We can see all sorts of electrical wires around us today; some being visible like those that are used to connect different equipment and appliances to the power grid, and others that are not seen like underground utility wires. With all of these combined, there are innumerous kinds of wires of various types and diameters available today. And, all of these wires are manufactured through a long and complex process, and with great care, in order to provide years of reliable and fault-free service. Let us get into the details of wire manufacturing to explain to you the entire process thoroughly. But, before getting into the process, let us first understand what comprises a wire. A simple wire is built with an electrical conductor, made of copper or aluminum, which permits the flow of electricity, and also allows for insulation that ensures current flow without any leakage.
Wire drawing
This is the first stage of the wire manufacturing process, wherein the diameter of a wire is gradually reduced to the pre-set value.
Annealing
This is the process of heat treating the wire, which is basically done to improve the wire’s physical properties like conductivity and ductility.
Wiring
During this stage, multiple wires are combined to create conductors of varying cross-sections.
Hot extrusion
This is the process where the conductor is covered with insulating material, wherein the choice of this material depends upon the requirements needed by the wire. Also, the quality of insulation depends upon the capacity and thermal resistance. Higher capacity and insulation thickness mean higher maximum surface voltage of the wire. It can also be said that higher thermal resistance means that the conductor can transmit more electrical power.
Voltage testing
This is the test applied to the entire length of the wire to ensure that the insulation is free from faults and has no current leakage.
Phase wiring
This is an additional stage in the case of multi-core wires manufacturing, where several conductors are combined. And, the different phases are marked with different colours, numbers, or any other sort of marking to distinguish them from one another. When using multiple wires, it is better to use them in the form of a wire harness so as to keep the wires neatly organized in a lesser space, and protected against all sorts of vibration, abrasion, and moisture. If you are looking for one such equipment, Miracle Electronics is the wire harness manufacturer in India you must approach to get A-grade wire harnesses that are certified and approved by DGAQA and MSQAA for platform specific applications.
Additional protection
Additional layers are added to the wire to improve its characteristics in case it has to withstand high electrical stress or highly demanding operating conditions. Moreover, the wire’s signal is insulated with screens to protect it from any harsh outside influences. For further protection against mechanical or any other type of damage, steel or aluminum protection is applied to the wire in the form of braids, wire, or strips.
The purpose of the outer sheath of a wire is to keep away elements like moisture, and to prevent the wire from mechanical impact. This is why the kind of additional protection mentioned above is not mandatory. In fact, if special circumstances are not to be encountered, the outer sheath can be the final layer of the wire, which can be made of various kinds of polymers as per the required protection level.