Wire Forming

Wire forming bends and shapes metal wire into 2D/3D geometries like clips and springs, offering fast production with low material waste.

Overview

Wire forming shapes round or profiled wire into 2D and 3D parts using bending, coiling, and forming tools. Shops run it on CNC wire formers, slide machines, or dedicated fixtures to make clips, rings, pins, and spring-type features with repeatable geometry and minimal scrap.

Choose wire forming when your part is fundamentally “wire geometry” (constant cross-section) and you need high throughput at low piece cost. It fits prototypes through high-volume production, especially when the design can be made from standard wire sizes and needs resilience or snap action.

Tradeoffs: features are limited to what can be created by bending and coiling; tight positional tolerances can be challenging due to springback and material variability. Secondary ops like cut-to-length, end grinding, heat treat/stress relief, and plating are common and should be specified early to control final dimensions and performance.

Common Materials

  • Music wire
  • Stainless steel 302
  • Stainless steel 316
  • Spring steel
  • Phosphor bronze
  • Inconel X-750

Tolerances

±0.005" to ±0.020" (feature location/overall), tighter on cut length with controlled tooling

Applications

  • Extension and torsion springs
  • Wire retaining clips
  • Snap rings and wire rings
  • Cotter pins and hairpin clips
  • Wire handles and hooks
  • Contact springs for electrical connectors

When to Choose Wire Forming

Choose wire forming when the part can be made from constant-cross-section wire and geometry is primarily bends, coils, and formed ends. It’s a strong fit for medium to high volumes where tooling cost is offset by fast cycle times and low material waste. It also works well for functional elastic parts (spring force, retention, snap features) when heat treat and stress relief are acceptable steps.

vs Forging

Choose wire forming when your part can be made from wire stock and needs bends/coils rather than a solid, near-net forged shape. Wire forming delivers lower material usage and faster cycles for small spring-like parts. Forging is better when you need bulk strength in a thick 3D geometry or grain-flow benefits in a solid component.

vs Stamping

Choose wire forming when the part is best represented as a 3D wire path (round section) instead of a flat blank. Wire forms can create out-of-plane shapes, hooks, and coils without progressive dies for sheet features. Stamping is usually better for flat parts, tabs, louvers, and pierced holes in sheet/strip.

vs Extrusion

Choose wire forming when you need a shaped wire path rather than a long constant profile. Extrusion creates the cross-section; wire forming creates the geometry. If the main need is a specific cross-section over long lengths, extrusion is the better starting point, with forming as a secondary step if required.

vs CNC Machining

Choose wire forming when the part doesn’t require milled flats, pockets, or threaded features and can be built from wire in one or two operations. Wire forming typically wins on piece cost and throughput for clips and springs. Machining is better when you need tight datum-controlled features or complex non-constant geometry.

Design Considerations

  • Specify wire diameter and material condition (annealed, spring temper) because it drives springback and achievable radii
  • Use bend radii at least 1–2x wire diameter to reduce cracking and improve repeatability
  • Call out critical dimensions and datums; avoid over-dimensioning non-functional bend locations
  • Plan for secondary ops (stress relief, heat treat, end grinding, plating) and tolerance after finishing
  • Avoid tight true-position requirements across multiple planes unless you can fixture and gauge them economically
  • Provide a clear 3D model and a dimensioned print showing bend sequence intent and allowable angular variation