What is the difference between C18000 and C17510, both are AWS/RWMA Class 3 materials?
Created at :
Nov 16, 2023
What is the difference between C18000 and C17510, both are AWS/RWMA Class 3 materials?
Copper Alloys C17510 and C18000 are both specified and utilized as Class 3 resistance welding electrode materials.by AWS J1/3/J1/3M:2020. Both C17510 and C18000 are hardened by heat treating; solution annealing and precipitation hardening. While they both meet minimum hardness and electrical conductivity standards specified for Class 3 materials by, the similarity ends there...
C18000 is a copper nickel silicon chromium alloy that is offered as a beryllium-free copper alloy substitution for C17510, a copper nickel beryllium alloy.
With no beryllium, C18000 eliminates the hazards of processing beryllium and reduces the higher costs associated with alloying of high-cost copper beryllium copper master alloys.
Here is a table summarizing the key differences of two alloys (C18000 & C175100) compared to unalloyed copper (C11000 or C10200):
|
Property |
C11000 or C10200 |
C18000 |
C17510 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Chemical Composition |
99.9% Copper C11000 99.95% Copper C10200 |
1.8 – 3.0% Nickel, 0.1 – 0.8% Chromium, 0.4 – 0.8% Silicon, Balance Copper |
0.30% max. Nickel, 0.2 - .06% Beryllium, Balance Copper |
|
Strength |
Low UTS 50KSI |
Very Good UTS 105KSI |
Very Good UTS 110KSI |
|
Hardness |
Low RF 80 |
Very good RB 90min |
Very good RB 90min |
|
Electrical Conductivity |
Excellent 100% IACS |
Fair 45% IACS min |
Fair 45% IACS min |
|
Thermal Conductivity |
Excellent
|
Fair |
Fair |
|
Creep resistance at high temperatures |
Poor |
Good |
Good |
|
Machinability |
Low 20% |
Low 20% |
Low |
|
Common applications |
Electrical Conductors |
Resistance welding electrodes, electrical contacts, heat sinks |
Resistance welding electrodes, electrical contacts, heat sinks |
|
Ware Resistance |
Poor |
Good-Excellent |
Good-Excellent |
|
Formability |
Excellent |
Good |
Good |
|
Weldability |
Fair |
Good |
Good |
|
Cost |
Lower |
Lower |
Higher |
Overall, C18000 offers a lower cost, less hazardous option to C17510; however, C17510 and C18000 are still widely used alloys for resistance welding electrodes and other applications where very good strength and hardness are required.
Submitted by Tom Chandler, Metallurgist Engineer, Cadi Company, Inc.