Annealed Wire vs Galvanized Wire - Which is Right for You?

It&#;s important to know which kind of wire to use with your baler. The two most common types of wire used for bale ties are annealed wire and galvanized wire. Each has different traits, strengths, and weaknesses, and knowing these differences will help you determine which option is right for you.

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Annealed Wire

Annealed wire gets its properties from the distinct manufacturing and treatment process used to make it. The steel wire must undergo a heating and cooling cycle to change its properties. The result is a wire that&#;s strong, flexible, and pliable. Once this process is finished, the wire is treated with a layer of oil.

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Pros of Annealed Wire

Due to its unique manufacturing process, annealed wire develops flexibility that it otherwise would not have had. This allows it to be used in applications where the wire needs to be pliable enough to let material expand or stretch after being baled. Thus, the annealed wire has greater versatility in use.

Cons of Annealed Wire

The main downfall of annealed wire is that the process of annealing alters the composition of the steel. The annealed wire is more prone to rust, which makes the wire &#;dirty&#; when left out in the elements. But the rust does not necessarily affect the strength of the wire.

Galvanized Wire

Galvanized wire gets its name from the galvanization process. When a steel wire is coated in zinc, it becomes galvanized. This process happens after the steel wire was manufactured to the necessary thickness and gauge. Galvanized wire is a bit stiffer has less flexibility than annealed wire. It also lacks the same oil coating that annealed wire gets.

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Pros of Galvanized Wire

You can trust galvanized wire to keep its structural integrity, making it a strong and durable option that can be used with a variety of different materials. The galvanized wire is also not recommended to leave out in the elements for an extended period of time before it&#;s used. But it is more resistant to rust and corrosion, which keeps the wire &#;cleaner&#; and having longer life without losing any break strength.

Cons of Galvanized Wire

Since galvanized wire is less flexible and cannot be elongated, its uses may be limited when you need a wire that can stretch after being tied.

Which Should You Choose?

The only way to know which wire to choose is to be sure of your application. When you need a wire that is strong, durable, and can be used in wet conditions, go with galvanized wire. If you need a more pliable wire, an annealed wire is your best bet. Since there are many cases of use for both types of wire, you&#;ll have to weigh the pros and cons of each wire in relation to the specific application.

Shop Baling Wire from Vulcan Wire, Inc.

If you need assistance determining which type of wire is right for you, don&#;t hesitate to contact us at Vulcan Wire, Inc. today. When you&#;re ready to make your purchase, we offer black annealed wire and high-tensile galvanized wire in several sizes and gauges to meet any of your baling needs. We look forward to serving you!

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Black annealed wire is manufactured the same way that all baling wire is made, with one key difference. The wire undergoes the usual wire drawing process, in which it is drawn through a series of dies to reduce its diameter and achieve the desired gauge. The difference is that after the wire undergoes an annealing process where it is heat treated to relieve internal stresses and increase ductility. 

The manufacture of black annealed wire involves the following steps:

1. Purchasing low-carbon steel billets
2. Wire drawing
3. The annealing process
4. Cooling
5. Surface coating (optional)
6. Cutting and coiling

The annealing process improves the wire&#;s ductility, elongation, and smoothness, making it more workable. At BWD, we offer black annealed wire by the box, stem, or as single loop bale ties in a variety of gauges.

Our black annealed wire manufacturing process proceeds as follows.

Purchasing the steel

We purchase rods made of 100% American steel from trusted, family-owned mills. Low-carbon grades () are used since lower carbon content produces softer, more flexible wire.

Preparation and drawing

First, the wire rods undergo mechanical descaling to remove rust and mill scale.

Then, we run our wire through a heavy-duty bull-block continuous wire drawing machine. The wire is run through progressively smaller dies to increase wire gauge (decrease diameter) and achieve the desired size.

Annealing

The three stages of annealing are:

1. Recovery. The internal stresses and physical properties of the metal are recovered. The wire is heated to a specific temperature, which softens it and removes irregularities in the internal structure. 
2. Recrystallization. The wire is heated to a temperature above its recrystallization temperature but below its melting point. This temperature is maintained for a set period of time, during which deformed grains are replaced with stress-free grains.
3. Grain growth. The wire is then air-cooled to allow the newly formed grains to harden into the desired crystalline structure and complete the process. The cooling process affects the wire&#;s microstructure, allowing atoms to arrange themselves in a more regular manner, ultimately leading to reduced hardness and increased ductility.

The material may lose some of its strength during this stage, but it can be regained through subsequent quenching or tempering.

Surface coating

After the annealed wire has been cooled, a surface coating is often added (This is optional, but BWD coats all of their annealed wire products.). Surface treatments can improve corrosion resistance, aesthetic appearance, and magnetic properties of the wire.

We apply oil and wax to our black annealed wire. This layer of oil smooths the wire, helping it feed through high-volume baling machines. It also acts as a protective layer that increases the wire&#;s lifespan.

Cutting and coiling

The finished wire is then cut or coiled. Baling wire products are often sold by weight, so the lengths we cut vary depending on the gauge of the wire and whether it will be sold by the box or stem.

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Advantages and disadvantages of annealing

The advantages of annealing include:

• Improved mechanical properties. Annealing improves the structural integrity and flexibility of wires, making them more workable and better suited for baling applications that require flexible, ductile wire.
• Enhanced electrical and magnetic properties. The heat treatment process improves conductivity and magnetism, which makes annealed wire a good choice for electric fencing.
• Stress reduction. By relieving internal stresses built up during the drawing process, annealing reduces the risk of fatigue, fracturing, or cracking over prolonged periods of use.

The disadvantages of the annealing process include:

• Time-consuming. Depending on the temperature specifications and composition of the wires or other materials being annealed, a longer gradual cooling process may be required.
• Precise temperature control. To avoid thermal shock which could cause fracturing of the crystal lattice, annealing requires precise control and monitoring of temperatures during both the heating and cooling processes.
• Loss of tensile strength. Some annealing processes result in a notable loss of tensile strength, however, the elastic quality of annealed wire can often compensate for this. Tensile strength can also be recovered through additional processes.

What is annealed wire used for?

Black annealed wire is often used for the following applications:

• High-volume baling operations. The smooth feed of black annealed wire is ideal for use with two-ram horizontal balers that process large quantities of materials in the recycling industry.
• Baling expansive materials. The flexibility of annealed wire makes it a great choice for baling materials that are prone to expanding. This includes rubber tires, cardboard, and foam.
• Mill-size bales. These bales require either the elasticity of black annealed wire or the strength of high-tensile wire. 
• Other applications. The construction industry, agriculture industry, and packaging industry use black annealed wire for fencing, to bind materials, to enhance structural support, and more.

Black annealed wire specifications

We sell:

• Black annealed box wire
• Black annealed stem wire
• Black annealed single-loop bale ties

Our annealed products feature the following specifications.

Country of manufacture

Tensile strength

Elongation

Finish

Box size

Carbon Grade

Gauge sizes

Wire diameter

Box sizes

Stem sizes

USA

65,000&#;78,000 psi (448.21&#;537.79 MPa)

12%

Wax coating

50 or 100 lbs

9&#;12

0.077&#;0.135 inches

300&#; (50 lb box), 800&#; (100 lb box)

39,083 feet&#;64,011 feet

Contact us to discuss your requirements of black annealed baling wire. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.