From contact wires to hinge springs, wire forms are all around us in a huge range of sizes and shapes.
What are wire forms?
Wire forms, in all their sizes and shapes, begin as a large coil of, typically, round or flat wire. We remove it from the larger coil and feed the wire into our CNC machine. The CNC machine bends the wire as many times as necessary to create the final wire form. When the wire reaches the end of the bending process, we cut the wire and the process is repeated over and over until the run is completed.
Common Applications
Wire forms can be made from all gauges of wire. Small gauge wire can often be found in electrical applications like box terminals where wires are connected via a screw. Larger gauge wire can be found in applications like medical handle/hangers for holding IV bags in the proper position.
What is a spring hinge?
Spring hinges are common wire form applications that can be manufactured in a variety of sizes, typically from round or flat stock wire. These hinges are used in door handles to bring the knob or handle back to the center after it has been turned. A spring with legs that face in opposite directions, when pressure is applied to one side of the hinge the other side brings the whole apparatus back to the center.
When we manufacture spring hinges we have a process that greatly extends the life of the hinge, making them ideal for high traffic doors. To achieve this longer life, we electro-polish the component and put it through a shot peen.
Contact us to learn more about our custom wire form capabilities or to request a quote!