Definition
A metalworking process in which a metal bar, rod, wire, or tube is pulled through a shaped die at room temperature to reduce its cross-section and produce a precise final dimension. The process work-hardens the metal, increasing its tensile strength and giving it a smooth, accurate surface finish.
Plain English
Pulling a piece of metal through a shaped opening while it is cold to make it thinner, longer, and more accurate in size. The metal also becomes stronger as a result.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft structures, materials, and maintenance discussions, especially when describing how metal tubing, wire, or rods are made.
Derivation
Cold' refers to the metal being worked at room temperature, not heated. 'Drawing' comes from the Old English dragan, meaning to pull. Together the term simply means 'pulling cold' -- the metal is pulled through the die without first being heated, which is what makes it different from hot-forming processes.
Why Pilots Care
Cold-drawn materials are used for aircraft control cables, structural tubing, and fasteners because the process produces higher strength and better fatigue resistance needed for reliable flight components.
Intuition Check
Cold does not mean frozen here; it means not heated enough to soften the metal. Drawing does not mean sketching; it means pulling the metal through a shaped opening.
Example Sentence 1
The steel control cables on the aircraft are made from cold drawn wire, which gives them their high tensile strength.
Example Sentence 2
Mechanics verified that the landing gear struts were made from cold-drawn tubing before installation.