What Are the Different Types of Beryllium Copper? Full Explanations From Trusted Beryllium Copper Manufacturers

Beryllium copper, as a high-performance copper based alloy, is widely used in precision electronics, aerospace, mold manufacturing, oil and gas exploration, and other fields due to its high strength, high elasticity, high conductivity, high thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance.

Beryllium copper, as a high-performance copper based alloy, is widely used in precision electronics, aerospace, mold manufacturing, oil and gas exploration, and other fields due to its high strength, high elasticity, high conductivity, high thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance. Its model classification is mainly based on the international standard system, chemical composition, and production process, and can be specifically divided into the following categories:

 

1、 Classified according to the international standard system

 

Chinese Standard (GB/T)

QBe2.0: Corresponding to UNS C17200, it is a representative model of domestically produced beryllium bronze, which combines high strength with moderate conductivity and thermal conductivity, and is widely used in precision electronic components and military equipment.

QBe1.7: Slightly lower beryllium content, slightly inferior overall performance to QBe2.0, but lower cost, commonly used in ordinary elastic components.

QBe1.9: Contains about 1.9% beryllium, and in addition, adding very small amounts of trace elements such as cobalt, nickel, and titanium not only maintains its characteristics but also enhances durability and reduces costs. It is commonly used for mold inserts.

QBe0.6-2.5: Corresponding to C17500, with low beryllium content and some cobalt elements, excellent conductivity and thermal conductivity, used for die-casting molds and welding electrode wheels.

In addition, QBe0.4-1.8: corresponding to C17510, is a type of beryllium bronze also known as low beryllium copper, containing beryllium, nickel, and small amounts of elements, used for welding electrodes.

American Standards (ASTM/UNS)

C17200: High strength deformation alloy, with beryllium content of about 1.8% -2.0%, high strength and corrosion resistance, suitable for high-precision springs and molds.

C17500: High conductivity, high thermal conductivity deformation alloy, with lower beryllium content and better conductivity, used for electronic connectors and cable relays.

C17510: Highly conductive and wear-resistant, used for welding electrodes.

C17300: Added a small amount of lead Pb, which not only maintains the characteristics of high beryllium copper but also makes the material easy to cut.

 

Other international standards

German DIN standards: CuBe2 (corresponding to 2.1247) and CuBe1.7 (corresponding to 2.1245), as well as free cutting beryllium copper CuBe2Pb, are similar to the Chinese and American standards, but with slight differences in composition. German standards also have numerical representations: 2.1247 (corresponding to CuBe2), 2.1285 (corresponding to CuCo2Be), 2.0850 (corresponding to CuNiBe)

Japanese JIS standards: C1720 (high strength) and C1700 (high conductivity), widely used in the Asian market.

In addition, the European standards also include: CW100C corresponds to Chinese standard QBe1.7, CW101C corresponds to QBe2.0, CW102C corresponds to QBe1.9-0.1, CW103C corresponds to Chinese beryllium cobalt nickel copper, CW104C corresponds to QBe0.6-2.5, and CW110C corresponds to QBe0.4-1.8

2、 Classified by chemical composition

High strength beryllium copper

The beryllium content is usually 1.8% -2.0%, and cobalt or nickel is added to enhance the aging strengthening effect, such as C17200 and QBe2.0. The tensile strength can reach high hardness (HRC36-45) level.

High conductivity beryllium copper

The beryllium content is controlled at 0.5% -1.0%, and the conductivity is close to 40% -65% of pure copper, suitable for high-frequency electronic components such as C17500 and QBe0.3-1.5.

 

3、 Classified by production process

Processing beryllium copper

Formed through processes such as rolling, extrusion, forging, etc., with beryllium content usually below 2%, such as C17200 and QBe2.0, it can be made into plates, rods, copper sleeves, or wires.

Cast beryllium copper

Adopting liquid forming technology with high beryllium content and added elements such as cobalt and silicon, such as BeA-275C, it is suitable for explosion-proof tools and molds with complex shapes.

 

4、 Special models and applications

QBe0.3-1.5: Contains 0.25% -0.5% beryllium, with a tensile strength of 240MPa and a hardness of ≤ 50HB. It has both high elasticity and low temperature resistance, and is commonly used in aerospace elastic components.

CW103C: A composite alloy containing beryllium, nickel, and cobalt, with excellent fatigue resistance, suitable for submarine cable repeater structures.

 

Summary

There are various types of beryllium copper, mainly focusing on international standards, chemical composition, and production processes. High strength models (such as C17200) focus on mechanical properties, high conductivity models (such as C17500) emphasize electrical characteristics, while cast models (such as BeA-275C) meet complex structural requirements. When selecting, it is necessary to consider the application scenario, such as prioritizing high conductivity models for precision electronics and choosing high-strength models for mold manufacturing.