Flexible, common metal wire that does not work harden.

[union7]

Please suggest a non exotic flexible wire, good ductility and fatigue life , low work hardening.
Something like the wire inside Nite Ize brand gear ties. Similar application.

Imagining something in the range of 1/8" diameter, not critical. Used to temporarily grasp light objects of irregular shape. Reusable.
Some alloy of Aluminum probably?

 

[TugboatEng]

All metals work harden. The key is to keep the strain below the point where plastic deformation occurs. A wire with a thinner section can bend to a tighter radius but lacks strength you need. The solution is multiple thin wires bundled together into a cable for strength and flexibility.

 

[dik]

Pure copper has one of the highest fatigue lifes...

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[3DDave]

Ductile and low work hardening? .999 fine gold. It can be pounded without annealing to single digit atom thickness.

Alloys of gold do work harden.

 

[EdStainless]

For high fatigue you need high strength.
The fatigue limit is a function of the fraction of UTS that you are operating.
If you need it flexible you should look at cable.

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P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

[dik]

copper-beryllium has a high fatigue life. I used to have a rifle, way back, that had a copper-beryllium firing pin and I looked up the material at the time.

"Uses Example of a non-sparking tool made of beryllium copper Beryllium copper is a non-ferrous alloy used in springs, spring wire, load cells, and other parts that must retain their shape under repeated stress and strain. It has high electrical conductivity and is used in low-current contacts for batteries and electrical connectors."

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So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[IRstuff]

How much fatigue life; 1000 cycles, 1 million?

Oxygen-free copper cable can achieve > 1M cycles. BTDT

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[union7]

..."non exotic flexible wire, good ductility and fatigue life , low work hardening.
Something like the wire inside Nite Ize brand gear ties. Similar application."

 

[3DDave]

The reviews claim Nite Ize brand gear ties use a steel core. Probably a mild steel. Steel wire is cheap.

Aluminum is a very poor choice. It's not too bad for a one-time bend.

 

[TugboatEng]

For those suggesting gold, lead also has similar properties. You don't intend to sell this in Europe or California?

 

[union7]

FYI, gear ties are magnetic so steel wire inside, most likely , lol. I'm guessing annealed low carbon steel wire.

 

[TugboatEng]

It would only be annealed if it needs to hold its shape after being bent. However, if you're plastically deforming it you're work hardening it. Use the hardest wire that is economical for the application.

 

[MagBen]

low carbon steel will be "very" magnetic.

ferrite stainless has similar low work hardening rate as carbon and low alloy steel, but less magnetic and higher strength.

Ni-Cu alloy has low hardening rate, while no magnetic

austenite stainless has higher hardening rate, people have designed grades with a relatively low hardening rate, so higher headability, such as 302HQ (adding 3-4% copper). Refer to ASTM A493, this alloy is non-magnetic in the annealed condition and remains non-magnetic even after substantial cod working.

Headability depends greatly on the ratio of yield/tensile strength. tensile alone is not a reliable measure of headability.

 

[Wrenchbender]

Do a forensic analysis on the 'Nite Ize' ties you mentioned and use what they use. Similar materials are also used for medical endotracheal tube stylets. Appears to be something like three-nines aluminum or some alloy. wire | McMaster-Carr

 

[union7]

Thx, MagBen and Wrenchbender , that's good info.