Development of High Quality SWRH82A Grade Tyre Cord Steel Wire Rods

The demand for high-quality tyre cords has increased significantly with the expansion of the automotive industry. High carbon steel wire rods are extensively used as drawn-wire materials for tyre cords and tyre beads, springs, suspension bridge cables, etc., due to their superior combination of strength and toughness. Tyre cord steel is typically drawn into thin wire sizes 0.15 to 0.38 mm dia. SWRH82A grade steel is widely used in tyre cord manufacturing due to its excellent mechanical properties and durability. However, the presence of grain boundary cementite and large hard non-deformable inclusions can lead to increased failures during wire drawing operations. This paper discusses the measures taken to reduce inclusions, segregation & grain boundary cementite to enhance performance of tyre cord by means of optimizing steelmaking, casting & rolling processes.