USING METAL ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR CONFORMAL COOLING OF DIES IN WIRE DRAWING

During wire drawing the die is subjected to high pressures causing frictional heat. At elevated temperatures, wear is accelerated, and the die life is decreased. This study investigates heat accumulation in the wire drawing die and the reduction of this heat through the incorporation of conformal cooling channels. A reduction in heat accumulation will help to extend the dies life and the possibility of increased wire-drawing speeds. A literature survey covers temperature development within the drawing tool. A die casing, incorporating conformal cooling channels, is designed and manufactured using additive manufacturing (AM) technology. Its ability to reduce the drawing tool temperatures is tested. During experimentation the reduction per pass and the drawing speeds are kept constant, while input and output temperatures for each reduction pass is measured. Experimental results, comparing the conventional standard die casing with the conformal cooled die casing, indicate a significant temperature reduction. It is concluded that conformal cooling is viable for temperature reduction in the drawing die. The rate of die wear is reduced. Indications are that wire throughput and productivity per die set can be increased.