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Brass and bronze are two metals often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Although both are copper alloys, they have different properties and are used for various purposes. Therefore, knowing the difference between these metals is crucial, especially when choosing the right material for a specific project.
This article will explore brass and bronze’s characteristics — composition, applications, and cost.
Composition
Brass and bronze are both copper alloys that have been used for various purposes for centuries. Brass is a yellow-colored metal that has been in use since ancient times for decorative and functional objects like jewelry, statues, and musical instruments. On the other hand, bronze is a reddish-brown metal developed in the Bronze Age.
The composition of brass and bronze is one of the most significant differences between the two metals. Brass is typically made up of copper and zinc, with the proportion of each metal varying depending on the desired properties of the alloy. Zinc is added to copper to make brass harder and more durable than pure copper while also giving it a bright yellow color similar to gold.
Meanwhile, Bronze usually has a higher copper content than brass, making up a larger proportion of the alloy than zinc does. The inclusion of more copper gives bronze a reddish-brown color and makes it stronger and harder than brass, with better resistance to corrosion and wear. Bronze may also contain other metals, such as aluminum, silicon, or manganese.
Applications
The applications of brass and bronze are often determined by their unique physical properties. Brass — with its bright yellow color — is commonly used for decorative items such as doorknobs, lighting fixtures, and hardware. In addition, its ability to be easily molded and shaped makes it an ideal material for creating intricate designs. It is also widely used to produce musical instruments, particularly trumpets, trombones, and saxophones.
Bronze is used for more heavy-duty applications due to its strength and durability. Its strength, hardness, and wear resistance make it an ideal material for bearings, bushings, and gears. These applications require materials that can withstand high stress and heavy loads while providing low friction and wear resistance.
This material is also commonly used for sculptures, statues, and monuments due to its beautiful reddish-brown color and ability to hold fine details. Its durability and resistance to corrosion also make it ideal for outdoor applications where it is exposed to the elements. In addition, bronze is used for historical and commemorative plaques and medals due to its association with high value and prestige.
Cost
This cost difference between brass and bronze is mainly due to their composition. Copper is the main alloying metal in bronze, which is what makes it more expensive than brass.
However, the cost of both metals can also depend on the market demand and availability. For example, if the price of copper — the base metal of both brass and bronze — increases, the cost of both alloys will also increase. As a result, their market price can be volatile and subject to fluctuation.
Choose Interstate Metal for Your Brass and Bronze Needs
At Interstate Metal, we have extensive capabilities for manufacturing and distributing products involving brass and bronze alloys! Our team is always ready to answer questions about our products and services. Whether you are looking for brass or bronze alloys for a specific application, we have the expertise to help you find the right solution.
Please request a quote to know more about what we offer. You can also contact us; our team will be delighted to answer your inquiries!
360 brass is one of the most popular copper alloys available today. The 60-40 mixture of copper and zinc found in 360 brass creates an alloy with high corrosion resistance, impressive strength, and high durability. 360 brass’s 3% lead composition also helps to improve the machinability and workability of the alloy.
Thanks to these desirable properties, 360 brass is used to produce a wide variety of components, including brass bars, bushings, connectors, couplings, pump shafts, and more. In this blog, we’ll examine the various properties and applications of 360 brass, as well as a selection of the high-quality 360 brass materials we offer at Interstate Metal.
360 brass’s unique chemical composition provides it with numerous properties that make it desirable for a number of different applications. To help explain what makes 360 brass such a useful alloy, we’ll explore its chemical composition, its mechanical information, and other key properties.
360 Brass Chemical Composition
The 360 brass alloy features the following chemical composition:
Copper: 61.5%
Zinc: 35.5%
Lead: 3.0%
Iron: 0.35%
This chemical composition yields several desirable properties. To start, 360 brass is incredibly resistant to corrosion due to the high copper and zinc composition. 360 brass also has an ultimate tensile strength of up to 68,000 psi and a yield tensile strength of up to 45,000 psi, enabling the material to maintain its structural integrity even when used in high-stress applications. Despite its impressive strength, 360 brass remains quite malleable, featuring a machinability rating of 100. This makes it the most machinable of all copper alloys.
Mechanical Information
Density: .307 lb/in3
Ultimate Tensile Strength: 49,000 – 68,000 psi
Yield Tensile Strength: 18,000 – 45,000 psi
Modulus of Elasticity: 14,100 ksi
Shear Modulus: 5,370 ksi
Shear Strength: 30,500 – 45,000 psi
Melting Point: 1,630°F – 1,650°F
Electrical Conductivity: 26% IACS
Rockwell Hardness: B78
Elongation at Break Percentage: 53%
Poisson’s Ratio: 0.31
Machinability Percentage: 100%
Other Common Names for 360 Brass
In addition to 360 brass, the alloy is also known by common trade names such as CDA 360, UNS 36000, C360, ISO CuZn36Pb3, and free-cutting brass.
Applications of 360 Brass
Thanks to its impressive strength, corrosion resistance, and machinability, 360 brass is a popular alloy for a broad range of industries and applications, including:
Plumbing fixtures
Screw machine parts
Nuts
Bolts
Pump shafts
Couplings
Bushings
Connecters
Fittings
Electrical components
Industrial hardware components
Valve stems
Circuit board relays
360 Brass Products at Interstate Metal
At Interstate Metal, we are proud to offer high-quality 360 brass bars to our customers across the country who rely on this alloy for their industrial applications. Our 360 brass products include round bars, hexagon bars, rectangle bars, and square bars that can be ordered in a variety of thicknesses and lengths. We also give our customers the option to select custom lengths when they place an order.
360 brass is a truly impressive alloy, offering excellent physical properties that make it popular for machining an incredibly wide range of components for an equally broad spectrum of applications. You can count Interstate Metal to provide you with the best 360 brass bars on the market today at the most competitive prices. Since 1990, Interstate Metal has specialized in the manufacturing and distribution of brass, copper, aluminum, and lead-free brass alloy materials.
Our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction is as solid as it was when our company was first founded over 30 years ago. To learn more about our 360 brass products, feel free to contact us or request a quote today.
