This piece, authored by Refractron Vice President of Sales & Marketing Adam Osekoski, originally appeared in the July/August 2026 issue of ‘Wire & Cable’ Technology. It is reprinted here with permission.
Refractron manufactures capstans including rings, rolls or step-cones pre- dominantly used on a wet drawing line to pull wire through dies. Our capstans are manufactured, ground and where necessary externally balanced and 100% inspected in our Newark facility from our proprietary materials Izory®HD and Izory®.
Capstans: An Overlooked Component in Wire Drawing
When was the last time you talked to your team about the impact wire drawing capstans have on wire quality, operational effi ciency and cost? Have you ever benchmarked your capstans for extending maintenance cycles, throughput or wire diameter control? Most importantly, do you have a replacement strategy? Capstans are an often-overlooked component in wire drawing. They frequently last long enough to be forgott en even though underestimating their impact can turn a routine maintenance event into costly downtime.
Raul Hernandez, Refractron Design Engineer, externally balancing a capstan.
Materials Matter
Magnesia partially stabilized zirconia (MgPSZ) has become the reference material for capstans for wet drawing of wire. Unlike common metals, ceramic capstans are not typically specifi ed through widely adopted industry-grade standards that guarantee minimum properties or allow easy comparisons across suppliers. Even when comparisons are possible, it can be diffi cult to determine how published data relates to the capstans being sold. Well-made, properly designed white or yellow zirconia capstans can operate effectively, but diff erences in raw materials, processing methods and quality control can significantly influence longevity, process control and operating
cost.
If your existing capstans are metal or tungsten carbide the same value proposition should be considered along with other factors including the design, tolerances, surface finish, price and availability.
Izory®HD’s Superior Properties
We help wire and cable manufacturers understand the technical details and available options while providing the responsive service they deserve. Our proprietary, in-house manufactured, material, Izory®HD, was developed to improve upon the already proven performance of conventional MgPSZ. It retains excellent toughness that has become synonymous with this class of zirconia, while delivering noticeably stronger (+30% MOR ASTM C-1161) and significantly improved wear resistance compared to competitive MgPSZ materials.
While the strength of most quality MgPSZ materials is sufficient for wire drawing applications, wear resistance often determines how long a capstan can maintain its original geometry, surface finish and effectiveness in the process. Independent laboratory testing has shown Izory®HD to provide approximately 40% better performance than competitive materials in standardized loop abrasion testing (ASTM G174)
Click image to enhance.
When Capstan Consistency Is Critical…
Wire drawing is complex, so we can’t promise a specific result. However, a capstan with superior material properties, tighter manufacturing control and greater wear resistance provides the opportunity for more consistent performance over time. Those advantages, when combined with dimensional accuracy, surface finish and manufacturing repeatability, help mitigate risk, improve maintenance planning and operational efficiency, and contribute to reliable product quality.
Whether you’re planning a capstan replacement, evaluating ceramic options or benchmarking current performance, Refractron can help identify the material and design that deliver the lowest total operating cost while helping maintain appropriate inventory levels to mitigate risk. Contact me at adamo@refractron.com or +1 315 573 1134 to discuss your application, review technical requirements and share experiences from the field.
How Can We Help You?
Contact Adam Osekoski, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Refractron +1 315 573 1134, or at adamo@refractron.com to see if our featured material Izory®HD toughened zirconia and Refractron can help you extend maintenance cycles on your wire drawing lines, preserve wire quality, mitigate dusting and bolster your supply chain with responsive, reliable deliveries.