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The Book of Terms

The Book of TermsThe WJI Book of Wire & Cable Terms: an interactive experience of learning and sharing
This book, written by industry volunteers and containing more than 5,000 entries, is an asset for newcomers to wire and cable.

At the same time, it also represents an opportunity for industry veterans to give back by either updating or adding to the more than 5,000 entries. This is an honor system process. Entries/updates must be non-commercial, and any deemed not to be so will be removed. Share your expertise as part of this legacy project to help those who will follow. Purchase a printed copy here.

   

 

All   0-9   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Changing Current

The current produced when a D.C. voltage is first applied to conductors of an unterminated cable. It is caused by the capacitive reactance of the cable, and decreases exponentially with time.

Chaplets

Small wire supporters used to keep the core in its correct position during casting.

Characteristic Impedance

Characteristic impedance of a uniform line is the ratio of an applied potential difference to the resultant current at the point where the potential difference is applied, when the line is of infinite length. The term is applied only to a uniform line such as coaxial cable, which has three main impedance groups, namely 50, 70 and 93 ohms.

Charcoal

Amorphous carbon has been used in granulated form as a wiping medium for galvanized wire as it leaves the zinc bath, being employed par­ticularly for heavy coatings and on high grades of wire galvanizing, for rope wire and all other coatings which are to meet the Preece test, and also for coatings where the wire is subsequently to be drawn down after galvanizing.

Charcoal Tinplate

Formerly, plates made from charcoal hearth wrought iron or from iron puddle from charcoal pig. The significance of the name has been lost, as the plate is now made of soft steel, the “Charcoal Plates” carrying a heavier coating of tin and thereafter of higher quality (and price) than “Coke” plates.

Charge

1) A term used to describe the material placed in a furnace for melting or heat treatment. 2) In electrostatics, the amount of electricity present upon any substance that has accumulated electric energy. The quantity of electricity held statically in a condenser or an insulated conductor.

Charging Current

See Current, Charging.

Charpy Impact Test

A test that measures the energy absorbed in breaking a test specimen by a single blow from a striker. See Impact Test.

Chatter Mark

Waviness in the wire that is created by a surface defect that can stem from vibrations caused by too long a distance between the capstan and die, hard wire, too many/too few number of capstan wraps, improper die entry, stick slip conditions or too short/no die bearing. It can also be caused by low lubricant concentration or poor lubrication with an old coolant mixture.

Check Analysis

A chemical analysis of wire after it has been drawn or formed.

Checked Wire

Fractures in a wire surface that resemble “checks” or “crow’s feet.” Checked wire is most commonly found in rod rolled from wire bar. It is usually traced to impurities on or near the rod surface, and often such defects are related to an inhomogeneous deformation in the surface region. This occurs when the drawing process uses too big an approach angle in combination with a low reduction value.

Checks

Defects in the form of cracks in the surface of ingots. Numerous, very fine cracks in a coating or at the surface of a metal part. Checks may appear during processing or during service and can be associated with thermal treatment or thermal cycling. Also called check marks, checking or heat checks.

Cheese

An old designation for “stuff” formed on wire or yarn that has been traverse-wound on a reel or spool and undergone changes during the cleaning and heat treatment cycles. Oxide residues and coked lubricants are difficult to remove by pickling.

Cheese Wire

A hot-dip, tin-coated high-tensile patented steel wire used for cutting cheese.

Chemical Requirements

Chemical composition requirements that note the standard limits and ranges, together with the standard permissible methods for check analysis and standard methods of sampling.

Chemical Resistance Test

Checking performance of materials immersed in different chemicals: loss of strength and dimensional change are measured.

Chemically Cured Compound

Compounds, typically polymers, which are cured by catalytic reaction rather than by heat and pressure.

Chestnut Fencing

A line wire made of annealed mild steel wire that is galvanized.

Chevroning

See Central Burst.

Chicken Wire

A name sometimes applied to wire netting.
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