Copper Devel opment Associ ati on

Copper Alloy Spring Materials

CDA Publication TN12, 1973
Copper Alloy Spring Materials
CDA Publication TN12
Edited by A K Woollaston, 1973
Acknowledgements
This publication is based on information sheets prepared by the Spring Materials Working Group set up by
the Mechanical Engineering Industry Committee of the Copper Development Association. The gratitude of
the Association is recorded to all members for their co-operation and assistance. The Group reviewed the
information available on the properties of the copper-base materials required for the design of copper alloy
springs, and made additions and revisions to the original sheets published early in 1969.
The following organisations were represented on the Working Group:
Member companies of the British Non-Ferrous Metals Federation
The City University, Industrial Liaison Centre
International Nickel Limited
The Spring Research Association
Copper Development Association
Copper Development Association
Copper Development Association is a non-trading organisation sponsored by the copper producers and
fabricators to encourage the use of copper and copper alloys and to promote their correct and efficient
application. Its services, which include the provision of technical advice and information, are available to
those interested in the utilisation of copper in all its aspects. The Association also provides a link between
research and user industries and maintains close contact with other copper development associations
throughout the world.
Website: www.cda.org.uk
Email: helpline@copperdev.co.uk
Copyright: All information in this document is the copyright of Copper Development Association
Disclaimer: Whilst this document has been prepared with care, Copper Development Association can give
no warranty regarding the contents and shall not be liable for any direct, indirect or consequential loss
arising out of its use
1
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 2
Purchasing specification.............................................................................................................................. 2
Properties ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
Corrosion resistance.................................................................................................................................... 2
Shear strength.............................................................................................................................................. 2
Availability................................................................................................................................................... 2
Shear elastic limit......................................................................................................................................... 3
Modulus of rigidity...................................................................................................................................... 3
Elongation .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Fatigue, springback and bend test data..................................................................................................... 3
Temper and hardness .................................................................................................................................. 3
Definitions and conversion factors............................................................................................................. 4
Bend ratio..................................................................................................................................................... 4
Determination of approximate bend ratio and bend radius .................................................................... 5
5% Phosphor Bronze (Copper-Tin-Phosphorus) ................................................................................... 12
7% Phosphor Bronze (Copper-Tin-Phosphorus) ................................................................................... 13
Nickel Silver (Copper-Nickel-Zinc).......................................................................................................... 14
70/30 Brass ................................................................................................................................................. 16
2/1 and Common Brass ............................................................................................................................. 17
Copper-Beryllium...................................................................................................................................... 18
Nickel Copper NA 18................................................................................................................................. 19
Nickel Copper NA 13................................................................................................................................. 19
Tables
Table A Bibliography 7
Table B Designations and compositions of copper alloy spring materials.8
Table C - Physical properties of copper and copper alloy spring materials8
Table D Mechanical properties of copper and copper alloy spring materials.. 9
2
Introduction
The purpose of this technical note is to set out basic data on the copper alloys used in the form
of strip and wire for springs, in order to assist the designer and user to prepare designs of
optimum efficiency and economy. The note is based on information sheets prepared by the
Spring Materials Working Group set up by the Mechanical Engineering Industry Committee of
the Copper Development Association see Acknowledgements on inside front cover.
Purchasing specification
It is recommended that material should be ordered to the relevant British Standard Specification
where applicable or to a specification agreed between the customer and the manufacturer. This
technical note is not intended to form the basis of a purchasing specification, but is primarily
intended for the use of designers.
Properties
In general, the values of mechanical properties quoted in Table D are the British Standard
minima for each material and condition unless otherwise stated, or when a range is given. In
particular, the physical properties are for material in the annealed condition, with the exception
of the copper-beryllium alloy. In this case, the physical properties are typical for material in
precipitation hardened conditions.
Corrosion resistance
Resistance to corrosion is important in most spring applications since corrosive attack may
increase contact resistance and lead eventually to mechanical failure.
Copper alloys exhibit excellent resistance to atmospheric corrosion and in this respect are much
superior to carbon and low alloy steels. For instance, tests have shown that the resistance to
attack in industrial atmospheres of copper alloys is up to ten times that of mild steel.
There are some differences in corrosion resistance between various copper alloys used for
springs and, in order to determine the most suitable material for a specific environment and
application, reference should be made to the supplier or the Copper Development Association.
Shear strength
Shear strength values for the brasses quoted in Table D are based on one-half and two-thirds of
the tensile strength in the transverse and longitudinal rolling directions respectively. Shear
strength values for all other alloys are based on two-thirds of the tensile strength in the
longitudinal direction.
Availability
The appearance of a particular alloy in Table B in strip form only, does not necessarily imply
that the wire form is not available. Reference should be made to the relevant British Standard
for details of wire properties.
3
Shear elastic limit
The values quoted for elastic limit in shear in Table D are based on 45% of the tensile strength,
but some variations are likely due to both wiremaking and springmaking practices. For
instance, the elastic limit of coil wound compression springs can be increased by a
manufacturing process known as "prestressing" which is carried out whenever possible. In such
cases, a spring manufacturer should be consulted regarding optimum design stresses since these
depend on both wire size and spring configuration.
Modulus of rigidity
The modulus of rigidity values quoted in Table C are based on 37.5% of the modulus of
elasticity for each material unless practical test results are available.
Elongation
The elongation values in Table D are quoted as a guide to formability. These values are quoted
over the same hardness range for all phosphor bronzes to show the variation in formability
between the different alloys.
Fatigue, springback and bend test data
Fatigue, springback and bend test data are included in Table D where available.
Temper and hardness
In general, temper of strip is measured by hardness, and temper of wire by tensile strength. The
temper designations are contained in BS1420:1965 "Glossary of terms applicable to wrought
products in copper, zinc and their alloys", of which the following are typical examples and
commonly used in this technical note:
H Half hard
H Hard
EH Extra hard
SH Spring hard
ESH Extra spring hard
W(H) Material which has been solution heat treated and subsequently cold
worked to hard temper
W(H)P Material which has been solution heat treated, cold worked to hard
temper, fabricated and then precipitation heat treated
W(H)M Mill hardened material which has been solution heat treated, cold
worked to hard temper, and supplied in a precipitation-heat-treated
condition for subsequent fabrication. No post fabrication heat
treatment is required.
In addition, nickel silver strip may be assigned a temper grade ranging from 1 (hardest) to 5
(softest). Vickers hardness (HV) values are used throughout this technical note. Tables for
other hardness scales are contained in BS860:1967 "Tables for comparison of hardness scales".
4
An alternative method of specifying the temper of strip material is by the amount of cold rolling
applied. This latter method is used in American (ASTM) specifications and this technical note
contains graphs indicating the approximate relationship between the two methods. It should be
emphasised that the curves relating hardness with degree of cold working are typical for
material of normal grain size (ie about 0.040 mm) and some variation will occur with
differences in processing and grain size.
The ASTM temper designations for flat products are tabulated as follows:
Designation Percentage Reduction
Annealed 0
Hard hard 20.7
Hard 37.1
Extra hard 50.15
Spring hard 60.5
Extra spring hard 68.65
Definitions and conversion factors
The information contained in this technical note is given in Systme International d'Units (SI)
units. The following table lists the factors for converting these SI units into Imperial units:
To convert
From to
Multiply by
MS/m %IACS 1.724
ohm/m ohm in 39.37
W/m C Btu ft/ft
2
hF 0.578
N/mm
2
lbf/in
2
145.0
per C per F 0.556
N/mm
2
tonf/in
2
0.065
Bend ratio
Bend ratio (
t
R
) is defined as the ratio of minimum inside forming radius (t) to thickness of
material (R), eg bend ratio 2 defines inside radius of bend as twice material thickness.
5
Determination of approximate bend ratio and bend radius
Example 1 - 5 % phosphor bronze strip (185HV) 0.040 in thick to be bent through 90 at 45
to rolling direction.
1. Select experimental point (A) on relevant graph based on thickness and direction of rolling
2. Join origin (O) through point (A) and continue to edge of chart (B)
3. Typical obtainable bend ratios (BR) can be seen above line (OAB)
4. Actual minimum bend raduis E (in) can be obtained by drawing horizontal line (EAF)
through point A.
Example 1 5% phosphor bronze 185HV 0.040 in 45
o
rolling direction
6
Example 2 - 5 % phosphor bronze strip (210HV) 1.5mm thick to be bent through 90 at 90 to
rolling direction.
1. 1.5 mm does not conform to experimental thickness point
2. Take nearest experimental thickness point, ie 0.064 in (G)
3. Join origin (O) through (G) and continue to edge of chart (H)
4. Typical obtainable bend ratios (BR) can be seen above line (OGH)
5. Actual minimum bend radius,J (mm), can be obtained by drawing horizontal line through
intersection of vertical 1.5 mm thickness line (LK) and (OGH).
Example 2 - 5% phoshor bronze strip (210HV) 1.5 mm 90 rolling direction
7
Table A - Bibliography
Spring design
Elastic stresses and deflections of helical compression springs of round wire,
Engineering Sciences Data Unit item No 65005.
Notes on design of helical compression springs of round wire, Engineering
Sciences Data Unit item No 65006.
Springs: materials/design/manufacture 1968, Spring Research Association, Henry
Street, Sheffield S3 7EQ
Gross, S C, Calculations and design of metal springs. Chapman & Hall, London,
1966.
Wahl. A M, Mechanical springs. 2nd ed McGraw Hill, London, 1963.
British Standards
BS1726: Guide to the design and specification of coil springs. Part 1: 1964
Helical compression springs.
BS2870:1698 Rolled copper and copper alloys. Sheet, strip and foil. (Metric
units.)
BS2873:1969 Copper and copper alloys. Wire. (Metric units).
BS3073:1968 Nickel and nickel alloys. Strip. (Metric and inch units.)
BS3075:1968 Nickel and nickel alloys. Wire. (Metric and inch units.)
Copper Development Association
No 71 The nickel silvers - design data and applications.
TN 10 Compositions and properties of copper and copper alloys (Superseded in
2004 by Publication 120).
Mechanical and physical properties
Gohn, G R, Guerard, J and Herbert, G J. The mechanical properties of some
nickel silver alloy strips. Proc ASTM, 1954, 54, 229.
Copper and copper alloy data. Conseil International pour le Developpement du
Cuivre (CIDEC), 100 rue du Rhone, Geneva.
8
9
10
11
12
5% Phosphor Bronze (Copper-Tin-Phosphorus)
13
7% Phosphor Bronze (Copper-Tin-Phosphorus)
14
Nickel Silver (Copper-Nickel-Zinc)
15
18% Nickel Silver NS107 (Copper-Nickel-Zinc)
16
70/30 Brass
17
2/1 and Common Brass
18
Copper-Beryllium
19
Nickel Copper NA 18
Nickel Copper NA 13
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