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BronzeBronze is made by mixing copper with up to approximately 35% tin and up to 8% lead. The inclusion of lead alloy, which is a soft metal, is what makes it so machinable. Bronze is great for applications such as bearings as well as marine applications on pumps and fittings where corrosion resistance against seawater is required. This material’s mechanical properties don’t quite measure up to many other machinable metals, so it is best used on low-stress components made with CNC machining.
Bronze, brass, and other copper alloys have a range of important electrical, mechanical, and corrosion-resistant properties. Specifically, bronze has excellent machinability, with an index of 100%. It also has low friction properties that make it ideal for parts that undergo continuous frictional contact.
In general, Bronze is used for its thermal and electrical conductivity. As such, many surface finishes used on other machined metals are not suitable as they will hinder these properties. Listed below are some applicable surface finishes for Bronze.
Electropolishing: Bronze can be electropolished to achieve an extremely smooth and shiny surface. This process removes a minuscule layer of material off the surface - typically between 0.0001” (0.00254 mm) and 0.0025” (0.0635 mm). Electropolishing can further improve corrosion resistance but does not affect conductivity.
Electroplating: Metal plating of Bronze is frequently used to help prevent oxidation of its outer surface while maintaining electrical and thermal conductivity. In particular, precious metal plating like silver or gold plating can provide low contact resistance to maintain excellent conductivity and solderability.
