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Wire is typically a rounded piece of metal that has a number of uses. It is often used as a conductor and can either be left bare or covered with some type of insulating material. It can be used for communication purposes, to transmit electrical energy, to bear enormous loads, or as raw material for any number of industries, where it is often compared to thread in the textile industry. For example, wire is used to create a grid for electrostatic dust collecting systems. It is also used to carry an electrical signal in processes like electro plating.

It is thought that wire has been used since the earliest times for the creation of jewelry. It was not until wire drawing was invented, though, that the material was made strong enough for industrial uses. In the earliest times, the wire was pounded into strips and filed. The late thirteenth century in Europe brought the modern method of drawing wire to light. In this process, metal is drawn through a number of holes until it reaches the desired size. From early times to the present, wire has been made of a number of different metals. However, not all metals make a good base for the creation of wire. The metal must be both strong and lightweight. It must be able to withstand processes designed to improve its strength, like anodizing. It also needs to allow for coatings and coverings with things like molded and cast urethane products to enhance stability.

The size of wire is estimated by the gauge. Different countries use different gauges for wire. For example, Canada and Great Britain use the imperial wire gauge. The United States uses the Brown and Sharpe wire gauge. In creation of the appropriate gauge, an infrared oven heats the wire. This can speed wire processing. These ovens are oven built of anodized metal and include adjustable heat to improve processing efficiency.

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