Wire & Cable Manufacturing
Advanced Technical Ceramic Wire Drawing Components Reduce Wear and Increase Yields
Using advanced technical ceramics, CoorsTek helps wire and cable manufacturers reduce costs and improve yields with longer-lasting, higher-performance ceramic wire drawing components. For four decades, CoorsTek has supplied superior quality capstans, pulleys, and rollers for wire drawing — from rod breakdown to ultra-fine wire processing equipment.
Example Components
- Capstans
- Guide Rollers
- Pulleys
- Specialty components
Common Materials
CeraSurf® advanced ceramics deliver longer, more cost-effective useful life — maintaining tight tolerances and wearing better than metals and other materials. CoorsTek has specifically engineered CeraSurf aluminas and zirconias to exhibit long-lasting wear in the most abrasive and challenging environments. Let our wear experts help you select the optimal material for your application.
Why CeraSurf Advanced Ceramics?
DURA-Z ZIRCONIA
CoorsTek Dura-Z™ transformation-toughened zirconia (TTZ) is engineered for durability and smooth surface finish.
- Durable: High fracture toughness allows Dura-Z components to absorb the energy of impacts that would cause most other ceramic materials to shatter.
- Smooth Surface Finish: The highly-polished surface finish (2-4 Ra) attainable with Dura-Z material significantly reduces the scratching and marring of wire, producing better wire surface quality and longer die life.
ALUMINA 90
Specifically formulated for wire drawing applications, this exceptionally fine-grained 90% alumina (Al2O3) provides:
- Exceptional hardness (harder than heat-treated tool steel)
- Superior corrosion resistance
- Lightweight (approximately 50% lighter than steel)
- Lower cost ceramic option
Tungsten Carbide
CoorsTek tungsten carbide (WC) delivers excellent wear resistance, compressive strength, and corrosion resistance combined with exceptional thermal shock resistance — withstanding temperatures up to 650° C (1200° F).
Capstans
For four decades, CoorsTek has supplied quality ceramic capstan assemblies and rings for wire drawing equipment. Our bolt-together design joins solid ceramic rings between metal flanges — allowing rotation of non-tapered rings in the carrier (doubling the life), and replacement of only grooved rings as needed. This makes our components extremely long lived, cost effective, and easy to service. The useful life of our CeraSurf ceramic rings is approximately four times longer than carbide coated rings and up to seven times that of a hardened steel ring.
Guide Rollers
CoorsTek innovative engineering has enabled the replacement of tool steel guides and draw-out (pinch) rollers. The use of CeraSurf zirconias and other ceramic materials have eliminated sources of ferrous inclusions in copper continuous casting equipment. Most copper rod producers are now using these ceramic rolls and obtain better efficiencies, reduce maintenance, increase quality, and reduce scrap. Contact us for information about our standard designs or let us solve your wear problems with a custom design for your specific application.
Pulleys
CoorsTek supplies a wide range of low inertia, lightweight pulleys that provide vibration-free performance required for high-speed processing. Pulley flanges are available in plastic materials that are non-conductive, will not corrode, are not affected by most wire drawing solutions, and do not need the frequent maintenance required for phenolic materials. Our bolt-together design pulleys are available with aluminum and plastic flanges along with either CeraSurf Alumina or TTZ ceramic replaceable rings to provide a smooth, wear-resistant surface. In certain applications these pulleys will provide complete electrical insulation. Contact CoorsTek to put our innovative engineering team to work for you.
Specialty Guides & Rollers
CoorsTek works with you to design and produce custom wire guides, rollers, and other components and assemblies optimized for your wire drawing and cabling applications.