Components made from wire can be found in almost all complex products. In the wire drawing process, hot rolled wire is drawn through a single or a series of tools, which reduces the cross section of the wire and enhances the mechanical properties of the material. The tribological conditions in the process are extreme and the high frictional forces between the wire and the die results in high tool temperatures. Previous studies have shown that by reducing the temperature of the drawing tool it is possible to decrease the tool wear rate. Hence, cooling of the tool is of high importance in the wire drawing process.
In this study, the possibilities to decrease the tool temperature by introducing conformal cooling in the drawing tool was investigated. Drawing tools made of cemented carbide like material were designed to utilize conformal cooling and manufactured by additive manufacturing. Results on cooling efficiency in an industrial-like wire drawing process are presented and discussed.