Baling Wire Glossary of Terms

A–Z BALING WIRE GLOSSARY

Annealed Wire (Black Annealed Wire)

Steel wire that has been heat-treated after drawing to increase flexibility and ductility.
Used widely in automatic horizontal and vertical balers.

Benefits:

• smooth feeding

• low friction

• predictable knot performance.

Metalwire supplies annealed wire in coils, rosettes, spiders and Brehmer rings.

Baling Wire (Bale Wire)

A general term for all wire used to bind or secure compressed materials such as:

• cardboard & paper

• plastics & film

• aluminium

• foam

• tyres

• textiles

Used in recycling, retail, distribution and industrial compaction.
Baling wire should not to be confused with agricultural hay wire, which serves a different application.

Bundle / Bale

A compressed and tied block of material produced by a baler. Wire selection affects bale stability, density, safety and transport performance.

Coating (Galvanised, Phosphated, Copper-Coated)

Surface finishes applied to baling wire to achieve specific performance:

Galvanised:

• smooth

• corrosion-resistant

• ideal for retail, logistics and light recycling

Phosphated:

• rough surface

• improved grip under rebound

• used with foam, tyres and textiles

Copper-Coated:

• used for friction-sensitive machinery

• often linked to OEM preferences

Double Loop Bale Ties (Quicklink Wire)

Steel rods with a closed loop at each end.
Loops are hooked together during compaction and close automatically as material expands.
Used for foam, rubber, tyres, fibres, textiles and highly expanding materials.
Double Loop Bale Ties are known for high tensile strength and consistent loop geometry.

Elongation

The amount of stretch a wire can withstand before breaking.
A key factor in preventing brittle failure under dynamic load.
Measured as a percentage.
Critical for expanding material streams (foam, fibres, rubber).

Galvanised Wire

Steel wire coated with zinc to prevent corrosion.
Used widely in:

• retail balers

• distribution centres

• cardboard & film baling

Galvanised Wire ensures clean, operator-friendly handling.

High-Tensile Wire

Stronger and more rigid than annealed wire.
Typical tensile strength: 1000–1400 N/mm².
Used mainly in two-ram balers where extreme pressure and high-density bales occur.

Knot Strength

The force a knot can withstand before slipping or breaking.
Influenced by:

• coating

• diameter

• flexibility

• machine settings

Essential for bale stability during storage and transport.

Loop Geometry

Refers to the precision of the loop shape on double loop bale ties.
Consistent geometry = predictable, safe closing under expansion.
A core differentiator between premium and low-grade double loop wire.

Rosette / Coil / Spider / Brehmer Ring

Different packaging formats for annealed or machine wire:

• Rosette: compact, machine-friendly coil

• Coil: traditional hand-feed format

• Spider: free-standing pay-off frame used to feed coil or rosette wire into balers

• Brehmer Ring: round spool for specific automatic tying systems

Correct format ensures smooth feeding and fewer stoppages.

Single Loop Bale Ties

Steel wire with one fixed loop, manually closed by the operator.
Used widely in vertical balers in:

• Supermarkets

• distribution centres

• smaller recycling operations

Single Loop Bale Ties are ideal for cardboard, paper, film and soft plastics.
Not suitable for high-rebound materials.

Tensile Strength

The maximum longitudinal force a wire can withstand before breaking.
Measured in N/mm².
High-tensile wire = greater resistance to breakage under load.

Wire Gauge / Diameter

The thickness of the wire.
Impacts:

• knot performance

• tensile strength

• flexibility

• operator handling

Choosing the wrong diameter leads to breakage, deformation or inefficiency.

Yield Point

The moment at which a wire begins to permanently deform under tension.
A critical safety and performance indicator for high-pressure balers.