Dissimilar Metals and Corrosion in Aircraft Cable
Flight control cables that utilize galvanized steel for the wire rope and stainless steel for the swaged terminals are very common.
I have described below the process we use to turn stainless steel stainless steel wire rope. Read more about our process.
Technically, Yes. But here's how we make it for you:
In case you've every wondered how we make the domestic cable we provide to you, I've described below the process we use to turn stainless steel into stainless steel wire and ultimately into stainless steel wire rope and stainless steel aircraft cable. This process applies to all wire rope and cables we make, from .012" to 1 1/4" diameters.
Stainless Steel wire rope and stainless steel aircraft cable starts life as what is called stainless steel rod. This is a steel mill product shipped in large coils to our factory in Pomfret, CT.
This rod is purchased in diameters ranging from 5/32"to 3/8" in diameter. The rod is then drawn through dies to make individual strands of stainless steel wire in diameters smaller than a human hair!
These stainless steel wires are then combined in sets of 3, 7, 19, or more to make what is referred to as strand. The process requires continual lengths of stainless steel wire that is loaded into our equipment and then "layed" around a single core wire or core strand in a pattern determined by the ultimate design of the aircraft cable or wire rope.
The strand is then combined with other strands in a process called "closing". This process is very similar to the stranding process described above. Only instead of individual stainless steel wires, the strand is layered around a core strand.
Once closing is completed, you have a finished wire rope or aircraft cable. After testing and reeling, we have a product ready to sell!