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The Book of Terms

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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.

   

 

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

Heater Elements

Devices that generate heat as current passes through the resistance wire. They can have a solid composition, stranded configurations for flexibility or a twisted-on core construction for maximum flexibility and high resistance.

Heater Wire

Wire that takes advantage of the phenomenon of electrical energy converting to heat as it passes through a high resistance conductor. This wire is sometimes referred to as resistance wire, mullion heater wire, or radiant heater wire.

Heater, Billet Container

A container that has an induction unit installed in its casing to heat billets and maintain desirable operating temperatures.

Heating, Direct Flame Impingement

A heating technique where flame is directed on the work surface. This relatively efficient heat transfer process has no serious adverse effects on the surface conditions. It usually is used as a reheating technique.

Heavy Coils

Originally used to denote coils of wire heavier than the conventional 100 kg (221 lb) coil, this term is now more generally reserved for coils of 1,016 kg (1 ton) or more.

Heavy Rod

Wire rod in sizes ranging between 9.5 and 18 mm (0.37 and 0.7 inches) in diameter.

Heavy Structural Shapes

A general term given to rolled flanged sections that have at least one dimension of their cross-sections set to three inches or greater. The category includes beams, channels tees and zees if the depth dimension is three inches or greater, and angles if the length of the leg is three inches or greater.

Heddles

See Healds.

Helical

Wrapped in a spiral fashion.

Helical Coil

Coil in the form of a regular cylindrical helix.

Helical Extruded Shape

An extruded shape twisted along its length.

Helical Extrusion

A technique of extruding billets into wire using three forming stages (hydrostatic extrusion, conventional extrusion and intermediate stage) that have similarities to the lathe-turning process.

Helical Spring

A spring coiled so that the longitudinal axis of the wire forms a helix about the longitudinal axis of the spring. Such a spring may be either compression or extension. In mattresses and upholstery, lengths of small diameter elongated helical springs are used to tie together and rein­force the springs of the spring unit.

Helical Stripe

A continuous, colored, spiral stripe applied over the outer perimeter of an insulated conductor for circuit identification purposes.

Helical Welded Tube

A tube formed from sheet and fastened at the seam by welding, with the weld line curved around the tube like an ordinary screw thread.

Helical Wire

Wire with a general cross-sectional shape that is non-circular and has an orientation that varies helically along the length of the wire. Used for threaded nails, spikes, concrete reinforcement, non­skid gratings, etc. Produced by helically twisting wire about its longitudinal axis or by rolling or grooving completed nails, screws, etc. Also, small-diameter steel spring wire, formed into a continuous helical spring shape, used for connecting individual spring coils together in an inner spring formation.

Helix

1) A spiral winding. 2) Deflection in a ring of wire. When the cast of material is measured, the ring is either vertically suspended (VSP) or laid flat on the ground to determine the amount of deflection where the ends should meet. The size of the ring is determined by cast and the deflection is helix. Sometimes referred to as “cast and helix.”

Hematite

The most important ore of iron, principally Fe2O3. It forms the outer very hard layer of scale on wire rod.

Henry

Unit of inductance (symbol H) such that the induced voltage in volts is numerically equal to the rate of change in current in amperes per second.

Hermetic

Sealed so as to be impervious to outside influences.
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