1 section of UL 1581 (Section 1020). Limited Combustible. This proposed class of cable is based on NFPA 90a building material requirements for plenum areas. Plenum rated materials are tested according to NFPA 255 and NFPA 259. Listing requirements include a maximum heat of combustion as well as stringent flame and smoke specifications. Limited combustible cable (LCC) has been discussed as an enhanced fire and smoke safe cable for several years; LC cable has, however, not been required by NFPA code for installation in any specific building location. Nonetheless, cables conforming to LCC performance criteria are commercially available.

Conclusion Fire safety of data communications cable is crucial to building security today. Risks to life and property are addressed by a four-part system of codes, listing standards, fire tests and third party verification. Within this system is a standardized hierarchy of cable types that form the basis for cable fire safety enforcement in the United States.

Bibliography NFPA 70 National Electrical Code® -2005 NFPA 90a Standard for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems -2002 UL 444 Communications Cables -2006 CSA C22.2 0.3 Test Methods for Electrical Wires and Cables -2001 NFPA 262 Standard Method of Test for Flame Travel and Smoke of Wires and Cables for Use in Air-Handling Spaces 2007 Edition -2006 UL1666 Test for Flame Propagation Height of Electrical and Optical-Fiber Cables Installed Vertically in Shafts -2002 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 Test Methods for Electrical Wires and Cables -2001 90 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

UL 1685 Vertical-Tray Fire-Propagation and SmokeRelease Test for Electrical and Optical-Fiber Cables -2000 UL 1581 Reference Standard for Electrical Wires, Cables, and Flexible Cords -2006 ational Electrical Code® is a registered trademarks of FPA, ational Fire Protection Association ■

Per elson is a senior chemist for Dyneon’s fluoroplastics business specializing in wire and cable technical service and applications development. He holds a BA degree in chemistry and orwegian from St. Olaf College, orthfield, Minnesota. He previously worked in thermo elson plastic extrusion at 3M’s abrasive systems division and joined Dyneon in 1998. He has focused on fluoroplastic technical service in wire and cable for over eight years and is currently chair of the fluoropolymer wire and cable section of the Society of the Plastics Industry. Marc ormandin is sales and marketing manager ormandin for Dyneon’s U.S. fluoroplastics business. He holds a B.Sc. degree in plastics engineering from the University of Lowell, Lowell, Massachu-setts. In his 25 year career, he has held positions in technical service, product development and sales as a plastics materials supplier to the wire and cable Industry. He joined Dyneon 10 years ago. Thomas Muehle Muehle holds a degree in chemistry from St. Olaf College. He joined Dyneon’s fluoroplastics business wire and cable technical service and product development group in 2006. This paper was presented at WAI’s 77th Annual Convention, May 2007, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

PRODUCTS & MEDIA PRODUCTS Compact in-line stretching model excels at preparing wire for final uses Italy’s Eurolls SpA, part of the Eurolls Group and represented in North America by Cortinovis Machinery America, Inc, reports that its in-line compact stretching unit LSO 500 is very efficient for producing high-resistant/high-yield wire in accordance with the latest European standards. A press release said that the addition of the unit in an existing production line, such as for processing cross wires in mesh line, longitudinal wires in lattice girder lines and more, improves in-line production of wire for conversion to its final forms, such as welded, bent, etc. The technical specs for the LSO 500 were cited in the release as follows: type of entry material is hot-rolled, low-carbon ribbed rod (C = 0.20% C max.) with UTS ≤ 500 N/mm²; inlet wire rod diameter is 5.5 mm to 10 mm; finished wire is ribbed-stretched; working coil weight is 0.8 t/h to 3.3 t/h; and working speed is max. 6 m/sec. Contact: Cortinovis Machinery America, Inc., tel. 908-479-9818; cortinovis@cortinovisamerica.com, www.cortinovisamerica.com.

Cost-effective automatic wire bender offers many manufacturing features U.S.-based AIM Inc. describes its new Compact 3D machine, part of its AFC series (AccuForm Compact), as setting new benchmarks for cost-effective, automatic wire bending operations for up to 8 mm wire operations.

The AccuForm Compact, which starts at below $90,000, has a 2-plane straightener, maintenance-free servo quad-roller feeder and precision bender axes, a press release said. It comes with Industrial PC running Windows XP Pro and SmartEditor®, AIM’s unique programming package, along with other features previously available only on much more expensive machines, it said. SmartEditor, the release said, “offers the world’s most flexible programming language with intuitive commands and simple to use, conversational step-by-step programs.” All one needs to make parts are the length and bend angles, yet the language will allow programming sophisticated shapes, it said, adding that the system has nearly unlimited program storage and the ability to compensate each program with simple commands. Contact: Peter Zafiro, AIM Inc., tel. 630-458-0008, peterz@aimmachines.com, www.aimmachines.com.

Dispersed coloring pigments can provide processing advantages U.S.-based Colorant Chromatics has introduced a new range of heavy-metal free dispersed pigments for the coloration of PTFE fine powder that it reports provides superior temperature stability, dispersion capability and stability in suspension, which in turn significantly reduces the tendency for the pigments to reagglomerate. A press release said that the naphtha-based, dispersed pigments offers the following advantages: improved homogeneity and stability; better batch-to-batch color

WIRE JOURNAL

®

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

OCTOBER 2008: ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT & REPLACEMENT PARTS Parts wear. Systems are replaced. And customers look for high quality wire and cable making parts and equipment that will fall into line to keep production cycles in motion. Be on hand as your prospects reach for the brass ring with a display ad in the October issue. Your visibility will keep them circling back for more. Ring WJI’s Bob Xeller or Anna Bzowski to reserve ad space. Tel.: 001-203-453-2777 | E-mail: bxeller@wirenet.org or abzowski@wirenet.org

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PRODUCTS & MEDIA

consistency; thin fluid dispersions with light thixothropic character; minimal settling; very easy to homogenize with mild mixing; no pigment re-agglomeration; is easily dispersed, spreads uniformly in to PTFE powder; less fumes and odor during sintering process; minimal staining of machinery and surroundings; end product surface smoother and glossier; and is compliant with RoHS and REACH Directives Contact: Colorant Chromatics, info@chromusa.com, www.colorantchromatics.com.

Company expands flat cable capacity U.S.-based W. L. Gore & Associates reports that it has doubled its manufacturing capacity for flat cables to meetcustomer demand for cables capable of reducing particles and outgassing in semiconductor manufacturing steps such as lithography, ion implantation and inspection. The additional capacity, a press release said, includes the ability to make flat cables up to 300 mm wide so multiple cables can be replaced with a single, self-supporting cable perfect for stroke lengths of 500 mm or less. It notes that Gore’s high flex cables are designed to survive the extreme conditions found in clean room environments and can be used in ISO14644-1 Class 3 (FS 209E Class 1) environments.

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The key to Gore’s high flex and low particulation performance is its ePTFE composite jacket, the release said. This material, which has a low coefficient of friction and excellent tear resistance, is very flexible and enables flat cables to be stacked on top of each other and slide smoothly without generating particles, it said. Alternative flat cable options use extruded jackets, such as silicone and polyurethane. Contact: W. L. Gore & Associates, tel. 800-445-4673 or 302-292-5100, www.gore.com.

Double-twist strander line covers a wide wire range, offers flexibility Italy’s Cortinovis Machinery SpA reports that its line of double-twist stranders can effectively process from 7 up to 37 wires, sizes from 0.1 mm up to 2.6 mm. The company, part of the Eurolls Group and represented in North America by Cortinovis Machinery America, notes in a press release that the models are available in multiple payoff designs with a flexible design to adapt to the specific requirement of the bobbins diameter and number of bobbins. The strand is formed by two pre-twisters, with separate motors and deviation pulleys, before the product enters

into the double twist machine. The double twist machine is fitted on a unique rigid frame, and includes the two rotors, the cradle, the double wheel capstan, the overtwister, the strand straightener and finally the take up and traversing unit. The drive of these elements is mechanically obtained with interchangeable gears. All the motors are AC type with inverters. The machine is protected with soundproof guard. Contact: Cortinovis Machinery America, Inc., tel. 908-479-9818; cortinovis@cortinovisamerica.com, www.cortinovisamerica.com.

Steel reel line has been expanded, can handle weights from 22-38 kg Belgium’s Metavan N.V., represented in North America by Canada’s Howar Equipment Inc., now offers a larger array of spools (22-38 kg/50-88 lb) that are often used for one-way shipping.

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94 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

A press release said that the pressed steel reels, made by automatic and robotic equipment to ensure high quality and consistency, is now available in sizes from 300 mm (11.8 in.) to 1250 mm (492 in.). The standard 30 in. (760 mm) shipping reels in 3 mm (.125 in.) steel, the most popular design, are available from stock material. These reels come with a standard 760 mm (30 in.) flange with 12 reinforcing ribs, and can be outfitted with various custom sized drums and arbor tubes. The reels, the release said, are personalized with required drive holes, wire start/finish holes and powder-coated in a large variety of colors. It noted that additional special treatments include a continuous weld between the drum and flange for annealing purposes. The reels, it added, are manufactured in very short times to provide saving in time and money. Contact: Howar Equipment Inc., tel. 905-738-4010, sales@howarequipment.com, www.howarequipment.com.

New wiring design a plus for renewable energy field, available for licensing or sale InventHelp reports that one of its clients, a U.S. inventor from California, has designed a type of wiring, called SOLWIRE, that is now available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers, that could be beneficial to renewable energy industries. SOLWIRE was created to provide accurate wiring for photovoltaic and wind-turbine systems, a press release said. This invention, it noted, would make it easier to identify and use the proper wire sizes, and it would aid the user in pulling a bundle of wires through a tube or pipe without assistance. SOLWIRE is producible in versions usable with both DC- and ACvoltage sides of electrical systems, and is designed to be in accordance with National Electrical Code® rules and guidelines, the release said. The wiring, designed to be in accord with the NEC, can also be used for both off-grid and grid-tied electrical systems, it said. InventHelp cites the developer as saying, “In my experiences installing photovoltaic systems, I saw a lot of wasted time and energy. I considered solutions and came up with a wiring design that could reduce waste, save time and increase quality.” Contact: InventHelp, tel. 412-288-1300, ext. 1368, www.inventhelp.com.

Forming mandrels have fluoropolymer coating that can handle the heat without problems U.S.-based Applied Plastics Co., Inc., reports that its line of medical-grade forming mandrels feature a uniform fluoropolymer coating that is robust enough to withstand harsh conditions. A press release said that APC PTFE Natural® Fluoropolymer Forming Mandrels, made from stainless steel or nitinol wire, feature a smooth, uniform fluoropolymer coating that will not flake. Capable of exposure to 700°F and 550°F continuous operation, higher than Parylene coatSEPTEMBER 2008 | 95

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ed mandrels, these gray forming mandrels exhibit a 0.05 coefficient of friction per ASTM-1894, it said. The mandrels, ideally suited for fuse welding and tipping operations, are available in lengths up to 12 ft, the release said. The wires are stocked in sizes from 0.005 in. to 0.070 in. with an applied proprietary coating from 0.00005 in. to 0.0008 in. thick, with a ±0.0001 in. tolerance, it said, adding that specials are available on request. Contact: David Ring, Applied Plastics Co., Inc., tel. 781-762-1881; davering@appliedplastics.com, www.appliedplastics.com.

Steel cable ties can be used indoor, outdoor and for harsh conditions U.S.-based ACT Fastening Solutions has introduced a new line of 316 stainless steel cable ties that are offered in several styles for a wide range of indoor, outdoor, and underground applications A press release said that ACT 316 stainless steel cable ties provide optimum corrosion resistance and include polyester and epoxy coated versions that provide a barrier between dissimilar metals. Supplied in plain and ladder styles and a spring style that maintains tension when

Genca Wire & Cable Extrusion. From Pellet To Product.

No matter what type of wire or cable you may be extruding, Genca designs and manufactures everything you need for your extrusion process. From Crossheads and In-line Heads to Tips, Dies, Screws, Barrels, Breakerplates and more, Genca leads the industry with a complete line of innovative and highly productive extrusion products for your business. For more information, contact Genca at 1-800-237-5448 or online at www.genca.com

96 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

clamped onto solid objects, they are suitable for a variety of indoor, outdoor, and underground applications, it said. The ties are available in lengths from 6 in. to 29 in., depending upon style, with 100 lb or 250 lb tie tensile strengths, the release said. The UL-compliant ties, which are rated for service at 1,000°F uncoated and 302°F coated, can be installed manually or with an automatic tension and cut-off tool, it said. Contact: David Williams, ACT Fastening Solutions, Division of Advanced Cable Ties, Inc., tel. 800-861-7228, davidw@actfs.com, www.actfs.com.

MEDIA Brochure highlights conduit products A brochure from U.S.-based Dura-Line Corp., an A-D Technologies company, highlights the features and benefits of the company’s MicroTechnology technology.

Contact: Dura-Line Corp., tel. 800-847-7661, www.adtechnologies.com.

Website has wire configuring feature U.S.-based SEA Wire and Cable, Inc., a supplier of QPL products to the Aerospace and Military marketplace, reports that newest addition to its Internet solutions portfolio is Product Wizard, a feature that it said allows anyone to configure a Mil-spec wire and cable. By utilizing a propriety database design, an engineering staff can select the right cable for the job including a complete list of all specifications such as straining, OD, voltage and weight, a press release said. The Product Wizard, it said, is operator-friendly and will not allow a user to select an incorrect wire or cable configuration. It can also be used to design Mil-spec tubing and UL wire, it said. “This is just the beginning of our roll out of new on-line services,” said Marty Clark, SEA Wire and Cable General Manager. Contact: Jim Duggan, National Sales Manager, SEA Wire and Cable, Inc., tel. 256-772-9616 jimd@ sea-wire.com, www.sea-wire.com.

See us at ITC Monterrey, Mexico, October 19-23

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The seven-page brochure, which helps customers see how MicroTechnology can be beneficial to their networks, includes convenient conversion charts that assist users in determining the number of MicroDucts that can fit into the respective duct sizes, a press release said. It explained that MicroTechnology is the use of Dura-Line® MicroDucts in new or existing conduit to provide additional network capacity and pathways for the future. MicroTechnology, the release said, is used in telecom, CATV and power utilities, where it can help dramatically reduce future installation costs. “MicroTechnology is changing how service providers plan and build their networks for today and the future,” said Tim Grimsley, vice president, telecom and CATV, sales and marketing, Dura-Line.

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

Company launches improved website U.S.-based Molex Premise Networks announced that it has launched a new website, the main hub of information for end users, specifiers, consultants and channel partners across the globe. The new comprehensive product database now features all Molex Premise Networks products and solutions from the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific regions, the release said. The website has an ‘intelligent’ functionality that “discovers� where the visitor is located and will display product relevant to that region, it said, adding that product pages will be continuously refreshed and updated with the added benefit of printing specification sheets directly from them or in an email friendly version to help customers respond in a timely fashion to urgent bids or proposals. New to the site are specific pages for data transport solutions such as 10 G/bit, Cat. 6, Cat. 5e, IIM, optical fiber, free space optics, data Centers, blown fiber, and plug and play solutions, each featuring related products, technical articles and case studies, encompassing all relevant information in one accessible location as well as a support center with downloadable marketing literature, as

well as Molex news and events, it said. Future developments, it added, include transitioning the existing Polish, Russian and Chinese language sites over to the new website infrastructure, it said. Contact: Molex Premise etworks, www.molexpn.com. â–

.((3 ,7 6,03/( (&2120,&$/ ()),&,(17 3POOL CAPS AND TENSION BRUSHES &LYER ARMS "ELT WRAPPED TENSION CAPSTANS 4O LEARN MORE ON THE ABOVE AND MUCH MORE SEE WWW WYREPAKIND COM

792%0!+ ).$5342)%3 -IDDLE 3TREET -IDDLETOWN #4 53! 0HONE s &AX SALES WYREPAKIND COM s WWW WYREPAKIND COM

98 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL MEMBERS seeking employment positions are entitled to FREE “Position Wanted” classified ads. Limit: one ad per issue, maximum three ads per year. This WAI membership benefit is not transferable to nonmembers or to companies. CLASSIFIED AD RATES: • $1.30 per word for Wire Journal International and on-line classifieds at wirenet.org (20 word minimum). • Blind box numbers, add $25. • Boldface headlines, add $6 per line (up to 18 characters per line). Specify category. BLIND BOX INFO: Blind box numbers assure the confidentiality of the advertiser in both the WJI and the on-line publication. Responses are mailed out within two business

POSITION SOUGHT ELECTRICAL/MECHANICAL ENGINEER with 22 years’ extensive manufacturing experience seeks a southern regional sales position with ability to work from home office. Excellent communication skills, above average computer skills including Cad and PLC programming. Experience includes: equipment design and fabrication; management of engineering department, quality department and programs; equipment manufacturing. installation and commissioning; and process engineering in various plastic industries, specializing in wire and cable processes. Contact: Resume7676 @wildblue.net. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES GENERAL MANAGER. Renaissance Wire, a high-carbon steel wire manufacturer, located just outside of Worcester, MA, is seeking a General Manager. The position will be responsible for overseeing the day- to-day operation of a 15,000 square foot production facility, serving both domestic and international customers. The Manager will direct and coordinate the drawing, straightening and plating of round & hexagonally shaped high carbon steel wire predominantly used

days after receipt. Responses to Blind Box ads should be addressed to: Wire Journal International, Box number (as it appears in print or on-line), P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578 USA. PAYMENT POLICY: All ads must be pre-paid. DEADLINES: Copy is due a full month in advance, i.e., it must be received by March 1 for publication in the April issue. Classifieds booked on-line, run for at least one-month on-line, from the date of booking. Wire Journal International “Print classifieds” booked on-line as an “add-on” to an “online classified” booking will run in the next available issue of the WJI.

in the production of musical instrument strings. The position will require extensive knowledge and experience with the production, procedures and technology associated with wire production, coupled with a thorough understanding of

machinery and equipment capabilities. The ideal candidate will possess excellent interpersonal and problem solving skills, along with the ability to succeed under limited supervision.

COMMISSION BROKERS, INC. EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRE & CABLE INDUSTRY APPRAISERS • COMMISSION BROKERS • INDIVIDUAL PIECES OR ENTIRE PLANTS

FOR SALE 1 - WATSON 36” Rotating Cabler Line 1 - NORTHAMPTON ST1000 Cabler, 1999 4 - NORTHAMPTON 630mm and 800mm Cablers 1 - NIEHOFF M15 Wire Drawer, Annealer, SG45 Spooler 1 - ENTWISTLE 4.5” 24:1 L/D Extruder 1 - D/S 2.5” 24:1 L/D Nylon Extruder 1 - D/S 2” 30:1 L/D Hi-Temp Extrusion Line 1 - D/S 1.25” 30:1 L/D Hi-Temp Extruder 1 - D/S 2” 24:1 L/D Extruder 4 - DAVIS STANDARD, ENTWISTLE 50” Shaftless Payoffs 1 - DAVIS ELECTRIC 36” Shaftless, Model POS18-36 1 - TULSA 30” Payoff, Model PSPO-1, 1000lb cap, 8/90 1 - D/S 36” H.S. Dual Reel Take-up, twin Motors 1 - ENTWISTLE 36” Dual Reel Take-up, Model THE 24/36 4 - D/S 30” Dual Reel Take-ups

1 - DAVIS ELECTRIC Model TAP30 Parallel Axis Dual Take-up 7 - CLIPPER Model SP16 Dual Spoolers 1 - BARTELL 72” Shaftless Take-ups 1 - DAVIS ELECTRIC 36” Shaftless, Model TUS36 3 - TULSA/KENRAKE Model WTR-656 Respoolers 3 - TEC Model 24STC Hi-Speed Twisters, rated 1300rpm 1 - ADVANTAGE Chiller, Model MK-25AM41HBX, 9/98 1 - IMAJE Model Jaime 1000 S4 Ink Jet Printer, 10/96 1 - NEW ENGLAND BUTT 60” Dual Wheel Capstan Assembly 1 - SCHLEUNIGER OS9400 OmniStripper, 1999 1 - SCHLEUNIGER CPS1500 Coiler 1 - SCHLEUNIGER WS500 Wire Stacker 41 - 48” x 32-1/4” ID x 25” Barrel x 3” Arbor Toroidal Reels

Contact: Martin Kenner

COMMISSION BROKERS, INC. P.O. Box 8456 • Cranston, RI 02920-0456 • Tel. (401) 943-3777 • Fax: (401) 943-3670 WEB: www.commissionbrokers.com • E-MAIL: marty137@aol.com

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CLASSIFIEDS

CLASSIFIEDS

WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFIED AD INFORMATION NAME

TITLE

COMPAN ADDRESS CIT

STATE

P ONE

POSTAL CODE

FA

AD CATEGOR

EMAIL

ISSUE OUR AD BEGINS

NUMBER OF ISSUES RUN

LAST ISSUE

FULL RUN (W I

ON-LINE)

WAI MEMBER

ES

NO

ES

E-mail RUN TILL FURT ER NOTICE

NO

BLIND BO

WAI MEMBERS IP

This role also requires the ability to work effectively with others to accomplish defined production and quality goals on a timely basis. Major Responsibilities: • Direct the scheduling and production of inventory for customer orders. • Oversee the sourcing of high quality, economical raw materials. • Monitor and track daily production and quality reports. • Organize and maintain documentation of all procedures and work rules related to wire drawing, straightening and plating operations, as well as quality specifications. • Directs all R&D projects related to raw material and finished wire quality and consistency.

COUNTR

ES

ES

NO

NO

(Applies only to Position Wanted )

• Oversee inventory management, bills of material, purchasing, customer service, accounts receivable/payable, etc. • Handle all personnel related issues • Interface with ownership, regarding financial and management reporting requirements. Qualifications: • Lean Manufacturing background/ training preferred. • 3-5 years experience in wire manufacturing and/or related Management. • BS in Mechanical and/or Metallurgical Engineering; or equivalent training and experience. • Computer skills- Microsoft Word, Excel, Mapics MRP System We offer competitive compensation and benefits, including an excellent 401k and Pension Plan, along with

Please e-mail the re uested information to: AI s Cindy Kirmss at c irmss wirenet.org. For more details, you can call her at - - 777, ext. 11 .

the opportunity to build a career with one of the most highly regarded organizations in the industry. For immediate consideration, please email your resume and salary requirements to hr@daddario.com or apply online at www.jdaddario.com. S A L E S AG E N T: E s t a b l i s h e d Stainless Wire and Shaped Wire company looking for commission sales representatives in Ohio, Western PA and in Chicago region. Will be responsible for maintaining established accounts, as well as, generating new business. Please respond to Box 9-1. MANAGER. A very large cable Manufacturing multi-national company, is seeking a Manager MV/HV/EHV, having in-depth know-how of the product who can lead a team to reach the objective and goals. Engineers having experience from Scratch to the Managerial Level can apply to Box 9-2. PERSONNEL SERVICES “LET OUR SUCCESS BE YOUR SUCCESS” Wire Resources is the foremost recruiting firm in the Wire & Cable Industry. Since 1967 we have partnered with industry manufacturers to secure the services of thousands of key individual contributors, managers and executives. For corporations we provide recruitment, outplacement, and salary assessment functions. For the professional exploring a new opportunity, we provide career evaluation and guidance. Our services are performed

100 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

E-mail Peter Carino or Jack Cutler pcarino@wireresources.com or jcutler@wireresources.com www.wireresources.com. Wire Resources, Inc., 522 E. Putnam Ave, Greenwich, CT 06830, 203-6223000 or 800-394-WIRE. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY WANTED: MERGER & ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITY FOR WIRE & CABLE. Client seeking to purchase a manufacturer of insulated wire & cable conductors, receptive to a purchase, joint venture or partnership. Contact: Jim Knott at tel. 508-2344710/info@knottco.com, or visit www. knottco.com and click on “Available Assets, M&A Opportunities.”

DIES

MEDIA

DIAMOND & CARBIDE DIES: PRICED TO MOVE! Take advantage of discounted pricing on new, used and recut diamond and carbide dies in standard case sizes: 2, 5, and 6. For quality dies with competitive pricing, contact Ida Pardo at info@knottco.com or by phone at 617-519-3303.

FERROUS WIRE HANDBOOK. The most recent in a series of handbooks published by WAI, this comprehensive hard-cover book is a new, definitive industry resource for ferrous wire written by members of the Association and edited by former WAI President Robert M. Shemenski. It is a modern-day reference tool for those working directly in the steel wire or manufacturing, engineering, or operations sectors of the industry. At 1,168 pages, the publication’s comprehensive 36 chapters cover a broad range of topics. List Price is $235, $195 for WAI members. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on The WAI Bookstore. ■

MOLONEY DIE COMPANY. Low prices on all sizes of new, used and recut carbide dies. We also recut tapered nibs. Fast turn-around. Quality service since 1985. Tel. 904-388-3654. APOLLO DIA-CARB COMPANY. Buy & sell new/used Natural & PCD DIAMOND DIES. Fair prices & excellent lead times. Contact Paulette, Owner-Sales, by telephone at 1-508226-1508 or by e-mail at apollodie@wmconnect.com.

ACQUISITION SOUGHT Interested to acquire a medium size company operating in USA/Europe in the non-ferrous conductor industry, essentially into copper/copper alloys/ nickels/nickel alloys/bimetallics/ compensating alloys/precious metals & the like. Will be interested in outright purchase or equity partnership with operating exposure .Currently we have two operating plants manufacturing copper & copper alloy products. Please contact Box 9-3.

MACHINERY BEST WARRANTY-LOWEST PRICES on high quality Rolling Ring Traverses. YR Products phone/fax: 708672-5007 or e-mail kamoline@ comcast.net. WWW.URBANOASSOCIATES. COM. For New & Used Wire & Cable Equipment. Tel. 727-863-4700; fax 727-863-4711; or by e-mail at urbassoc@verizon.net.

Machines USA More than 1200 second-hand machines for the wire-, cable- and rolling mill industry www.bongard.us

New machines and lines upon request

reconditioned 6 block double capstan drawing machine

Serving the non-ferrous and ferrous industries since 1983

Contact us: Bongard Machines USA LLC Suite 160 6920 Pointe Inverness Way Fort Wayne, IN 46804 Phone +1 260 225 4510 Fax +1 260 225 4513 E-Mail chris.z@bongard.us www.bongard.us

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 101

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in absolute confidence.

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE

ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE

Ace Metal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

GMP Slovakia/Howar Equipment Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Aim Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 4

Rudolf Grauer AG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Alloy Wire International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Howar Equipment Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Anbao Wire & Mesh Co Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Howar Equipment Inc/Metavan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Axis Computer Systems Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Howar Equipment Inc/GMP Slovakia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Beijingmaster/TJK Mechanical Products Co Ltd . . . . . . .29

Huestis Industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Bergandi Machinery Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

Industrial Wire & Cable Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Beta LaserMike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

International Fastener Machinery & Suppliers Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Bongard Trading GmbH & Co KG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Caballe SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Canterbury Engineering Co Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Carris Reels Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 CM Furnaces Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Cometo/Lesmo Machinery America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Commission Brokers Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Confederaton of Indian Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Cortinovis Machinery America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Domeks Makine Ltd Sti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Durant Tool Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Eurolls Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-19 George Evans Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 Fabritex Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Fine International Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 Mario Frigerio SpA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Karl Fuhr GmbH & Co Kg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 T Fukase & Co Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Genca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 W. Gillies Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Gimax Srl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .insert

102 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Joe-Tools Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Kinrei of America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Kiswire Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Lesmo Machinery America Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67, 96 Locton Limited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Mathiasen Machinery Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Metavan/Howar Equipment Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Micro Products Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Miyazaki Iron Works Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Niehoff GmbH & Co KG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Numamerica/Numalliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 OM Lesmo/Lesmo Machinery America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Paramount Die Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Pittsfield Plastics Eng Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Power Sonics LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Pressure Welding Machines Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Properzi International Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Queins & Co GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Rautomead Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Reel-O-Matic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35, 42

ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE

Sanxin Wire Die, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Witels Albert USA Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Schlatter Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Woodburn Diamond Die Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Sikora International Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Wyrepak Industries Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Sjogren Industries Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 .

Zumbach Electronics Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 3

Skaltek AB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 2 Sweed Machinery Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 TAK Enterprises Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 Talladega Machinery & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL ADS

Beijingmaster/TJK Mechanical Products Co Ltd . . . . . . .29

Interwire 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36-37

Tubular Products Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

WAI 2008 ITC: Monterrey, Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50-51

US Synthetic Wire Die . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Interwire 2009 Call for Papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79-80

Wafios Machinery Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Ferrous Wire Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

RECENT PURCHASES CBR997 12” Watson 24 Wire Planetary Cable with Conc. Taper, 36” Dual capstan. EXPL319 (2) DeAngeli/Samp 45mm Hi Temp Lines with Zumbach Preheater, SS multipass Capstan, 560mm Dual Parallell Axis Take ups. EXPL312 75mm Davis Standard 25:1 Extruding Line with 12 wire 12” planetary, 48” belt cat. TKU1077 Clipper DR-36 Take up with caliper disc brakes, Motorized traverse, AB Panelview EXPL304 - ROSENDAHL Skin-Foam-Skin Insulation Line, 2000. Henrich Annealer, Preheater, 60/45/30mm extruders w/gas injection, Multi capstan, Rosendahl DIN500 Dual Take up. RWD466 96” Bartell Shaftless Rewind Line CBR986 (2) Entwistle SC30 Single Twist Cablers CBR995/CBR989. MGS & TEC D.T. Twinners, NMC 800mm D.T. EXP834/835 (2) 2” D.STD. 24:1. EXP864/864 (2) 3” D.STD. 24:1. CBR708 - 60” CEECO Planetary Cabler, 1+6, Type DC-3/60, 24” Dual ECC Taper. 72” Belt Cat, 96” Portal Floor Trav Take up CBR833 - 96”/2.50m CEECO DrumTwister, 1998, Oscillator W/dual binder. CBR977 - ENTWISTLE COOK SC-48 S.T. Cabler (1983). CBR981 760mm SAMP D.T. Buncher, BM-760D. (1995) CBR927 - (10) 560mm WATSON/KINREI D.T. Twinners, 20” Dual Driven payoffs, 1998. CBR923 - 1250mm POURTIER Drum Twister, 12-630mm Neutralizing Payoffs, Rotating Caterpuller, 1.25m Rotating Payoff. CBR948 - 48” TEC Drum Twister w/(2) Conc. Tapers.

NOKIA DUAL TAKEUPS - (2) EKP-5 2001, EKP-50 1998, EKP-100 1995. TKU1061 - (2) 60” BARTELL S/T take ups. TKU1043 -36” CLIPPER Dual Reel Take up, PS-36 Recently rebuilt. RWD445 - CLIPPER SP-16.Dual shaft rewinder, RWD359 - 2.6 m SKALTEK Rewind Line. A264K Payoff, S60/L100 line controls. Measuring mach. Guide roller assy. U26T Take up. WRD678 - SAMP 14 wire Drawing line, Model MLS/5.T.14 w/MT8 Drawer R12.14.14.550 annealer, (2) TE 65/M spoolers, 1993, 14 AWG-34/38 AWG finish. WRD722 - NEXTROM Multi Wire Drawing Line, 7 Wire w/Annealer, 630mm Spooler, Yr. 1999 WRD831 - SAMP 8 Wire Multiwire Line 996. Samp MT 8.2.4.Samp R16M-8-1350 Annealer. Samp SS/1-630 Spooler, Dancer Assy. Control Panel1. Filtetech Filtration Sys Flyer Payoffs. Still Installed- Complete WRD818 VAUGHN - Tandem Rod Breakdown Machine, 10 dies, 18” Capstan, 400 HP DC Drive, 30” spooler. WRD835 ENDEX 18” Drop Coiler with Turntable. WRD837 (4) NIEHOFF M30 Intermediate Wire Drawing w/VG_30 annealer, 75 kw DC motor, controls. BIN131 (2) CABALLE 18 Position Kevlar servers, RKCR-250-18, 250 RPM, Year 2000, Siemens S7/300 PLC. LATE MODEL HIGH QUALITY (BRAND NAME US & EUROPEAN) WIRE, CABLE & OPTICAL CABLE MANUFACTURING MACHINERY EX-STOCK FROM (6) USA WAREHOUSES

SEPTEMBER 2008 | 103

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE

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