ASTM B846-99e1
(Terminology)Standard Terminology for Copper and Copper Alloys
Standard Terminology for Copper and Copper Alloys
SCOPE
1.1 The terms defined in this terminology standard are applicable to copper and copper alloy products specifications, test methods, practices, and other documents within the jurisdiction of Committee B-5 on Copper and Copper Alloys.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
e1
Designation: B 846 – 99
Standard Terminology for
Copper and Copper Alloys
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B 846; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
e NOTE—The term stress relief was editorially corrected in November 2000.
1. Scope in diameter, normally ranging in weight from 100 to 4200 lb
(63 to 28 200 kg).
1.1 The terms defined in this terminology standard are
blank—a piece of flat product intended for subsequent fabri-
applicable to copper and copper alloy products specifications,
cation by forming, bending, cupping, drawing, hot pressing,
test methods, practices, and other documents within the juris-
and so forth.
diction of Committee B-5 on Copper and Copper Alloys.
buckle (centre bulge or oil can)—alternate bulges and hol-
2. Referenced Documents lows recurring along the length of a strip with the edges
remaining relatively flat.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
bus bar—includes material of solid rectangular or square cross
B 170 Specification for Oxygen-Free Electrolytic Copper—
section or a solid section with two plane parallel surfaces and
Refinery Shapes
round or other simple regular-shaped edges.
B 379 Specification for Phosphorized Coppers—Refinery
bus conductor stock—a bar, rod, or shape of high-
Shapes
conductivity copper used to make bus conductors.
3. Significance and Use
cake—refinery shape used for rolling into plate, sheet, strip, or
shape. Rectangular in cross section and of various sizes,
3.1 This terminology is not intended to apply to any
normally ranging in weight from 140 to 62 000 lb (63 to
standard, test method, practice, or other document not within
28 200 kg).
the jurisdiction of Committee B-5 on Copper and Copper
casting—a general term for a metal object produced at or
Alloys.
near-finished shape by pouring or otherwise introducing
4. Terminology
molten metal into a mold and allowing it to solidify.
casting, centrifugal—a casting produced in a cylindrical mold
anneal (annealing)—a thermal treatment to change the prop-
rotating on its axis with the major axis of the product
erties or grain structure of the product.
coinciding with the axis of rotation. The axis of rotation may
arc welding—a group of welding processes wherein coales-
be horizontal, vertical, or any angle in between.
cence is produced by heating with an arc or arcs, with or
casting, centrifuged—a casting produced in a mold, a number
without the application of pressure and with or without the
of which may be mounted around a central sprue. The molds
use of filler metal.
are rotated, in a vertical position, about a central axis
as-welded condition—a condition created as a result of
concentric with the central sprue.
forming annealed sheet or plate into tubular form and
casting, continuous—a casting produced by the continuous
welding without subsequent heat treatment or cold work.
pouring and solidification of molten metal through a water-
average diameter (for round tubes only)— the average of the
cooled mold which determines the cross-sectional shape.
maximum and minimum outside diameters or the maximum
The length of the product is not restricted by mold dimen-
and minimum inside diameters, whichever is applicable, as
sions.
determined at any one cross section of the tube.
casting, permanent mold—a product produced in a reusable
base metal—the sheet or plate from which the pipe is formed.
mold constructed of a durable material, usually iron or steel,
billet—refinery shape used for piercing or extrusion into
with the molten metal being introduced by gravity, low-
tubular products or for extrusion into rods, bars, and shapes.
pressure or vacuum.
Circular in cross section, usually 3 to 16 in. (76 to 406 mm)
casting, sand—a casting produced in a sand mold.
casting, semicentrifugal—a casting produced in a manner
This terminology is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B-5 on Copper similar to the centrifugal casting except that a central core is
and Copper Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B05.93 on
used to allow the formation of other than a cylindrical inside
Terminology.
surface. The axis of rotation is always vertical.
Current edition approved April 10, 1999. Published July 1999. Originally
cathode—unmelted, electrodeposited, and somewhat rough
published as B 846 – 93. Last previous edition B 846 – 98.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 02.01.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
B 846
flat plate normally used for melting. The customary size is drawn stress relieved (DSR)—a thermal treatment of a
1 7
about 3 ft (0.914 m) square, about ⁄2to ⁄8 in. (12.7 to 22.2 cold-drawn tubular product to improve ductility without
mm) thick, weighing up to about 300 lb (136 kg) and may significantly affecting its tensile strength or microstructure.
have hanging loops attached. Cathodes may also be cut to
electrolytic copper—copper of any origin, refined by electro-
smaller dimensions.
lytic deposition including electrowinning. Usually when this
chemically refined copper—copper recovered from an aque-
term is used alone it refers to electrolytic tough pitch copper.
ous solution by other than electrolytic means. Usually when
This designation applies to the following:
this term is used alone it refers to chemically refined tough
—cathodes that are the direct product of the refining
pitch copper. This designation applies to the following:
operation.
—copper cast in refinery shapes suitable for hot or cold
—electrodeposited copper cast in refinery shapes suitable for
working, or both, and by extension, to fabricators products
hot or cold working or both, and by extension, to fabricators’
made therefrom, products made therefrom.
—ingots or ingot bars suitable for remelting.
—electrodeposited copper cast into ingots or ingot bars
cladding ratio—ratio by percent thickness of the component suitable for remelting.
layers, for example.
embrittlement—the reduction of the normal ductility in a
close nipple—a nipple with no shoulder or unthreaded portion
metal due to a physical or chemical change. As it relates to
between two threads; the shortest possible pipe nipple with
these test methods, embrittlement is the loss of ductility
complete threads.
caused by the reaction of cuprous oxide in the copper
cold work—controlled mechanical operations for changing the
product when exposed at elevated temperatures to a reducing
form or cross section of a product and for producing a
atmosphere.
strain-hardened product at temperatures below the recrystal-
ends—straight pieces, shorter than the nominal length, left
lization temperature.
over after cutting the product into mill lengths, stock lengths,
corner radius on square or rectangular wire—any configu-
or specific lengths. They are subject to minimum length and
ration on the corner between a chamfer and a full radius. The
maximum weight requirements.
measurement of a corner radius is the distance from the
extrusion—a uniform metal shape, long in relation to its
blend point on one surface to the extension of the other
cross-sectional dimensions, produced by forcing a suitably
surface.
preheated billet or preform through an orifice (die) of the
dents—depressions in the copper foil which do not signifi-
desired cross section. Extrusions generally are furnished in
cantly change the thickness of the copper foil.
straight lengths.
deoxidized copper, high-residual phosphorus—copper
fire-refined copper—copper of any origin or type finished by
deoxidized with phosphorus residual in amounts 0.015 to
furnace refining without having been processed at any stage
0.04 %. The copper is not susceptible to hydrogen embrittle-
by electrolytic or chemical refining. Usually when the term
ment, as determined in Specification B 379. The copper is of
fire-refined copper is used alone it refers to fire-refined tough
relatively low-electrical conductivity due to the amount of
pitch copper. This designation applies to the following:
phosphorus present.
—copper cast in refinery shapes suitable for hot or cold
working or both, and by extension, to fabricators’ products
NOTE 1—International Standards Organization specifications permit up
to 0.050 % phosphorus.
made therefrom.
—ingots or ingot bars suitable for remelting.
deoxidized copper, low-residual phosphorus— copper
flash—as in welding, the metal that protrudes at the weld of the
deoxidized with phosphorus residual in amounts 0.004 to
tube, internally, externally, or both, as a result of the pressure
0.012 %. The copper is not readily susceptible to hydrogen
applied when a forge-type seam is produced; the two types
embrittlement, as determined in Specification B 379. The
of flash are internal flash and external flash.
copper in the annealed condition has a minimum conductiv-
flat product—a rectangular or square solid section of rela-
ity of 90 % IACS.
tively great length in proportion to thickness. Included in the
dewetting—a condition that results when molten solder has
designation “flat product” depending on the width and
coated a surface and then receded leaving irregular-shaped
thickness, are plate, sheet, strip, and bar. Also included is the
mounds of solder separated by areas covered with a thin film
product known as “flat wire.”
but base metal is not exposed.
flat wire—a product up to and including 0.188 in. (4.78 mm)
dish (cross or transverse bow)—the departure from flatness
in thickness and up to and including 1 ⁄4 in. (31.8 mm) in
across the full width of the strip in the form of a single arc,
width.
excluding burrs.
foil—a term often applied to thin sheet or strip usually 0.005
disk—a round, commercially flat solid blank made from a flat
in. (0.13 mm) or less in thickness.
rolled product.
herringbone—a series of long continuous waves running at
distribution tube (Type D)—a seamless or welded copper
various angles to the rolling direction.
tube known as copper distribution tube (Type D).
high-conductivity copper—copper that in the annealed con-
double layer flat—a coil in which the product is spirally
dition has a minimum electrical conductivity of 100 %
wound into two connected disk-like layers such that one
IACS.
layer is on top of the other. (Sometimes called “double layer
pancake coil” or “double layer spirally wound coil.”) hot working—controlled mechanical operations for shaping a
B 846
product at temperatures above the recrystallization tempera- dimensions commercially known as “standard pipe sizes.”
ture. pipe, threadless—a seamless copper tube of standard pipe
inclusions—foreign particles which may or may not be en-
outside diameters conforming to particular dimensions com-
closed in the copper foil. mercially known as threadless pipe (TP).
ingot and ingot bar—refinery shapes used for remelting (not
pits—small holes having jagged edges, occurring as imperfec-
fabrication). Ingots normally range in weight from 20 to 35
tions which do not penetrate entirely through the copper foil.
lb (9 to 16 kg) and ingot bars from 50 to 70 lb (23 to 32 kg).
plate—as in inch-pound specifications, a wrought flat product
Both are usually notched to facilitate breaking into smaller
over 0.188-in. thick and over 12-in. wide, in straight lengths
pieces.
or coils (rolls).
lengths—straight pieces of the product.
plate—as in SI specifications, a wrought flat product over
lengths, standard—uniform lengths recommended in a Sim-
5-mm thick and over 300-mm wide, in straight lengths or
plified Practice Recommendation or established as a Com-
coils (rolls).
mercial Standard.
portion size—the number of lengths of pipe to be used for a
longitudinal corrugation—a condition similar to dish except
specific test.
that the sense of curvature changes sign at least once across
precipitation heat treatment—a thermal treatment of a solu-
the width of the strip.
tion heat-treated product to produce property changes such
multiple—straight lengths of integral multiples of a base
as hardening, strengthening, and conductivity increase by
length, with suitable allowance for cutting, if and when
precipitation of constituents from the supersaturated solid
specified.
solution. This treatment has also been called “age hardened”
nodules—small irregularly shaped imperfections in the elec-
and “precipitation hardened.”
trolytic copper foil which do not cause the foil to fail the
quench hardening—a treatment for copper-aluminum alloy
thickness tolerance.
products consisting of heating above the betatizing tempera-
order strengthening—a thermal treatment of a cold-worked
ture followed by quenching to produce a hard martensitic
product at a temperature below its recrystallization tempera-
structure.
ture causing ordering to occur to obtain an increase in yield
random—run of mill lengths without any indicated preferred
strength.
length.
oxygen-free copper, extra-low phosphorus— oxygen-free
reel or spool—a cylindrical device that has a rim at each end
copper containing 0.001 to 0.005 % phosphorus. The copper
and an axial hole for a shaft or spindle, and on which the
is not readily susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement, as
product is wound to facilitate handling and shipping.
determined in Specification B 379. The copper in the an-
residual stress—stresses that remain within a body as the
nealed condition has a minimum conductivity of 98.16 %
result of plastic deformation or casting.
IACS.
rod, for staybolts—a round solid section furnished in straight
oxygen-free copper, low phosphorus—oxygen-free copper
lengths.
containing 0.005 to 0.12 % phosphorus. The copper is not
rod, piston finish—a round rod having a special surface
susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement, as determined in
produced by turning or grinding to close tolerances for
Specification B 379. The copper in the annealed condition
diameter and straightness.
has a minimum conductivity of 90 % IACS.
rod, shafting—a round rod specially manufactured to the close
—deoxidized, phosphorus-arsenical copper
straightness tolerances required for use in shafting.
—arsenical, tough-pitch copper
roll—a length of the product 25 ft (7.62 m) to 50 ft (15.24 m)
—silver-bearing copper
inclusive, spirally wound into a series of connected turns,
—sulfur-bearing copper
with successive turns on top of one another.
—deoxidized phosphorus-tellurium copper
sample—the final form of a material submitted for chemical
—zirconium-bearing copper
analysis (drillings, millings, and so forth) or a prepared test
—tellurium-bearing copper
specimen to be used for mechanical testing.
NOTE 2—Coppers listed contain the de
...
Questions, Comments and Discussion
Ask us and Technical Secretary will try to provide an answer. You can facilitate discussion about the standard in here.