Brass – Materials and norms

This material is used for welding and soldering wires or rods (for soldering steel and copper or nickel alloys). Working temperature ranges from 920 to 950 °C.

Some customers may also know this alloy as silicon tombac. The silicon content leads to a strengthening of the metal matrix, while the material retains its good cold and hot ductility. Due to its corrosion and salt resistance, it is used in fittings for seawater and saline solutions.

Due to the presence of aluminum, manganese and iron, CuZn25AI5 (or CuZn25AI5Mn4Fe3) is a relatively light material. However, its strength also makes it suitable for components exposed to high static loads, worm wheels or internal parts of high-pressure valves.

Due to the presence of aluminum, manganese and iron, CuZn25AI5 (or CuZn25AI5Mn4Fe3) is a relatively light material. However, its strength also makes it suitable for components exposed to high static loads, worm wheels or internal parts of high-pressure valves.

CuZn35Al1 (or CuZn35Mn2Al1Fe1; comparable to CuZn32AI2Mn2Fe1 = CB763S) is a grade of hard and tough structural brass with high tensile strength. It is used in production of ship propellers, pressure and sliding plates, wheel sleeves for crane rails, etc.

This alloy belongs to high-grade brass. It is used in production of commercial water fittings and valves, as well as forgings and fittings for ships and ship propellers. CuZn35Ni3Mn2AlPb can also be simply referred to as SoMs59.

The addition of arsenic to the brass alloy ensures the improvement in the level of resistance to disinfecting corrosion. CuZn36Pb2As has good machinability and is easily forged when hot. It is traditionally used in plumbing fittings, which are produced by pressing and hot machining.

CuZn37, also referred to as Ms63, is one of the basic brass grades popular for its cold and hot workability. This alloy excels in flexibility. Machinability is good as well, but only at low speeds. CuZn37 is used in heat exchangers, radiators, switches, lamellar coolers, rivets, springs for electrical engineering, in decorative objects, etc.

CuZn37Al1 is a grade of high-strength brass with good machinability. It is used as a top layer of mechanical and electrochemical components. It is also suitable for galvanic plating. Therefore, CuZn37Al1 is used in heavy duty components of motors, electronics, pumps, fittings, gears, valves and sliding bearings.

This alloy is a grade of high-ductility brass. By adding manganese, aluminum, lead and silicon the alloy achieves comparable hardness to aluminum bronze, but is much easier to machine. It is used for heavy duty bearings, sliding and contact plates, valves, pistons, etc. CuZn37Mn3Al2PbSi is also known as SoMs58Al2. The synonym is CuZn40Al2.

CuZn39Pb1 (equivalent to CuZn38Pb1 = CW611N) combines both good machinability and cold workability. However, it also works great under high temperatures.

CuZn39Pb2 is also referred to as Ms58 ​​(along with CuZn39Pb3). Thanks to the addition of lead, this alloy is excellent for engraving and cutting, so it is widely used in decorative metal production (e.g. for labels). However, it is also used in valves, gears, linkages or in forgings and stampings, for which excellent hot formability and machinability is required.

CuZn39Pb3 is also referred to as Ms58 ​​(along with CuZn39Pb2). Its major advantage is excellent machinability (added lead acts as a lubricant and helps to separate chips) - the highest among copper alloys, so CuZn39Pb3 is used as a machinability benchmark. It is used in production of many different machinery components, linkages, special extruded profiles, window frames, plugs, switch blocks, pressed profiles in architecture, metal working components, etc.

CuZn40 is used in the construction, automotive, aerospace and food industries or in electronics. Due to the minimal lead content, this alloy is suitable for fresh water pipelines.

This alloy is a grade of high-ductility brass. By adding manganese, aluminum, lead and silicon the alloy achieves comparable hardness to aluminum bronze, but is much easier to machine. It is used for heavy duty bearings, sliding and contact plates, valves, pistons, etc. CuZn37Mn3Al2PbSi is also known as SoMs58Al2. The synonym is CuZn37Mn3Al2PbSi.

Bismuth brass has similar properties (incl. machinability) as brass with added lead. Unlike lead, bismuth is non-toxic (environmentally friendly). Thanks to its exceptional corrosion resistance, it can be used even in seawater. It is used in bearings, bushings, fittings or as a surface layer for engine components and piston pumps.

This alloy has very similar properties as Ms58, i.e. excellent formability and machinability. CuZn40Pb2 is mainly used in production of more complex hot-pressed components in cars, valves, etc.