To Örebro University

The wire drawing process enhances the material properties and dimensional accuracy of hotrolledwire by pulling it through dies typically made of cemented carbide or diamond. Despiteethical and health concerns associated with cobalt, a key component of cemented carbide, itremains the most common choice due to its cost-effectiveness and durability. Recently, NanoDies, i.e. cemented carbide dies coated with a nano-crystalline diamond coating, have gainedattention, offering claims of lifespans twenty to hundred times longer than conventional dies.These dies have the potential to reduce cobalt dependence and improve the efficiency andsustainability of wire drawing. However, the price of these tools varies significantly, by up toa factor of twenty, creating uncertainty about performance differences across price segments.This paper presents an in-depth comparison of conventional cemented carbide dies with twodifferent nano dies from different price ranges, focusing on the surface characteristics of thedies and especially the coating characteristics of the nano dies. Additionally, laboratory wiredrawing experiments were conducted to assess the performance of these new tools comparedto conventional dies.