Bronze plating lines for bead wire

The bronze-coated wire (also known as bead wire) is used to reinforce tires. For this specific application, Sirio Wire offers a modern, cutting-edge bronzing line.


The Sirio Wire bronzing line is divided into several sections:
- a stress relieving lead bath;
- a cleaning and pickling section;
- a bronzing section;

These lines can work on wire sizes ranging between 0.8 mm and 1.8 mm and run at very high speeds (up to 500 m/min).

The line is composed of a series of tanks made of polypropylene welded plates and a set of working basins made of stainless steel or polypropylene. Collecting pipes feed the operating tubs, before the bath is driven by vertical pumps from the storage tank below. Thanks to the perfect alignment of the working tubs, the wire is guided in a straight path without deviating, making threading simpler. The process is performed under strict temperature control.

Using a flawlessly clean wire is the most important step in order to achieve excellent bronze adhesion to the substrate. It is therefore essential to remove all soap residues from the previous drawing process, as well as any oxide that may be present on the wire, prior to the bronze plating.

Sirio Wire srl recommends using a combined system. The first step involves electrolytic cleaning of the wire in an alkaline bath to remove any soap residue that may still be present. The wire is then placed in an electrolytic pickling bath for a short time to remove any leftover oxide and prepare the surface for the application.

Due to the high wire speed, all cleaning and air wiping procedures need to be carried out with extreme care. Sirio Wire has developed a unique and highly effective approach to minimize interventions and machine downtime.

For more information about this and other treatment solutions by Sirio Wire, please contact the company through the references on the side.