ASTM B2-12

Standard Specification for Medium-Hard-Drawn Copper Wire

ABSTRACT
This specification covers medium-hard-drawn round copper wire for electrical purposes. The material shall be copper of such quality and purity that the finished product shall have the properties and characteristics prescribed. Tensile test and electrical resistivity test shall be made to conform to the requirements specified.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification covers medium-hard-drawn round copper wire for electrical purposes (see Explanatory Note 1).  
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.2.1 Exception—The SI values of density and resistivity are to be regarded as standard.  
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 14-Nov-2012
• ICS: 77.150.30 - Copper products
• Technical Committee: B01 - Electrical Conductors
• Drafting Committee: B01.04 - Conductors of Copper and Copper Alloys

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM B2-08 - Standard Specification for Medium-Hard-Drawn Copper Wire
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Replaced By: ASTM B2-12e1 - Standard Specification for Medium-Hard-Drawn Copper Wire
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B258-18 - Standard Specification for Standard Nominal Diameters and Cross-Sectional Areas of AWG Sizes of Solid Round Wires Used as Electrical Conductors
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B8-11(2017) - Standard Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors, Hard, Medium-Hard, or Soft
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B787/B787M-04(2020) - Standard Specification for 19 Wire Combination Unilay-Stranded Copper Conductors for Subsequent Insulation
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM F68-16 - Standard Specification for Oxygen-Free Copper in Wrought Forms for Electron Devices
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B902/B902M-13(2018) - Standard Specification for Compressed Round Stranded Copper Conductors, Hard, Medium-Hard, or Soft Using Single Input Wire Construction
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B193-20 - Standard Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor Materials
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:B2 −12
StandardSpecification for
1
Medium-Hard-Drawn Copper Wire
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B2; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 2.3 Other Documents:
NBS Handbook 100 Copper Wire Tables of the National
1.1 This specification covers medium-hard-drawn round
3
Bureau of Standards
copper wire for electrical purposes (see Explanatory Note 1).
3. Ordering Information
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
3.1 Orders for material under this specification should
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
include the following information:
and are not considered standard.
3.1.1 Quantity of each size;
3.1.2 Wire size: diameter in inches (see 5.1 and Table 1);
1.2.1 Exception—The SI values of density and resistivity
3.1.3 Type of copper, if special (see Section 4);
are to be regarded as standard.
3.1.4 Package size (see 11.1);
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.1.5 Special package marking, if required; and
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.1.6 Place of inspection (Section 10).
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
4. Materials and Manufacture
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
4.1 The material shall be copper of such quality and purity
that the finished product shall have the properties and charac-
2. Referenced Documents
teristics prescribed in this specification.
2.1 The following documents of the issue in effect on date
NOTE1—SpecificationsB5,B49,andB170definethematerialssuitable
of material purchase form a part of this specification to the
for use.
extent referenced herein:
4.2 Copper bars of special qualities, forms, or types, as may
2
2.2 ASTM Standards: be agreed upon between the manufacturer and the purchaser,
B5 Specification for High Conductivity Tough-Pitch Copper and which will conform to the requirements prescribed in this
Refinery Shapes specification, may also be used.
B49 Specification for Copper Rod Drawing Stock for Elec-
5. Dimensions and Permissible Variations
trical Purposes
B170 Specification for Oxygen-Free Electrolytic Copper—
5.1 The wire sizes shall be expressed as the diameter of the
Refinery Shapes
wire in decimal fractions of an inch to the nearest 0.0001 in.
B193 Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor
(0.1 mil) or in millimetres to the nearest 0.001 mm (Explana-
Materials
tory Note 2).
B258 Specification for Nominal Diameters and Cross-
5.2 Within the range of diameters included in Table 1 the
SectionalAreasofAWGSizesofSolidRoundWiresUsed
wire shall not vary from the specified diameter by more than
as Electrical Conductors
61 %, expressed to the nearest 0.0001 in. (0.1 mil) 0.001 mm.
5.3 Ten percent, but not less than five coils or spools (or all
if the lot is less than five) from any lot of wire shall be gaged
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B01 on
at three places. If accessible, one gaging shall be taken near
Electrical Conductors and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B01.04 on
each end and one near the middle. If any of the selected coils
Conductors of Copper and Copper Alloys.
Current edition approved Nov. 15, 2012. Published November 2012. Originally
orspoolsfailstoconformtotherequirementsprescribedin5.2,
approved in 1912. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as B2 – 08. DOI:
all coils or spools shall be gaged in the manner specified.
10.1520/B0002-12
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
3
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 5285 Port
the ASTM website. Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161, http://www.ntis.gov.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
B2−12
TABLE 1 Tensile Requirements
Diameter Area at 20°C Tensile Strength Elongation, min,
%in 10-in.
2 2
in. mm cmil in. mm psi MPa
(250 mm)
Min Max Min Max
0.4600 11.684 211 600 0.1662 107.0 42 000 49 000 290 340 3.8
0.4096 10.404 167 800 0.1318 85.0 43 000 50 000 295 345 3.6
0.3648 9.266 133 100 0.1045 67.4 44 000 51 000 305 350 3.2
0.3249 8.252 105 600 0.08291 53.5 45 000 52 000 310 360 3.0
0.2893 7.348 83 690 0.06573 42.4 46 000 53 000 31
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: B2 − 08 B2 − 12
Standard Specification for
1
Medium-Hard-Drawn Copper Wire
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B2; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A superscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This specification covers medium-hard-drawn round copper wire for electrical purposes (see Explanatory Note 1).
1.2 The SI values of density and resistivityvalues stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. For all other
properties the inch-pound values are to be regarded as standard, and the SI units may be approximate. The values given in
parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.2.1 Exception—The SI values of density and resistivity are to be regarded as standard.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 The following documents of the issue in effect on date of material purchase form a part of this specification to the extent
referenced herein:
2
2.2 ASTM Standards:
B5 Specification for High Conductivity Tough-Pitch Copper Refinery Shapes
B49 Specification for Copper Rod Drawing Stock for Electrical Purposes
B170 Specification for Oxygen-Free Electrolytic Copper—Refinery Shapes
B193 Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor Materials
B258 Specification for Nominal Diameters and Cross-Sectional Areas of AWG Sizes of Solid Round Wires Used as Electrical
Conductors
2.3 Other Documents:
3
NBS Handbook 100 Copper Wire Tables of the National Bureau of Standards
3. Ordering Information
3.1 Orders for material under this specification should include the following information:
3.1.1 Quantity of each size;
3.1.2 Wire size: diameter in inches (see 5.1 and Table 1);
3.1.3 Type of copper, if special (see Section 4);
3.1.4 Package size (see 11.1);
3.1.5 Special package marking, if required; and
3.1.6 Place of inspection (Section 10).
4. Materials and Manufacture
4.1 The material shall be copper of such quality and purity that the finished product shall have the properties and characteristics
prescribed in this specification.
NOTE 1—Specifications B5, B49, and B170 define the materials suitable for use.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B01 on Electrical Conductors and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B01.04 on Conductors
of Copper and Copper Alloys.
Current edition approved April 1, 2008Nov. 15, 2012. Published April 2008 November 2012. Originally approved in 1912. Last previous edition approved in 20052008
ε1
as B2 – 00B2 – 08. (2005) . DOI: 10.1520/B0002-08.10.1520/B0002-12
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
3
Available from National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161, http://www.ntis.gov.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
B2 − 12
TABLE 1 Tensile Requirements
Diameter Area at 20°C Tensile Strength Elongation, min,
%in 10-in.
2 2
in. mm cmil in. mm psi MPa
(250 mm)
Min Max Min Max
0.4600 11.684 211 600 0.1662 107.0 42 000 49 000 290 340 3.8
0.4096 10.404 167 800 0.1318 85.0 43 000 50 000 295 345 3.6
0.3648 9.266 133 100 0.1045 67.4 44 000 51 000 305 350 3.2
0.3249 8.252 105 600 0.08291 53.5 45 000 52 000 310 360 3.0
0.2893 7.348 83 690 0.06573 42.4 46 000 53 000 315 365 2.8
0.2576 6.543 66 360 0.05212 33.6 47 000 54 000 325 370 2.5
0.2294 5.827 52 620 0.04133 26.7 48 000 55 000 330 380 2.2
0.2043 5.189 41 740 0.03278 21.2 48 330 55 330 335 380 1.9
0.1819 4.620 33 090 0.02599 16.8 48 660 55 660 335 385 1.7
0.1620 4.115 26 240 0.02061 13.3 49 000 56 000 340 385 1.5
0.1443 3.665 20 820 0.01635 10.5 49 330 56 330 340 390 1.4
0.1285 3.264 16 510 0.01297 8.37 49 660 56 660 340 390 1.3
0.1144 2.906 13 090 0.01028 6.63 50 000 57 000 345 395 1.3
0.1
...