Technical expertise for customized product development

Research & Development (R&D) at voestalpine Wire Technology means practical support for your product development.

With state-of-the-art laboratories, our own technical centers, and a strong network of universities and partners, we accompany you from the initial idea to series production and ensure that materials and processes are precisely tailored to your requirements. Overview of our competence centers ›

This results in customized, innovative wire solutions that not only impress technically, but also accelerate your entire development process and open up new application possibilities for demanding areas of use.

We develop wire solutions in a comprehensive and targeted manner to meet your technical and application-specific requirements - from steel composition and process and surface development to virtual prototyping and rapid transition to a production-ready product. Working closely with your specialist departments, we create customized solutions that offer high process stability, reproducible quality, and reduced production risks.

You benefit from faster development cycles, direct knowledge transfer, and reliable material and process behavior in your application - across batches, quantities, and time.

Key areas:

• Joint material, process, and (virtual) product development from steel to drawn wire
• Development and optimization of customer-specific alloys
• Tuning of defined mechanical properties and microstructural states
• Heat treatment and surface modification for targeted property tuning
• Support for new developments and product adaptations

4 steps to a customized wire solution with application and R&D expertise

Digital material and process simulations enable early evaluation of material behavior and targeted optimization without the need for time-consuming physical testing.

You benefit from significantly shorter development times, reduced testing costs, faster and more informed technical decisions, and early identification of critical influencing factors.

Key areas:

• Numerical models for mapping real forming and drawing processes
• Simulation of material and process parameters
• Virtual variant and parameter studies
• Support in defining robust process windows

We test and evaluate new materials and products under realistic conditions - from the laboratory scale through to pre-production runs. You benefit from transferable, production-relevant results, reduced start-up and launch risks, and a reliable basis for decision-making regarding production approvals.

Key areas:

• Testing and Prototype Production
• Test drawing line for wire prototypes up to 12 mm in diameter, without interrupting ongoing production processes

• Force measurement, media monitoring, and drawing aid and die tests
• Drawing tests, heat treatments, application-specific special tests, and advanced testing technology

Comprehensive special tests and modern analytical methods are available for evaluating demanding applications and critical load cases.

• Tests on limit forming behavior (e.g. cold upsetting)
• Investigations into hydrogen sensitivity and corrosion mechanisms
• (step-load test, corrosion cell)
• Inline crack detection using AI-supported optical inspection
• X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) for rapid, non-destructive material analysis of samples, components, and process monitoring
• Automated coating robot for the development and optimization of surface coatings as well as pickling and cleaning processes
• Thermal imaging camera for mobile, contactless temperature measurement and process monitoring

The transition from development to industrial-scale production is a critical factor for success. We support this step with technically sound, practical expertise and ensure technical reliability through proven methods and comprehensive testing procedures.

You benefit from consistent production quality, seamless industrialization, and predictable, reproducible processes.

Key areas:

• Evaluation of process stability and long-term behavior
• Automated coating robots for the development and optimization of surface coatings, pickling, and cleaning processes
• Transition of laboratory and pilot test results into series production
• Close coordination between R&D, production, and application

Our Research Partners, Collaborations & Networks: We work closely with leading research institutions and universities, including:

• Leoben University of Mining and Technology
• Graz University of Technology (TU)
• Christian Doppler Laboratory (CDL)
• Material Center Leoben (MCL)
• European Research Projects
• RFCS (formerly EGKS)
• Brite Euram

The MetLab is the heart of our development of new alloys and special steels. It enables fast, flexible development and testing of new materials – even for individual customer requirements.

Equipment & possibilities:

• Laboratory samples for preliminary tests from 8 kg to a maximum of 50 kg
• Vacuum induction melting plant for special alloys
• Flexible block formats for individual requirements (up to 6 individual molds)
• Working under protective gas (argon Ar, nitrogen N2) or vacuum (up to 5 x 10⁻² mbar)
• Precise sampling and alloy adjustment in a vacuum

TechMet offers large-scale testing facilities under realistic conditions. From laboratory scale to industrial casting format – optimal transition from development to series production.

Equipment & capabilities:

• Induction furnace (5–6.5 t billets), combined ladle furnace (plasma) and vacuum degassing system (VD)
• Vertical continuous casting machine for various formats (230 mm or 270 x 360 mm)
• Plasma-heated distributors and comprehensive measurement technology for practical trials

Wire products are comprehensively tested, simulated, and further developed at the Technical Competence Center Wire. Practical simulation and testing of all relevant properties - from formability to surface quality.

Equipment & capabilities:

• Forming machines for mechanical-technological tests
• Step load and relaxation tests, dynamic load tests
• Heat treatment systems (retort furnace, batch furnace with gas purging)
• Automated coating systems and coating robots that can automatically apply laboratory coatings or perform pickling and cleaning tests
• Drawing machines with various measurement techniques such as high-speed cameras, eddy current testing, and structure-borne sound measuring devices for inline testing in advance