Evaluation of mechanical properties for flat wire application : An investigation of Bending, Fatigue, Wear and Tensile behavior

This project investigates eleven different flat wires (denoted A-K) with the aim of evaluating and comparing their mechanical properties. Using various machines, the wires were tested for fatigue resistance, bending strength, wear resistance, and tensile strength. Material A was used as a reference, with the results compared against its properties. The fatigue test was conducted in six rounds per grade, three with a smaller bending radius and three with a larger one. The tests were performed at the machine`s maximum speed and under a load of approximately 200 newtons. The results showed that wires A and E (Low) performed best under both conditions, fracturing after 500–600 cycles. The lowest numbers of cycles until failure was seen in B (High), which fractured after only 100–200 cycles. The wear test was conducted on two samples of each wire. The samples were placed in a fixture and exposed to abrasion for two hours using a machine that bombarded them with small metal particles. One wire from both D (High) and B (Low) fractured during the test. B (Low) showed the highest weight loss, with an average of 6.925 %, indicating higher ductility because the material is softer. C (High) had the lowest weight loss, averaging 1.255 %, suggesting it is the hardest material. In the bending test, wire E (Low) exhibited the most ductile behavior, fracturing at 88 degrees over a 2,5 mm radius without complete breakage. F (High) was the most brittle, fracturing abruptly at 55 degrees with a brittle fracture. The tensile test showed that B (High) had the highest tensile strength, while B (Low) had the lowest. C (Low) exhibited the greatest elongation during testing, indicating good ductility compared to the others. In conclusion, Material E (Low) has been identified as the most suitable option for further investigation of the new application, as its results show most similarities to the results from grade A. Future work building on this bachelor thesis should investigate additional mechanical properties of the wires, such as ...