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How is Copper Machined? A Comprehensive Guide to Copper Machining Techniques

Copper is a versatile and widely-used material with excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and ductility. As a result, it is commonly used in various industries, including electronics, automotive, aerospace, and construction. Machining copper can be challenging due to its high ductility and thermal conductivity, but with the right techniques and tools, it can be effectively machined to create intricate components and parts. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the various copper machining techniques and provide tips for achieving optimal results.

Understanding Copper Alloys

Before diving into the machining process, it's essential to understand that copper is available in various alloys, each with its unique properties and machining characteristics. Some common copper alloys include:

Pure Copper (C11000):Also known as electrolytic-tough pitch (ETP) copper, this alloy has the highest electrical conductivity and is commonly used for electrical applications.

Tellurium Copper (C14500):This alloy has added tellurium, which improves machinability and makes it easier to work with, especially in applications requiring intricate detail and tight tolerances.

Beryllium Copper (C17200):Known for its high strength and excellent conductivity, this alloy is commonly used in applications requiring high-performance components, such as aerospace and electronics.

Machining Techniques for Copper

There are several machining techniques used for copper, each with its benefits and limitations. Some of the most common methods include:

1. Turning

Turning is a machining process where the workpiece is rotated while a cutting tool removes material to create the desired shape. For copper, high-speed steel (HSS) or carbide tools are recommended, as they provide excellent wear resistance and can withstand the high temperatures generated during the machining process. When turning copper, it's essential to use sharp tools and maintain proper cutting angles to minimize work hardening and improve surface finish.

2. Milling

Milling is another common machining technique used for copper, where a rotating cutting tool removes material from the workpiece to create the desired shape. Like turning, using sharp HSS or carbide tools is crucial for optimal results. Additionally, using a climb milling technique, where the cutting tool moves in the same direction as the workpiece's feed, can help minimize work hardening and improve surface finish.

3. Drilling

Drilling is the process of creating holes in a workpiece using a rotating cutting tool called a drill bit. When drilling copper, it's essential to use HSS or carbide drill bits with a split-point geometry to minimize walking and improve hole accuracy. Additionally, using proper coolant and maintaining appropriate feed rates and spindle speeds can help prevent work hardening and extend tool life.

4. Tapping

Tapping is the process of cutting threads into a hole to create a threaded connection. For copper, using HSS or carbide taps with a spiral flute design can help improve chip evacuation and reduce the risk of tap breakage. It's also essential to use proper cutting fluids and maintain appropriate tapping speeds to minimize work hardening and ensure accurate threads.

5. Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)

EDM is a non-traditional machining technique that uses electrical discharges to remove material from the workpiece. This process is especially useful for machining copper alloys with high strength and hardness, as it does not rely on mechanical force, eliminating the risk of work hardening. EDM can also create intricate shapes and tight tolerances that may be difficult to achieve with traditional machining techniques.

Tips for Successful Copper Machining

To achieve optimal results when machining copper, consider the following tips:

Select the appropriate copper alloy:Choose a copper alloy that best suits your application's requirements, considering factors such as strength, conductivity, and machinability.

Use sharp cutting tools:Dull tools can cause work hardening and poor surface finish, so ensure your cutting tools are sharp and well-maintained.

Maintain proper cutting parameters:Select the appropriate feed rates, spindle speeds, and cutting depths for your specific copper alloy and machining technique to minimize work

CNC Copper Machining

CNC Machining Copper Material is good electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, it is soft and good for machining as it has high plasticity, it is easily and rapidly to carry out desired shape as machining cutter can run faster than other steel materials, and also reach high precision.

Copper has a shiny reddish-orange finish, which varies slightly based on the surface finish method. Copper can be media-blasted and polished to achieve many different cosmetic surface finishes.

CNC Machining Copper Parts are widely used in the manufacture of electrical wires, cables, electric brushes, electric spark, and other electrical devices and products.

CNC Copper Machining

Benefits of CNC Copper Machining

1/ CNC Machining Copper Parts are excellent in electricity conductivity, supporting very good electric function

2/ CNC Machining Copper Parts are soft, easy to design into different shape, also suitable for many processes

3/ Copper is easy for cutting and machining, its production efficiency is much higher than steel series

4/ Good propriety for bending and shaping

5/ Heat transferring function very good, high resistance, temperature stability, long durable using

6/ Stable surface, non-surface treatment is durable, electroplating is also used on copper parts

CNC Copper Machining

Composition And Property of CNC Machining Copper

Copper Property Alloy Type Content Melting Point Hardness Tensile Strength Density
Cu-based Zn, Sn, Si, Al, Ni 1083°C HB35-45 Low 8.9 g/cm3

Common Materials Code of CNC Machining Copper

Copper Alloy Workable Processes Surface Finishing for Copper Parts Materials Code
CNC Turning, CNC Milling, CNC Drilling, Molding, Forging, Fabrication, Welding, etc. Passivation, Anodizing, Plating, Chemical Polishing, etc. Copper 110
Copper 101
Copper 145
other more Copper Alloy

Asianstar: Professional CNC Machining Supplier

From year of 2005, Asianstar Company establish the CNC Machining Factory in Guangdong Province, China.
We mostly provide CNC Turning, Milling, Drilling, Grinding, and Multi Machining processes service on various materials.
With the Belief of becoming a key supplier in the supply-chain of Precision Components, we strictly control our product quality, keep high precision on our components production, buildup the whole-process QC System and submit the satisfaction for every order.
By long term development, we have buildup partnership with world-wide clients, supporting our partners in Designing, Optimizing, Producing and Testing on each type of components.

PARTNERSHIP BRANDS WE ARE SUPPORTING

Advantages of Asianstar CNC Copper Machining

Strong Facilities

Asianstar many CNC and stamp machines allow us to produce various copper parts, different sizes, and structures are all well done by suitable solution

Long-term Skills

Asianstar professional engineers team has experience from year 2005, producing copper parts for world wide electric products

Stable Quality

Asianstar QC system and QC tools guarantee our products are perfect result. We have procedures to control copper parts quality during production

Competitive Price

Asianstar aim to buildup partnership with clients, always choose best suitable facilities to carry out the components in competitive prices

METAL AND PLASTIC CNC MACHINING MATERIALS

CNC Brass Machining

Brass

CNC Machining Brass material is used for wide range components, we support clients to produce a variety of parts such as gears, locks, electronics, pipe fittings, etc.

CNC Copper Machining

Copper

CNC Machining Copper material is soft and easy to machining on different shape of components. We mostly produce copper components for electric devices by machining and stamping

CNC Aluminum Machining

Aluminum

CNC Machining Aluminum materials is one of our most used materials. We support clients to turning, drilling or milling on aluminum material from size 0.5mm to 470mm

CNC Stainless Steel Machining

Stainless Steel

CNC Machining Stainless Steel are common material for wide range components, we produce Stainless Steel turning parts, milling parts, high smoothness components, etc.

CNC Titanium Machining

Titanium

CNC Machining Titanium material brings components superb features, we use titanium to produce high precision work-piece for clients from aircraft, aerospace, medical devices

CNC Plastic Machining

Plastic

Our CNC Machining Plastic materials includes ABS, HDPE, LDPE, Nylon, POM, Peek, Polycarbonate, etc. We produce them in high precision and high smoothness.

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