What’s beryllium copper used for?

In last article, we discussed the question”What’s Beryllium Copper”, as well as we know, Beryllium Copper is also known as beryllium bronze, is a type of precipitated hardened copper alloy with beryllium as the main alloying element. Its density is 8.3g/cm³, 0.2~2.75% beryllium making its strength is twice that of other copper alloys. Beryllium copper alloy is a nearly perfect alloy with similar strength limit, elastic limit, yield limit and fatigue limit as special steel in mechanical, physical, chemical and mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. At the same time, it has high thermal conductivity, electric conductivity, hardness, abrasion resistance, temperature stability and creeps resistance. It also has the advantages of good casting performance, non – magnetic and no spark during impact.

There are different forms of classification for Beryllium copper alloy. It can be divided into deformable beryllium copper alloy and cast beryllium copper alloy according to the processing form of the final shape. It also can be divided into high strength and high elasticity beryllium copper alloy (C17000, C17200, C17300) and high conductivity copper-beryllium alloy (C17500, C17510) according to beryllium content and its characteristics. Beryllium copper provides a good processing performance, hardness after solid solution aging treatment can reach HRC38 ~ 43, a wide range of uses and more than 70% consumption of beryllium in the world is used for the production of beryllium copper. It is mainly used in mold industry, automobile industry, nuclear power industry, computer industry, electronic industry, temperature controller, cell phone battery, computer, automobile parts, micromotor, brush needle, advanced bearing, contact parts, gear, punch, all kinds of a non-spark switch, all kinds of welding electrodes and precision casting mold:

Alloy	Parts	Applications
High strength beryllium copper	Reliable connector	Telecommunication, medical, computer, military, aviation, computer, connector
	Durable switch	Automobiles, household appliances, telecommunications
	High sensitivity sensor	Bellows, reeds
	Highly elastic node	Battery contacts, wireless appliances, electromagnetic shielding
	High strength spring	Fixing clip, pressing ring, gasket
High conductivity beryllium copper	High-temperature connectors	automotive, electrical, power distribution, fuse ends
	High current relay	Automobile, electric appliance, electric motor
Casting Beryllium copper	Tools	Safety and explosion-proof tools
	Moulds	Children’s toys, plastic moulds, casting moulds, die casting moulds
	Devices	Submarine cable repeater, oil and gas
	High-temperature components	Welding electrode, rolling welding, generator shaft, steelmaking crystallizer

 

Appendix table: 1. The common standards for Beryllium Copper

ASTM B194	Copper beryllium plate, sheet, strip and rolled bar
ASTM B196	Copper beryllium bars and rods
ASTM B197	Copper beryllium wire
ASTM B643	Copper beryllium seamless tube
ASTM B441	Copper – cobalt – beryllium and copper-nickel – beryllium bar/rod
ASTM B534	Copper-cobalt-beryllium and copper-nickel-beryllium plates, sheets, strips and rolled bars

2. The common material for Beryllium Copper

Grades	Be	Ni+Co	Co+Ni+Fe	Pb	Cu
C17000	1.60~1.79	≥0.2	≤0.6	—	Bal
C17200	1.80~2.00	≥0.2	≤0.6	—	Bal
C17300	1.80~2.00	≥0.2	≤0.6	0.2~0.6	Bal