Gibbs Interwire invites you to get to know Andy Stanton, our in-house Flat, Shaped & Square Wire Expert! Learn about Andy and get the answers to some commonly asked questions about Flat, Shaped, and Square wire vs strip.
About Andy Stanton
Flat, Shaped & Square Wire Expert, Gibbs Interwire
My Father owned a small flat and shaped wire company in Forestville, CT called J&S metals. In 1983, I started working in the factory on the weekends and during the summers. I went full time in 1985. I have been in the flat and shaped wire industry for 39 years as of last February.
J&S was a small shaped wire company that would draw rod to our own round wire which we would roll flat wire or die draw shaped wire and then temper or anneal to customer specs. To make this shaped wire, we needed to have wire drawing machines, die shop to maintain dies for drawing, lead and air patenting lines, rolling mills, turks heads, and tempering/annealing lines to make our products. My training and skills came from the 2 plus years working in QC, tempering, rolling, maintenance, shipping and receiving, or anything that was needed to get wire out the door.
This allowed me to move into sales with a full understanding of our wire processing capabilities.
I studied customer applications so we could improve the product and processes. I was also involved with rejections to figure out why wire failed. Being a small company, our QC manager, and metallurgist, would explain how to determine the root cause of the failure, which was not always simple.
This is when I learned its critical to know and understand the application and the customer’s wire forming process.
Our wire must be engineered for their application.
Gibbs Interwire is always striving to pair your application with the best, high quality material.
Q & A with Our In-House Flat, Shaped, and Square Wire Expert
What do you love about your work?
What I enjoy the most about my job is that I have been able to travel extensively in North America, Asia, and Europe visiting the best wire mills in the world. I continuously learn more about shaped wire manufacturing on these trips. I love to see how mills produce wire because every company does something different.
I have also been able to share my manufacturing knowledge with our suppliers and have been able to help them improve their processes.
Explain the importance of Gibbs Interwire’s strong relationships with mills.
With our close relationship to mills, over the years Gibbs Interwire has had the privilege of introducing new mills to the North American market who are now vital suppliers of excellent quality steel and are many of our customers preferred sources.
The successful development of these mills has created many friendships and exclusive partnerships for Gibbs Interwire.
What is the difference between flat & shaped wire vs strip?
Flat and Shaped Wire is rolled from round wire one strand at a time through a rolling mill or turks head to the finished size with smooth round or square edges burr free. Coil weights for flat and shaped wire can be larger continuous coils, weld free up to 5,500 lbs each.
Strip is produced by rolling very wide sections, slit to the desired width and then edged and deburred if needed. Strip coils are generally smaller with more welds.
Flat and Shaped wire typically can be thinner and narrower than strip with round or square edges, although Gibbs Interwire is the industry leader in light gauge, narrow width slit coil. Our flat wire and precision slitting capabilities complement each other.
Strip in general stops at a 5 to 1 ratio and with flat and shaped wire we can offer you those 5 to 1 ratio items that strip cannot.
What can you do with flat wire that you can’t do with strip?
- Larger packages weld free
- More custom thicknesses- stock strip may be .060” then .065” gauge and you might want something in-between stock gauges
- Flat wire edges are smooth, defect free and can easily be coiled on edge into products such as retaining rings
- Flat wire can be rolled to controlled physical properties (tensile, yield, elongation)
Why choose Gibbs Interwire for your strip or flat & shaped wire needs?
Gibbs Interwire is the industry leader and pioneer in the distribution of round, flat, and shaped wire, as well as precision strip. The products and alloys offered by the Gibbs Interwire and Combined Metals family is unmatched.
