Describes general requirements for drawing stock of aluminium and aluminium alloys delivered in the form of coils with a unit mass ranging between 1 t and 4 t and obtained by common industrial processes.

This European Standard specifies general requirements for drawing stock of aluminium and aluminium alloys delivered in the form of coils with a unit mass ranging between 1 t and 4 t and obtained by common industrial processes. It also specifies the technical conditions for inspection and delivery of these products. It applies to drawing stock intended for the following main fields of application: ? wires for general electrical purposes; ? wires for general mechanical uses; ? wires for brazing and welding and metal spraying; ? food packaging. The specific requirements to drawing stock for these applications are specified in EN 1715-2, EN 1715-3 and EN 1715-4. It does not apply to wires which are drawn, but only to drawing stock which is produced by hot-working. NOTE Three main methods exist for the manufacture of drawing stock: a) continuously cast rod (CCR): ? a section is cast continuously in the groove of a wheel, the groove being closed by an endless strip; ? the solid and still hot section is rolled in a multistand rolling mill to the required diameter; ? the drawing stock rod thus produced is wound continuously to form coils up to 4 t in mass; b) hot rolled rod (HRR): ? a wirebar of diameter approximately 100 mm to 150 mm is heated and rolled to the required diameter; ? the coils, weighing up to approximately 100 kg are butt welded together and wound to form coils with mass of 1 t to 4 t; c) hot extruded rod (HER): ? coils up to 100 kg can be produced in a single fibre without butt welds (depending on the size of the extrusion press); ? coils over 100 kg are normally produced by block on block extrusion, generating \'Zweiwachs\'-joints. For mechanical applications (i.e fasteners) the \'Zweiwachs\' area should be marked.