Materials Advice - Copper/brass/bronze Consumer Products
Materials Advice - Copper/brass/bronze Consumer Products
(OP)
Hi,
I am seeking advice for selecting alloys for a product I have designed.
I am slightly confused about the wide verity of alloys and their names. What I would love to achieve is a version of the product that appears to be copper, brass or bronze. I am wary about how to label these items if the alloys are made of other materials.
Would anyone be able to suggest an alloy that would either have the appearance of copper/brass/bronze and be resistant to corrosion and patina? The materials will be cut on a lath, with no bends. The stock would be 3/8 rod.
I have seen these materials used in watches, but they are simple labeled as brass, bronze or copper.
Any advice and suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thank you in advance!
Andrew
I am seeking advice for selecting alloys for a product I have designed.
I am slightly confused about the wide verity of alloys and their names. What I would love to achieve is a version of the product that appears to be copper, brass or bronze. I am wary about how to label these items if the alloys are made of other materials.
Would anyone be able to suggest an alloy that would either have the appearance of copper/brass/bronze and be resistant to corrosion and patina? The materials will be cut on a lath, with no bends. The stock would be 3/8 rod.
I have seen these materials used in watches, but they are simple labeled as brass, bronze or copper.
Any advice and suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thank you in advance!
Andrew





RE: Materials Advice - Copper/brass/bronze Consumer Products
1. Basic questions...
What mechanical and physical properties do You need, minimum, such as: tensile, compression, shear, bearing strength; thermal environment; chemical/corrosion environment; dimensional stability; wear resistance; galling resistance; electrical conductivity; hardness-toughness-ductility; etc??
What 'form' will Your part be made from, IE: sheet, plate, tube, solid common bar, extruded shape, wire, casting, etc?
What non-destructive inspections will be required [verify freedom from defects]... OR NOT?
Is cost for the raw material important or insignificant? ETC...???
What is YOUR order of precedence of these 'properties' relative to Your component?
Will Your product need to be 'certified', including the raw material [for traceability]??
2.You might find some 'fud-4-Thot' in the following...
http://quicksearch.dla.mil/ ...
MIL-HDBK-698A COPPER AND COPPER ALLOYS [1971]
MIL-STD-455B [CX] ALLOY DESIGNATION SYSTEM FOR WROUGHT AND CAST COPPER AND COPPER ALLOYS
Also...
http://www.sae.org/ ...
SAE J461 Wrought and Cast Copper Alloys
SAE J462 Cast Copper Alloys
SAE J463 Wrought Copper and Copper Alloys
NOTE. Technical experts at the Copper Development Association may also be able to help.
https://www.copper.org/
CAUTION: there are numerous numbering systems for copper alloys [some of which over-lap] and usually include alloy#, hardness or temper, 'form', base manufacturing specification, etc.
CDA
UNS
ASTM
AMS
MIL
etc...
Regards, Wil Taylor
o Trust - But Verify!
o We believe to be true what we prefer to be true. [Unknown]
o For those who believe, no proof is required; for those who cannot believe, no proof is possible. [variation,Stuart Chase]
o Unfortunately, in science what You 'believe' is irrelevant. ["Orion", Homebuiltairplanes.com forum]
RE: Materials Advice - Copper/brass/bronze Consumer Products