Engineering tools

Wire Drawing Calculator

Developed by AbarTech / Mark Cragg·Version 1.0·Updated June 2026

Calculates area reduction, true strain and draw stress for round wire drawing, either as a single-pass check or a full multi-pass schedule from stock diameter down to a finished size — with annealing points flagged where cumulative cold work exceeds a safe limit.

Need help with a specific drawing schedule, die set, or material? Get in touch and we'll work through it with you.

Free to use, provided as-is. This calculator is offered free of charge with no warranty or guarantee of accuracy, fitness for purpose, or suitability for any specific application. It is an engineering aid, not a substitute for qualified judgement, trial draws, or your own process validation. AbarTech Ltd accepts no liability for outcomes arising from its use, including die wear, wire breakage or scrap. Results are estimates only and must be independently verified before being relied upon.

Material

Annealed Yield Stress, σ_y0 (MPa) — from material

Max Safe Reduction / Pass — from material

Max Cumulative Strain Before Anneal — from material

Friction/Redundant Work Factor, φ

Single Pass Inputs

Entry Diameter, d₀ (mm)

Exit Diameter, d₁ (mm)

Cumulative True Strain Already Applied Since Last Anneal (0 if freshly annealed)

Schedule Inputs

Stock Diameter, d_start (mm)

Finished Diameter, d_finish (mm)

Target Reduction per Pass (stays within the safe max above)

Results

Area Reduction

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True Strain (this pass)

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Draw Stress vs. Material Strength

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Annealing Status

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Method: Area reduction r = 1 − (d₁/d₀)². True strain ε = 2·ln(d₀/d₁), cumulative since last anneal. Draw stress estimated as σ_draw ≈ φ·σ̄·ε, checked against the work-hardened yield strength at exit. Annealing is flagged once cumulative strain since the last anneal reaches the material's safe limit.

Provided free, as-is, with no guarantee of accuracy — always validate with trial draws before committing a production schedule.