Wire / Rod / Tube Drawing: the route, the tolerances it holds, materials and design tips, with an indicative cost. One of 56 processes in the free finder.
Bulk formingFamily
+/-0.05mmTypical tol.
5Route steps
80Parts in finder
Drawing pulls metal through a die to reduce its diameter and increase length, used to make wire, rod and tube.
At a glance
When to use it, and when not
Best for
Wire, springs, needles and precision tube in volume.
Watch for
Simple cross sections only; multiple passes and annealing add cost.
Step by step
The typical route
Raw material to finished part. Steps vary with material, volume and tolerance; this is the free route from the finder.
Prep
Pickle and lubricate the stock.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Draw
Pull through reducing dies to size/finish.
Tooling Draw dies Tolerance - Lead -
Anneal
Anneal between passes if forming hard.
Tooling Furnace Tolerance - Lead -
Cut
Cut/coil to length.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Inspect
Check diameter, finish and defects.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Precision
Tolerances it can hold
TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials
Materials it suits
Grade
Why it suits this
Carbon/spring steel wire
Strength, springs
Stainless tube/wire
Corrosion
Copper
Conductivity
Design
Design tips
A few general pointers for Wire / Rod / Tube Drawing. The full, part-specific DFM list is in the dossier.
Tolerance tighter than needed.Match standard tube/wire class.
No anneal called where forming follows.Specify temper.
Cost
What it costs
Precise wire, rod and tube made by pulling through dies; bought by weight/length, tolerance improves per pass.
PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for your part at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$1.4 to 3.5per part at 100 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
GET THE FULL DOSSIER
Everything you need to quote and source it
The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on this process and buy it well:
Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
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Drawing pulls metal through a die to reduce its diameter and increase length, used to make wire, rod and tube. The typical route is: Prep; Draw; Anneal; Cut; Inspect. Wire, springs, needles and precision tube in volume.
What does Wire / Rod / Tube Drawing cost per part?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $1.4 to 3.5 per part at low volume and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. Model estimates, not quotes.
What tolerance can Wire / Rod / Tube Drawing hold?
Typically about +/-0.05 mm, tighter with extra finishing operations at higher cost.
What materials suit Wire / Rod / Tube Drawing?
Common choices are Carbon/spring steel wire (Strength, springs); Stainless tube/wire (Corrosion); Copper (Conductivity).
See the exact route and should-cost for your part
The free finder maps your part to its process and full route. Pro adds should-cost at your volume, sourcing and an RFQ draft.
