Monday, February 17, 2014

Copper Bar Stock

Calcables uses a variety of different types of copper products for resistance welding cables, consumables.  Understanding the difference between them is an important factor not only in the product we produce, but the process of the product we produce.

Tellerium - Interesting Facts:

ATOMIC NUMBER - 52
ATOMIC SYMBOL: Te
ATOMIC WEIGHT 127.60
MELTING POINT 841.1 F
BOILING POINT: 1,810.4 F
 PHOTO:  Shows a NEW cable utilizing Tellurium - the machining process is cleaner, we use less in the way of saw blades to cut bar stock and have far less in the way of rejected parts.


This is 110 copper bar stock, shown on a USED cable.  I wanted to show a cable that has had some use so you can see that 110 cooper bar stock is not a bad choice and does, in fact, hold up very well in the welding environment.

The word Tellerium comes from the Latin word tellus which means earth.  Tellerium was discovered in 1782 by Muller von Reichenstein.  It was named by a German chemist, Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1798.

Tellurium is a silvery-white metalloid, its pure version has a metallic luster.  Crystalline tellurium is easily pulverised.  In its molten state, tellurium is corrosive to copper, iron and stainless stell.


Tellerium Used In Resistance Welding versus 110 Copper Bar Stock:

That scientific information is all fine and good, but when it comes to resistance welding cables, why does this matter?

Tellurium copper is readily available in the world wide market in rod, hex and rectangle (C14500). Tellurium is added to copper for machine-ability. The tellurium serves the same purpose as lead in free machining brass (C36000). Both lead and tellurium enter the grain boundaries to act as a chip release. Without tellurium in pure copper, machining is very gummy and chips will string. When detailed machining is needed, tellurium copper (C14500) is needed for high volume and detailed machining applications.You pay about $1.00/lbs. more for the C14500 but you will save yourself machining time and headaches.

Ask the experts at Calcables, which cable is right for you and have the peace of mind knowing our products are only the best, while still maintaining excellent price and delivery.

Want to know more about copper products we use?  Contact Calcables