ConformTM

ConkladTM

SheathExTM

Cold Pressure
Welders

BWE
w w w. b w e . c o . u k
 Introduction

BWE Ltd is a British engineering company Conform Continuous Extrusion Machines by the
specialising in continuous extrusion machines inventors, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy
for many different applications and cold pressure Authority. BWE has continued to invest in
welders for the cable and wire industry. developing the process and has pioneered
many new applications including thin-walled
The Company has manufactured Cold Pressure aluminium round and multi-port tube, aluminium
Welding Machines at its Ashford factory since clad steel wire and sheathing fibre-optic, CATV and
1969. BWE Ltd and its American associated power cables with aluminium.
company, Koldweld LLC, are the world’s longest
established manufacturers of this equipment and BWE has a strong management team committed
have supplied more than 25,000 machines to the to providing a comprehensive service to customers
Wire & Cable Industry. from application development through pilot
production, training, installation, commissioning
In 1976 the Company was awarded the first and after-sales service.
licence to develop, manufacture and supply

The use of a single revolving wheel as the driving

force in an extrusion process enables the
manufacture of products of unlimited length. In
its simplest form the wheel has a single
peripheral groove that accepts the feedstock and
transfers the material to the die.

The diagram shows the configuration used for

the production of most solid and hollow sections.
A die chamber, carrying the appropriate die, is
supported in a shoe. The die chamber incorporates
an abutment that protrudes into the wheel groove.
The force applied by the rotating wheel causes
the feed material near the abutment to flow
plastically into the die chamber and extrude through
the die. Whilst the feedstock is usually in the form
of rod, the process can also operate with material of
any morphology provided that it can be fed into a
suitably sized groove.

An Induction Heated Tooling

System is available for
applications which require
a constant and direct
heat source to the
extrusion zone. The ability
to rapidly pre-heat the
chamber to the precise extrusion temperature
prior to start-up reduces the stresses on tooling
and allows more difficult products to be extruded.

Conform™
Conform Applications

The Conform process is used for a wide range of solid and hollow extrusions in non-ferrous
metals such as aluminium alloys, copper alloys, zinc, calcium, lead and magnesium. Major
applications include the following:

Aluminium: Round Tube

MPE or PFC Tubes
Solid Aluminium Conductor (SAC)
Solid and Hollow Shapes

Copper: Rectangular Wire (Magnet Wire)

Busbar
Cable Sector
Commutator Segment
Shaped Conductors

Typical Aluminium Products Copper Rectangular Wire Aluminium MPE or PFC Tubes
 Conklad™

The geometry of the Conklad process is arranged pressure. The dies

so that a central core can be introduced inside the protect the core but
extrusion. Twin or Single feedstock rods are used allow extrusion directly
to produce two flows of metal on either onto the surface of
side of the chamber so that the pressure the core.
around the central core is balanced.
Indirect Cladding or
Direct Cladding involves bringing the extruded Sheathing is used
metal into direct contact with the core. where the core is very
weak or temperature
High Pressure Direct Cladding exposes the core sensitive. In this mode
to full extrusion pressure in order to create a an oversized sheath
metallurgical bond. In this mode the core is usually is extruded and
heated prior to entering the Conklad machine. subsequently drawn
down in-line to fit the core. The sheath is cooled
Low Pressure Direct Cladding is employed where immediately after extrusion to prevent damage to
the core material cannot withstand the extrusion the core.
Conklad Applications

The Conklad process is used for the production

of clad wires, tubes and sheathed cables.

Aluminium: A.S. Wire

OPGW
CATV Cable
Fibre Optic Cable
Superconductors
Aluminium Sheathed Composite Core
AS Wire

Zinc: Umbilicals
(sub-sea oil production)

OPGW Fibre Optic Cable CATV Cable Umbilical

 SheathEx™

The most recent success in continuous After forming, the Aluminium

extrusion is BWE’s patented, SheathEx Sheath is normally corrugated inline
process. to improve flexibility of the cable.
In some applications a smooth
A Metallic Sheath is utilised in cables type sheath is preferred.
to prevent the ingress of moisture
without diminishing the flexibility of A high efficiency induction heater
the cable. Water penetration is ensures an even temperature
detrimental to the integrity of insulation. distribution around the extrusion die,
The combination of moisture and which gives accurate control of wall
high electrical stresses leads to the thickness and concentricity.
initiation of water tree growth,
resulting in the premature failure of the Caterpillar haulers are used to
cable. transport the cable through the line
and the extruded sheath is
A ‘Seamless’ Aluminium Sheath corrugated to size before being
is very reliable, economical and its mechanical wound onto large diameter drums.
properties make it both lighter and stronger
than Lead Sheath.

SheathEx Applications

High and Extra High Voltage Cable Sheathing –

Helical or Annular Corrugation

Medium and High Voltage Cable Sheathing –

Smooth Type

Sheathed High Voltage Cable with Helical Corrugation

 Machine
range

400
350
MACHINE MODEL

315

550
Conform Model    
Maximum Die Circle Aluminium Hollow Profiles (mm) 50 70 80 90
Maximum Extrusion Width Aluminium Solid Profiles (mm) 55 80 160 200
Maximum Product Area Aluminium (mm2) 2000 5000 8500 13000
Annual Output Aluminium (tonnes) 2300 2800 3300 5700
Maximum Extrusion Width Copper (mm) 55 80 160 200
Maximum Product Area Copper (mm2) 400 600 2400 3200
Annual Output Copper (tonnes) 4000 6000 7600 12000

Conform Expansion Model  

Maximum Die Circle - Aluminium (mm) 165 210

Note: Induction Heating is available for specific applications

MACHINE MODEL
400
315

350

Conklad Model 550

   
Maximum Clad Diameter (mm) 20 30 40 50
Maximum Sheathed Diameter (mm) 15 20 25 35

MACHINE MODEL
400

550

SheathEx Model  
Maximum Sheathed Diameter (mm) 100 165
 Cold weld
machines

Cold Welding is a method for joining non-ferrous metals and their alloys without using heat, fillers or fluxes.
Round wires, sections, dissimilar materials and materials of different sizes can all be welded
with BWE’s proven technology. A cold weld is generally stronger than the parent metal and has the same
electrical characteristics. BWE have been supplying Cold Weld machines and dies to the industry since 1969.

Hand-Held Models

CW10 CW20
Copper 0.08 – 0.50mm Copper 0.25 – 1.20mm
Aluminium 0.08 – 0.60mm Aluminium 0.25 – 1.20mm Cold Pressure Welding

Manual Models for Bench or Trolley Mounting

CW1E CW2E CW3E

Copper 0.08 – 0.60mm Copper 0.30 – 2.0mm Copper 1.0mm – 4.0mm
Aluminium 0.08 – 0.60mm Aluminium 0.30 – 2.0mm Aluminium 1.0mm – 5.5mm
Pneumatic Models

CW4E CW4ER
Copper 1.0 – 5.0mm Copper 2.0 – 5.75mm
Aluminium 1.0 – 6.35mm Aluminium 2.0 – 6.50mm

Electrically Driven (AutoWeld) Models

CW5E AW813
Copper 2.0 – 6.5mm Copper 4.0 – 8.0mm
Aluminium 2.0 – 10.0mm Aluminium 4.0 – 13.0mm

AW1320
Copper 6.0 – 13.0mm
Aluminium 6.0 – 20.0mm
 Customer
support

BWE offers support to potential and existing

customers by providing the following services:

Application Development and Pilot Production

A fully equipped Conform/Conklad line is available
within a purpose built development workshop. The
Ashford facility is used to develop new applications
and improve tooling design. Product trials, process
demonstrations and pilot productions are available
to any new customer.

Technical Documentation
A comprehensive set of drawings, schematics,
operator’s manuals, test certificates and health and engineer will individually check all items and calibrate
safety instructions are provided prior to installation the system. The engineer will run the line, extrude
and commissioning of the plant. product and verify that the line is working correctly.

Towards the end of commissioning, the engineer will

UK Training and Technical Support provide additional training on the safe operation and
Detailed training courses are available to all new maintenance of the line.
BWE customers, providing the theory and practice
of all aspects of the system. Training is normally System Upgrades and Customer Refresher Courses
scheduled for a period of one week during the As BWE develop new systems and improve the
testing and inspection of the customer’s equipment technology, existing customers have the choice to
at BWE’s factory in Ashford. Ongoing technical upgrade their equipment and their ‘know-how’.
support is provided before and after training,
enabling the customer to become fully acquainted Continuous Support, Service and Spares
with the technology. BWE provide continuous support and service via
telephone, fax and email. In the event that a problem
cannot be rectified by these means, there is a team
Installation, Commissioning and Training On-Site of specialist BWE engineers available to visit the
The customer is normally responsible for preparing customer and resolve any issue on site. A minimum
the site in conjunction with the technical recommended spares list is provided within 3 months
documentation provided by BWE. Once the of order placement, so that the customer may adjust
equipment is unpacked and positioned in accordance the quantities and delete any items that are available
with the layout drawing, BWE’s commissioning locally.
 BWE
Shanghai

W E S hanghai Ltd
A ssembled at B
and inspection
with UK supervision

By switching manufacturing to our modern factory UK factory. Once in the UK, the machine is fitted
in Pu Dong, Shanghai, BWE’s UK sales office is with a European Motor, Gearbox, Heat Exchangers
now able to offer continuous extrusion lines at a and Hydraulic Pumps. Final Test, CE Certification,
much reduced price. Production tooling is also Quality Control, Commissioning, Training, Technical
manufactured in China and this has had a significant Support and After-Sales Service is carried out from
effect on the running costs for all Conform, Conklad the UK.
and SheathEx machines.
BWE’s headquarters in Ashford, Kent continue to
Prices are significantly cheaper due to lower innovate, design and develop new machines for
manufacturing costs but the machines are built to different applications. Conform, Conklad and
the same high standard. Assembled machines are SheathEx machines for specialist applications
fully inspected by a UK engineer and shipped to our continue to be manufactured in the UK.
 Contact

BWE Limited
Beaver Industrial Estate
Ashford
Kent TN23 7SH
England
Tel: +44 (0)1233 627736
Fax: +44 (0)1233 630670
Email: mail @bwe.co.uk
Website: www.bwe.co.uk

BWE Shanghai Ltd

Manufactures many
of the same products as BWE
and serves the Chinese
and regional markets.

Contact: Wang Xue Ping

Tel: +86 21 58549265
Fax: +86 21 58549608
London
Email: [email protected]

Koldweld LLC Channel Tunnel

Distributes BWE’s
Cold Pressure Welding
Machines to the North
American market.

Contact: Mike Kilroy London Gatwick

London Heathrow
Tel: +1 440 9753559
Fax: +1 440 97513560
Ashford
Email: [email protected]

BWE
w w w. b w e . c o . u k
CONFORM, CONKLAD and SHEATHEX are all Registered Trade Marks of BWE Limited