Page 12 - RHP IT

DESIGN ENGINEERING

COPPER FOR SPRINGS

SPRINGS AND DAMPERS

WE ASKED THE EXPERTS AT
AIREDALE SPRINGS WHAT MAKES
COPPER SUCH A KEY MATERIAL IN
SPRING MANUFACTURING
opper is an important metal in many industries,
including in spring manufacturing. Its many
properties make it useful for a range of
Capplications and it can be alloyed with other
metals to create materials with enhanced features. Let’s
take a look at some of those properties to understand what
makes it such a good candidate for so many different
tasks.
One of the first metals to be used by humans, copper
is a chemical element with the atomic number 29 and the
symbol Cu in the periodic table. Copper can be found in
many different places, including in minerals and in stars.
It also occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust, with the
largest piece of copper ever found weighing 420 tonnes.
It’s believed that copper was first used by people over
10,000 years ago and that, for a long time, it was on of
the only, if not the only metal humans knew, which is why
there are so many objects made from copper dating from Resistance to corrosion – Both copper and its alloys strongest we work with. This means it won’t shatter or
millennia ago. are highly resistant to corrosion, which allows these break easily.
Around 5,000 BC, people began to dabble in materials to be used for applications like industrial Non-magnetism – As a non-ferrous metal (which
metallurgy, and by 3,000 BC the first uses of copper machinery and engines. Copper also forms a layer of means a metal without iron in its composition), copper is
alloys had started. Copper was alloyed with materials like copper sulphate on its surface, called patina, which non-magnetic and is thus often used in military and
arsenic and tin. Bronze, a copper alloy, became incredibly further prevents it from corrosion. defence applications.
important for everyday life once it was created – it was Malleable – A key property for many applications, Electrical conductivity – Another crucial property of
used in weapons, agricultural tools, decorative objects, including wiring. Copper is a malleable, easy-to-use copper is how conductive it is, which is why you can find
and more. metal, so it can be fabricated and manipulated with ease. it everywhere in the electronics sector, from mobile
Anti-bacterial – If you’re looking for springs or wire phones and electrical wiring to computers and underfloor
Properties of copper forms for the medical field, then copper is an excellent heating.
One of the reasons why copper is so widely used in spring choice because of its hygienic properties. Copper can slow
manufacturing is its many properties. The following list is, down the growth of bacteria like MRSA and legionella and Applications of copper springs
by no means, comprehensive, but it will help you better is an important component in things like fungicides. As mentioned, electrical conductivity is one of copper’s
understand why this material is so popular: Strength – Copper is a tough metal but not the main properties, so most springs in the electronics sector
will be made of copper or a copper alloy.
Some of the most common alloys are beryllium-
copper, which is very ductile and easy to machine, as well
as resistant to wear and tear. This makes it ideal for
applications where stress is a concern, like the springs in
push buttons.
Brass, made of copper and zinc, is another important
alloy. Because this material is hard and highly resistant to
corrosion, you can expect to find springs made from this
alloy in oil rigs and medical instruments. Brass springs are
also flexible, so they can store a lot of mechanical energy,
making them perfect for objects like clocks.
Cupronickel, which is created when you alloy copper
with nickel, is a strong material found in the marine sector,
in hardware and even in weaponry.
You can also find copper and copper springs in musical
instruments and industrial machines, as well as in
agriculture and construction. Copper is also a good option
for torsion springs, so you’ll likely find it in door hinges
too.
MORE INFORMATION: www.airdalesprings.co.uk

12 INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY • June 2021