Capabilities

We serve over 33 different industries. Here is a partial listing of the many markets and applications Bekaert-Orrville supplies specialty steel wire and custom profiles for:

 

Agricultural Appliance Armoring Wire Automotive Bearings Broaching Cables Construction Hardware Display Racks Electronic Components Fasteners/Specialty Nut Stock

Flexible Pipe Forgings Furniture Components Hand Tools Hardware Hose Fittings Housewares Household Accessories Materials Handling Medical Mill/Service Center Products

Motor Components Power Generation Equipment Power Tools Power Tool Accessories Power Transmission Screw Machine Sports and Recreational Equipment Springs Stampings Store Fixtures Toys

 

 

Metallurgical testing

Bekaert-Orrville’s Technical Services Group employs state-of-the-art engineering, testing and inspection techniques to monitor your product throughout the entire development and production phases. All testing equipment is calibrated and certified to National Institute of Standards and Traceability (NIST).

 

Bekaert-Orrville’s staff of metallurgists and engineers are specialists in the science of metal forming and fabrication. Bekaert-Orrville will help you:

 

• Understand material’s performance.
• Determine alternatives.
• Select grades of material with required characteristics.
• Improve your processes, while reducing costs.

 

SURFACE QUALITY TESTING	MICROSTRUCTURAL ANALYSIS	MICROHARDNESS TESTING	EDDY CURRENT TESTING

 

Testing Services Include:

 

Tensile Testing: To measure ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, percentage of elongation and percentage of reduction in area.

 

Hardness Testing: To measure resistance to compression. Microhardness Testing: Performs precision microindentation hardness tests on a wide range of materials.

 

Evaluation of Microstructure: To analyze micro-structure of the metal throughout the production process.

 

Eddy Current Testing: To detect surface defects, such as lamination and seams. Performed in-line or as a secondary inspection operation.

 

In-Line Gauging: To measure and record product size and perform statistical analysis of the product. Both contact and non-contact gauging are utilized.

 

Optical Comparator: To check conformance of product to dimensional specifications.

 

Surface Quality Testing: To verify conformance of product to surface specifications.

 

 

 

Quality Assurance Microstructural evaluation

Before Spheroidizing	After Spheroidizing
The microstructure of a 1065 steel showing the structure as received from the steel mill. The structure is a fine pearlite produced through rapid cooling. (500X)	The microstructure from the same 1065 steel produced by a spheroidize annealing cycle. This thermal treatment softens the steel in preparation for cold working. (500X)
Normalized Structure	Free Machining Ferritic Structure
The microstructure of a 4130 alloy steel exhibiting a lamellar pearlitic structure following a normalizing annealing cycle. This structure may be specified on some lower carbon and alloy steels to enhance machinability. (500X)	The microstructure of a free machining 12L14 steel, showing a typical ferritic grain structure of a low carbon, resulphurized, leaded steel. (400X)

 

 

 

Product Engineering

Bekaert-Orrville is a company that likes to take on special projects, we will work with you to custom-engineer components for your specific applications. Our extensive experience in the industry enables us to make your product the best available.

 

Here’s a look at the process that makes your products superior:

 

Step 1: Gather information. In this preliminary phase, we become as familiar as possible with the end product and how your profile will be used. This allows us to engineer costefficiency and higher performance into your products.

 

Step 2: Determine optimum method for producing the product. Depending on your application, your product may be produced by cold rolling, cold drawing or a combination of the two processes.

Step 3: In-house tool design. Dies and rolls are customdesigned for your product. Our CAD/CAM services decrease development time, provide repeatability and allow for faster modifications when necessary.

Step 4: Cut dies and machine rolls on-site. Dies are cut to tolerances of +/- .00010" (+/- .00254 mm ) by EDM (Electric Discharge Machining). Rolls for shapes or flats are precisionground or machined on CNC equipment.

 

Step 5: Produce sample of the shape. A sample of your finished profile is provided and submitted for your approval. Once you have approved the sample, your order is scheduled into production.

 

 

 

Annealing

Bekaert-Orrville’s advanced technology, hydrogen annealing is second to none. Whether it is used in-process, to soften the metal for additional cold working, or at finish, for maximum formability. Bekaert-Orrville’s annealing provides a bright, clean surface.

 

 

Ebner furnaces with 100% hydrogen atmosphere provide:

 

Decarb-free product. The hydrogen-reducing atmosphere contains no oxygen and stainless-clad annealing chamber prevents moisture penetration.

 

Uniform formability. High-flow hydrogen atmosphere provides best heat distribution and uniform temperature control.

 

Process control. Computer controls ensure consistency batch to batch and performs all safety checks.

 

Bright surface finish. Hydrogen is a reducing atmosphere and finds its way into the smallest crevices of the material to burn off all surface contaminants.

 

 

 

Pickling

Bekaert-Orrville’s computer-controlled sulfuric acid pickling operation safely removes surface scale from incoming hot-rolled rod. In-house capability adds efficiencies to product flow and ensures quality control.

 

Bekaert-Orrville’s pickling line:

 

Environmentally-friendly operation. Waste water treatment center and acid regeneration technologies are employed.

 

Repeatability. Computer control ensures consistent cleaning and coating treatment from batch to batch.

 

 

 

Cut–to–length

Components are cut to your requirements. Length tolerances can be held to within +/- .005”
(+/- .127mm). Specify lengths from ¼” to 24” (6.35 mm to 609.6mm).

 

 

 

 

 

A sample of our special customer services includes:

 

Bar coding. Maintain shipment integrity and monitor inventory levels by applying a unique identification number to every unit of your order.

 

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange). Seamless electronic communication saves you time and money by automating the ordering and delivery process.

 

Just-in-time delivery schedules. Tailored inventory control levels keep your inventory down to a minimum, stock turns to a maximum.

 

Packaging options. Choose from bundled, boxed, spooled, coiled and more to best meet your handling and processing requirements.

 

Warehousing and stocking programs. Control inventory dollars by optimizing your available storage space.

 

 

 

Shipping and Special Packaging

Products can be provided in exact-cut lengths, bar lengths or in coils, based on your needs. Bekaert-Orrville will help you determine the best packaging to save you money and increase your productivity.

 

BUNDLED LENGTHS	BOX LENGTHS
Bar lengths offered in square or round bundles. Shape or flat wire sections are cut to a specified length from 3´ to 20´ (91.44 cm to 6.096 m), depending on the section.	Wood boxes are available for packaging cut-to-length pieces of various lengths.
OSCILLATED COIL	CORRUGATED BOXES
A precision-wound coil produced by wrapping wire on an oscillating take-up reel, similar to the way line is wrapped on a fishing reel. Continuous-feed coils available in sizes up to 6000 lbs. (2722kg).	Cut-to-length bars (with holes punched through each end) are neatly stacked in plastic-lined corrugated boxes. Fastened to a wooden pallet for easier handling, these 2600 lb. (1179kg) packages are ideal for feeding an assembly line.
PANCAKE COIL	SPOOLS/REELS
A coil produced by wrapping a flat strand directly on top of the previous strand. It also is known as a “ribbon-wound” coil.	Bekaert-Orrville can provide wire on reels or spools for continuous pay-off to your production equipment. Reusable steel reels or perishable/recyclable reels are available.
CATCH-WEIGHT COIL
Produced on a draw block, in coils up to 4000 lbs. (1814 kg). Weight will vary depending on wire size.