Depending on the material used in the production and the processing of the wire, drawing oils/emulsions, drawing pastes and powdered drawing agents (stearates, synthetic drawing powders) are used. These must be removed before the further processing / refining together with metal particles and metal oxides, which can be deposited during the drawing process.

Foster Chemicals GmbH offers a wide range of products for the cleaning of wire, for various cleaning processes. The cleaning agents have been developed for a wide variety of materials and cleaning systems and can be used in dipping, spraying and ultrasonic processes, as well as in the electrolytical cleaning.

Of course the successor processes are also taken into account in the selection of the cleaner. This ensures that no defects in a cover layer occur, e.g. by deposits of the cleaning agent.

Steel/Stainless Steel

A good wire cleaning is the most important prerequisite for the deposition of perfect and adherent metal coatings, but also for passivations and organic coatings. Our cleaners allow a nearly oil/fat and oxide-free surface of the base metal.

The active cleaner components must fulfill many functions, e.g. transfer of the oils, fats and stearates into the solution, as well as the detachment of the adhering particles from the metal surface.

Depending on the application, Foster Chemicals offers alkaline (ChelaClean series) or acidic (FAL series) products for the cleaning of steel wire. The products can be used in the following cleaning processes:

• spraying
• dipping with or without ultrasound support
• electrolytical cleaning (cathodic, anodic, alternating current)

The choice of a cleaning agent adapted to the application method has a decisive influence on the cleaning results.

Zinc/Galvanized Steel, Aluminium

For the cleaning of zinc wire and galvanized wire as well as aluminum wire, Foster Chemicals uses neutral products. The products of the Univers series ensure good cleaning results with the lowest possible zinc / aluminum removal.