Hello,

We are experiencing wire vibration on our rod breakdown m/c. The wire bounces excessively on all 4 annealing bands. Before the K1 band it is fine, then after the K4 band it is fine. At 25m/s it bounces and 32m/s it also bounces. Annealing voltage is set at 65% to achieve spec (henrich wiredrawer) . If the annealer is turned at these speeds the wire does not bounce.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Craig

Hello There Craig,

That is a nice drawing machine.

I am trying to understand the symptoms you have described and if I understand them correctly:

(1) - There is no vibration in the wire when the drawing machine is run, the annealer is strung up properly, the water cooling and air stripper to remove water from the wire are both on and the electrical annealing power to the wire is turned off.
(2) - When the whole machine is brought up to speed as in (1) above and then you turn the annealing power on, there is no vibration.

If I am right, then you must first look for differences and the first major difference is the heat on the annealer wear rings or bands. I wonder if your wear rings/ bands fit correctly in their mounting slots/ grooves on the annealer. Perhaps these slots/ grooves are now oversized or the band thicknesses are undersized so that the heat expands the rings/ bands off-center thereby giving a dynamic off-balance condition and ergo the bounce on the wire.

Have you checked for this?

Regards
Peter J. Stewart-Hay
Principal
Stewart-Hay Associates
www.Stewart-Hay.com
519 641- 3212

Hello Peter,
Thanks for the quick reply.
All of our band cheek plates have been replaced (genuine spares).
Our K3 bands will last only 5 - 6 hrs, becoming quite expensive.
How dry must the cable be during the annealing process.
Regards Craig.

Hello Again Craig,

OK, now this is getting interesting but I need some answers to questions if I may:

1) What model annealer do you have? (Take a look at the models at www.henrich.net/eng/esh-600.html )
2) You have 4 electrical contact sheaves to give one preheating leg in air between K1 and K2 sheaves and two annealing legs: one between K2 and K3 sheaves and one between K3 and K4 sheaves much like Model ES-501. Is that correct?
3) In the annealing legs, what is the medium protecting the copper from oxygen while it is annealed? (a) Steam from an external source? (b) Steam tubes generated by the heat of the wire as it passes through water? (c) Other? Please describe.
4) Are any of the electrical contact sheaves immersed in water?
5) Are the electrical contact sheave rings made of nickel?
6) How is the annealer driven? (IE) Flat belts from a drawing machine jack shaft.
7) Have you recently machined the drawing machine capstans as a set? That changes the line speed.
If the drawing machine capstans were machined (ground) as a set, how does the annealer "know" that the line speed has changed slightly? The reason I ask this the extreme wear on the K3 band which is very strange. Is the wire traversed on the K3 band to cool the band down a bit?
9) Have you discussed this problem with Henrich?
10) Do you have a Henrich Manual for your annealer?
11) Have you been adjusting the timing of the electrical contact sheaves in the annealer with very accurate contact measurements? (Not a stroboscope).

In general there is a very small amount of water on the wire as it passes over each electrical contact sheave (band) once the wire has been through each annealing leg. This provides some lubrication for the band as well as cooling the band.

Regards
Peter J. Stewart-Hay
Principal
Stewart-Hay Associates
www.Stewart-Hay.com
519 641- 3212

I must apologise for wasting your time, I was left out of the loop on this problem for quite some time.
When I had the plant to myself I discovered water, nitrogen, lubriant and air all closed at least 80%. I have opened all of these valves fully, we now have no vibration and have not replaced a band for 3 days.
As always look for the simple things.
Regards Craig.