CNC Machining Copper Overview: Materials, Pros, Cons, Everything About CNC Copper Machining

Copper Materials
– Copper 101: Copper 101 is pure copper, containing 99.9% copper. It is often used to make bronze and brass.
– Bronze: Bronze is an alloy of tin, copper and phosphorus, with good hardness and strength, and can be used to produce bearings and gears.
– Brass: Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper with good machinability and hardness. It is suitable for processing low friction and complex parts, such as valves, gears, bearings and locks, and can also be used to make some outdoor parts.

Advantages and Disadvantages of CNC Machining Copper Parts
Advantages:
It has good machinability, ductility and impact strength, and good formability in hot and cold processing. In addition, the copper parts processed by CNC are compatible with various cost-effective surface treatment technologies.

Disadvantages:
When spot welding copper materials, coating metal arc welding and other processes cannot be used. In addition, different grades of copper have different corrosion resistance. Therefore, some NC machined copper parts are prone to corrosion in the environment containing active substances.

Factors To Consider In CNC Copper Machining
– Select the correct copper. Copper is one of the most expensive materials, and its application characteristics and cost effectiveness should be considered when selecting.
– Set feed rate. The feed rate is the speed at which the cutting tool engages with the workpiece. Therefore, the correct feed speed must be set before processing copper parts, because it will affect the quality, service life and surface finish of copper parts. In addition, copper has efficient heat conduction, and high feed rate will increase tool wear over time.
– Design for manufacturability. Before processing copper, the design requirements and specifications must be sorted out, which helps to realize the functions of copper parts. This includes reducing the number of part settings, dimensional checks, and preventing deep cavities with small radii.
– Select the correct tool material. Many bronze plates are softer than aluminum and steel of the same strength. This may cause blade formation and tool wear. Therefore, it is very important to select appropriate tool materials. High speed steel is a tool material suitable for CNC machining of copper.

Surface Finishes & Post-Processing Options For Copper Parts
Generally speaking, copper is used for thermal conductivity and conductivity. Therefore, the surface finish used for other processed metals is not suitable because it inhibits these characteristics. The surface treatment applicable to copper is shown below.
– Electrolytic polishing. Copper can be electropolished to obtain a very smooth and shiny surface. This process usually removes small layers of material between 0.0001 inch (0.00254 mm) and 0.0025 inch (0.0635 mm) from the surface. Electrolytic polishing can further improve corrosion resistance, but will not affect conductivity.
– Electroplate. Metal plating of copper, while maintaining electrical and thermal conductivity, often helps to prevent oxidation of its outer surface. In particular, precious metal electroplating (such as silver or gold plating) can provide low contact resistance to maintain excellent conductivity and welding performance.

Applications of CNC Machining Copper Parts
Copper CNC parts are valuable in several industries, including electrical, construction, transport, and consumer goods companies.
– Heat exchangers
– Electrical connectors
– Radiators
– Bearings and gears
– Gas welding nozzles etc