Wire

A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, elongated strand of drawn metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads and to carry electrical energy and/or communications signals.

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Wire has many uses. It forms the raw material of many important manufactures, such as the wire-net industry, wire-cloth making and wire-rope spinning, in which it occupies a place analogous to a textile fibre. Wire-cloth of all degrees of strength and fineness of mesh is used for sifting and screening machinery, for draining paper pulp, for window screens, and for many other purposes. Vast quantities of aluminium, copper, nickel and steel wire are employed for telephone and data wires and cables, and as conductors in electric power transmission, and heating. It is in no less demand for fencing, and much is consumed in the construction of suspension bridges, and cages, etc. In the manufacture of stringed musical instruments and scientific instruments wire is again largely used. Among its other sources of consumption it is sufficient to mention pin and hair-pin making, the needle and fish-hook industries, nail, peg and rivet making, and carding machinery; indeed there are few industries into which it does not enter.

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Not all metals and metallic alloys possess the physical properties necessary to make useful wire. The metals must in the first place be ductile and strong in tension, the quality on which the utility of wire principally depends. The metals suitable for wire, possessing almost equal ductility, are platinum, silver, iron, copper, aluminium and gold; and it is only from these and certain of their alloys with other metals, principally brass and bronze, that wire is prepared. By careful treatment extremely thin wire can be produced. Special purpose wire is however made from other metals (e.g. tungsten wire for light bulb and vacuum tube filaments, because of its high melting temperature).

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Cylindrical: REDIRECT Cylinder (geometry)...

Drawn: REDIRECT Hanged, drawn and quartered...

Metal: :For alternative meanings see metal (disambiguation)....

Wire related Images and Photos (experimental)

Wire Wheels	The Wire	Wire Tie Straps	Live Wire
Barb Wire	Wire, The:Complete Series (Rpkg/DVD)	"""Wire Glue"" Conductive Glue"	Wire, The: The Complete Series (DVD)
The Wire Logo Cap	Barb Wire Blu-ray DVD	Wire, The: The Complete First Season (DVD)	Wire, The: The Complete Fifth Season (DVD)