Materials: Making the right choice

01 June 2020

Getting the best performance out of a product can often rest on the very first step of the manufacturing process: selecting the right material.

“We don’t profess, and have no desire, to be designers,” stated Andrew Du Plessis, Technical Executive at Alloy Wire International (AWI). “However, we are increasingly playing an important role in advising our customers on the technical specifications of our wire and this can play a telling role in delivering a final product that has the desired performance when it is in operation."

This approach is nothing new for AWI, manufacturer of round, flat and profile wire in high-performance alloys.

The company has enjoyed significant growth over the last three years and the management team puts this down, in part, to its ability to offer more than just off-the-shelf material.

“We often find ourselves involved at the very start of a project, whether that is helping to develop wire for springs used in aerospace or fasteners to support nuclear power generation. Regardless of the sector, we have to be in a position where we can provide support and advice to our customers,” said Andrew Du Plessis.

“This starts with understanding what the end application will be and what will be expected of the wire. Does it need to withstand high temperatures, will it need to resist corrosion from a specific gas or liquid and are there any particular safety-critical measures it needs to adhere to? These are all questions we need to ask before suggesting material from our range of 60 exotic alloys.

Read the full article in the June issue of DPA.