It is very important to buy high-quality baling wire, but even the highest quality wire will let you down if you choose a gauge that is not fit for your requirements. Without an experienced engineer on your roster, you may find it difficult to predict the correct gauge for your job. To understand why the gauge of your baling wire is important, you need to understand a few things about gauge in general.
What does the gauge mean?
The gauge has been a measurement of wire thickness for many years now, and the corresponding gauge numbers were originally based on how many times a rod was pulled through a draw plate to make it thinner. The original rod was pulled through 0 times; hence, a gauge of 0 is the thickest standard wire gauge you can get. This is why thicker gauges are represented by lower gauge numbers, which may originally seem counterproductive.
Is a thicker gauge always stronger?
A higher gauge is preferable when strength is needed for a job, but it isn’t always the only indicator of strength. Some baling wire, for example, galvanized annealed wire, has a higher tensile strength than wire that has not been treated in the same way. Tensile strength dictates how much tension the wire can withstand, which is typically provided by pressure exerted by the commodities that are baled together tightly.
What does weak baling wire mean for my job?
If baling wire does not have the requisite strength to keep your commodities in bales, it can break. This means that if you have ordered a set amount of baling wire but have misjudged the gauge, you may find that you may not be able to use any of the other wire as it is not matched to your requirements. This can be incredibly frustrating and can cost you time as well as money, so try to avoid this when possible.
So why not buy thicker wire, just in case?
If you are in any doubt about the gauge, you may be tempted to go for the thicker wire. This can save you from purchasing too much weak wire that you are unable to use, but if you can check, you probably should. That is because wire with a lower gauge is more expensive to buy, as well as ship (as the product is heavier as well). Consistently buying wire that is much stronger than you require is not economical.
Is there anything else that will affect the required gauge?
Some baling machines can only use certain gauges, so you need to first decide what gauge you actually require, and then find the closest gauge to that which your machine can use. A vertical baler will typically use higher gauges than an auto tie baler. Gauge required also varies based on the material that you want to bale, with foam typically requiring the lowest gauge and cardboard or newspaper requiring higher gauges.
If you have any more questions about the importance of baling wire gauge, contact Baling Wire Direct.
