voestalpine Wire Technology offers customized cold heading wire solutions for cold forming - especially for applications in the automotive industry and for precision mechanical components. Production takes place along an integrated value chain: from the raw material base to the finished wire. This enables us to guarantee consistent quality, maximum delivery reliability, and material-specific solutions.
Our cold heading wire products are available in diameters from 0.5 mm to 49.0 mm and offer excellent formability, minimal scrap rates, and high cost-effectiveness. They are ideal for high-end components with tight tolerances and the highest demands on material quality and forming behavior.
✔ From ore to wire
✔ 400+ steel alloys
✔ Own R&D facilities
✔ CO2 reduced processes
Applications of cold heading wire or cold extrusion wire
Automotive industry:
- fasteners & screw solutions: Standard and special screws, axle screws with minimal rejection rates, connecting rod screws with special steel purity, long-shaft screws of strength class 800
- steering & chassis: Bolts, long-shaft ball bolts made of AFP steels (e.g., part of the tie rod), steering components
- structural & engine components: fasteners, engine parts, bushings, sleeves, cylinder pins
Building & Construction industry:
- fastening technology
- high-strength screws
- special parts
- connection technology
- components for structures
Customized wire solutions:
- individual wire development for special industry requirements
- prototypes & small series for research and industry
- material consulting for demanding projects
Technical details on cold heading wire
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EN EN steel number 1.1015 1.1014 C4C 1.0303 C8C 1.0213 C10C 1.0214 C15C 1.0234 C15E2C 1.1132 C20E2C 1.1152 C35EC 1.1172 C45EC 1.1192 17B2 / 18B2 1.5502 / 1.5503 20MnB4 1.5525 23B2 1.5508 28B2 1.5510 33B2 1.5514 35B2 1.5511 - 1.5513 38B2 1.5515 23MnB4 1.5535 30MnVS6 1.1302 17Cr3 1.7016 34Cr4 1.7033 41Cr4 1.7035 16MnCr5 1.7131 34CrMo4 1.7220 42CrMo4 1.7225 40CrMoV4-6 1.7711 20NiCrMo2-2 1.6523 34CrNiMo6 1.6582 30MnB4 1.5526 C60S 1.1221 C67S 1.1231 32CrB4 1.7076 36CrB4 1.7077 51CrV4 1.8159 More steel grades possible upon request.
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EN 10263/02.02 + U + C cold drawn + U+ C + AC cold drawn + annealed on spheroidised carbide + AC + C annealed on spheroidised carbide + cold drawn + U + C + AC + LC cold drawn + annealed on spheroidised carbide + light cold second drawing + AC + C + AC annealed on spheroidised carbide + cold drawn + annealed on spheroidised carbide + AC + C + AC + LC annealed on spheroidised carbide + cold drawn + annealed on spheroidised carbide + light cold second drawing -
Standard dimensions are 0.50 mm - 49.0 mm
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Tightest diameter tolerances EN 10278 (h8, h9, h10, h11)
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- Phosphate-free
- Phosphated
- Finally phosphate coated, soap or lime coating
- Bright drawn
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- ISO 9001
- ISO 14001
- EMAS III
- IATF 16949
- ISO 17025
- ISO 45001
- ISO 50001
News, Stories, Use Cases:
Your advantages with voestalpine Wire Technology
- Fault-free processing, minimal rejects: Our cold heading wires are particularly crack-resistant - thanks to end-to-end process control from the steel mill to the finished product.
- Excellent formability: Thermomechanical rolling (TM rolling) and the finest surfaces ensure maximum dimensional accuracy and tool life.
- Maximum precision and outstanding surface quality: Tightest diameter tolerances and uniform mechanical properties increase your process reliability.
- Individual solutions: Whether AFP grades, UHT steels or micro-alloyed steel grades - we develop sustainable material solutions together with you. AFP steels, for example, make it possible to achieve outstanding product properties without subsequent heat treatment.
- Reliable delivery performance: Our integrated production, state-of-the-art testing methods and flexible logistics ensure your supply.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about cold heading solutions
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Cold heading wire is a specially developed wire rod that is characterized by high formability and strength. It is used in the manufacture of fasteners and precision parts that are formed using cold heading processes—without prior heating.
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Our materials are characterized by an optimized microstructure and tight chemical tolerances. Thermomechanical rolling (TM rolling) enables us to achieve particularly high formability - even with complex geometries or multi-stage processes. For you, this means fewer cracks, fewer rejects and greater process reliability.
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By switching from GKZ (coarse grain annealing, a conventional heat treatment for grain coarsening) to TM (thermomechanical rolling), costly and energy-intensive process steps are eliminated. You receive a high-quality starting material that is already optimally adjusted - and save not only CO₂, but also production costs.
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Yes, the use of AFP steels (austenite-ferrite-pearlite concepts) in particular often eliminates the need for subsequent tempering processes. This saves energy, simplifies the manufacturing process and increases productivity. AFP steels are a concept with a special microstructure mixture that allows high strength and toughness without subsequent heat treatment
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Thanks to the uniform surface quality and high purity of our materials, the load on the forming tools is significantly reduced. This leads to longer tool life, fewer tool changes and therefore lower maintenance costs.
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Our integrated production chain makes it possible to manufacture CO₂-reduced cold heading wire products - from the raw steel to the end product. At the same time, our solutions enable resource-saving production with clearly measurable environmental benefits through process optimization for customers.
Do you have a new project that requires cold heading wire?
Our experts will be happy to advise you and find the right solution for your requirements!
