Wire Insights - New voestalpine Wire Technology Podcast - Episode 1: Process & cost optimization through customized material design

The wire industry is undergoing rapid change - new materials, innovative production processes and sustainable solutions are shaping the future.

The first episode of "Wire Insights" is dedicated to a central topic: process and cost optimization through individualized material design. Our experts Peter Gruber, Katharina Ragger and Robert Kienreich explain how customized materials not only improve performance, but also save costs and resources. They provide insights into unique research facilities for customized, efficient wire solutions with competent support from fast and cost-effective development to prototypes and series production, with continuous support and specialist know-how even for the most difficult challenges.

Listen in now and discover future technologies! Be part of the future of the wire industry - innovation starts with knowledge!

In this interview, Peter Gruber provides insights into the research and development strategy of voestalpine Wire Technology. By using the latest material simulations, testing methods and cooperations with leading universities, development times can be shortened and material input costs reduced. This enables customized solutions for the wire industry.

An outstanding success was honored with the Innovation Excellence Award 2023 from HILTI - a recognition of the excellent research work and innovative strength of voestalpine Wire Rod Austria.

Focus on successful developments:

• Setting nails with optimized material hardness - ideal for fastening corrugated sheets to steel beams
• Wire from continuous casting production for ball bearings - successfully approved after years of development work
• Two new patents in the field of materials development & surface technology

The "High Performance Wire" research project, known internally as "IGOR", is setting new standards in steel development, as Katharina Ragger emphasizes. In more than 11,000 computer-aided simulations, sustainable and high-performance alternatives to high-performance steels were developed.

The advantages:

• Directly formable & high strength after tempering
• Cost savings due to the elimination of classic soft annealing processes
• Significantly improved CO₂ balance

Cold-formed components such as high-strength fasteners are subject to strict quality requirements. Thermomechanical rolling sets new standards here, says Robert Kienreich:

• Optimized wire quality with reduced energy consumption
• Outstanding forming properties - energy-intensive production steps are eliminated
• Sustainable use of resources & CO₂ reduction

The use of state-of-the-art cooling strategies and innovative manufacturing processes in the world's most modern wire rolling mill makes production even more efficient and sustainable.