need to select right material 2

[Plako]

In rolling and reeling flat wire, we use finger-type guides for the wire wrap. What steel would be good to use, that would be "springy" enough to hit the sides of the reel without breaking or bending? I had thought the guide that is already on the line was stainless, but it has some very strong magnetic characteristics. The guide would be on the order of 2mm by 40mm and is approximately 11 inches long.

Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanx!

 

[metengr]

Plako;
Why don't you have one of the existing guides sent out for analysis to type the material - chemical composition and hardness? Or are you looking to improve the service life of the current guides?

 

[Plako]

It's a matter of time. We need to set the mill up to run 3mm and possibly 3.5mm wire ASAP. Sending the guide out for analysis would entail a couple of weeks which we don't have!

 

[kaufmj42]

What lead you to believe your current guide was stainless? It could be, ferritic and martensitic grades are magnetic if I'm not mistaken.

If there's a met lab nearby, having a hardness check and OES analysis for alloy composition could be done within a matter of a day or two at most if you're willing to spring the extra $$$ for expedited handling and analysis. These usually aren't tests which require week-long lead times.

 

[ornerynorsk]

I have used C1075 heat treated anywhere from 46 to 52RC for similar applications. It's cheap, incredibly tough and durable, and almost any heat treating shop should be able to get it right. It does rust, though.

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[mcguire]

301, full hard. After the cold rolling in its processing it is magnetic. It has yield strength over 200 ksi and is very hard. It is commonly used for springs. Any good service center stocks it.

Michael McGuire

http://stainlesssteelforengineers.blogspot.com/

 

[ornerynorsk]

I would defer to mcguire's suggestion, that is definitely a superior material, if you're going to the trouble of making the part, anyway.

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.