BRASS

Tensile Properties
Annealed Tensile strength of brass at 20 degrees celcius is 338-469 Mpa for metric standard., or about 49000-68000
psi for english standard
Modulus of Elasticity
Brass has modulus elasticity around 97 Gpa for metric standard, or about 14100 ksi for english standard

Hardness
Brassadded by aluminium is stronger and more corrosion resistant. Aluminium also causes a highly beneficial hard
layer of aluminium oxide (Al2O3) to be formed on the surface that is thin, transparent and self healing. Tin has a
similar effect and finds its use especially in sea water applications (naval brasses). Combinations of iron,
aluminium, silicon and manganese make brass wear and tear resistant.

Ductility
Brass has higher malleability than copper or zinc. The relatively low melting point (900940 C, depending on
composition) of brass and its flow characteristics make it a relatively easy material to cast. By varying the
proportions of copper and zinc, the properties of the brass can be changed, allowing the production of hard and
soft brasses.

HISTORY
800-700 BC

1647-1679
1738

1832-now

By the 8th7th century BC Assyrian cuneiform tablets mention the exploitation of the
"copper of the mountains" and this may refer to "natural" brass.Oreichalkos, the Ancient
Greek translation of this term, was later adapted to the Latin aurichalcum meaning
"golden copper" which became the standard term for brass. In the 4th century BC Plato
knew oreichalkos as rare and nearly as valuable a gold and Pliny describes
how aurichalcum had come from Cypriot ore deposits which had been exhausted by the
1st century AD
In America, one of the first recorded brass founders and fabricators is Joseph Jenks in
Lynn, Mass from 1647 to 1679 with brass pins for wool making being a very important
product. Despite legal restrictions, many others set up such works during the eighteenth
century.
In 1738, William Champion was able to take out a patent for the production of
zinc by distillation from calamine and charcoal. Cast brass was hammered to
make wrought plate in a water-powered 'battery'. Rods cut from the plate were
then pulled through dies by hand to make the vital stock needed for pins for the
textile weaving industry.
With the invention of 60/40 brass by Muntz in 1832 it became possible to make
cheap, hot workable brass plates. These supplanted the use of copper for the
sheathing of wooden ships to prevent biofouling and worm attack.

MAKING PROCESS
MELTING

HOT ROLLING

ANNEALING &
COLD ROLLING

FINISH
ROLLING

1 The appropriate amount of suitable copper alloy scrap is weighed and transferred
into an electric furnace where it is melted at about 1,920F (1,050C). After
adjusting for the amount of zinc in the scrap alloy, an appropriate amount of zinc is
added after the copper melts. A small amount of additional zinc, about 50% of the
total zinc required, may be added to compensate for any zinc that vaporized during
the melting operation.
2 The molten metal is poured into molds about 8 in x 18 in x 10 ft (20 cm x 46 cm x
3 m) and allowed to solidify into slabs called cakes. In some operations, the melting
and pouring are done semi-continuously to produce very long slabs.
3 When the cakes are cool enough to be moved, theyare dumped out of the molds
and moved to the rolling area where they are stored.
4 The cakes are placed in a furnace and arereheated until they reach the desired
temperature.
5 The heated cakes are then fed through a series of opposing steel rollers which
reduce the thickness of the brass step-by-step to about 0.5 in (13 mm) or less.This
process is sometimes called breakdown rolling.
6 The brass, passes through a milling machine called a scalper. This machine cuts
a thin layer off the outer faces of the brass to remove any oxides which may have
formed on the surfaces as a result of the hot metal's exposure to the air.
7 As the brass is hot rolled it gets harder and more difficult to work. It also loses its
ductility, or ability to be stretched further. Before the brass can be rolled further, it must
first be heated to relieve some of its hardness and make it more ductile. This process is
called annealing. Larger pieces of hot-rolled brass may be placed in a sealed furnace and
annealed together in a batch
8 The annealed pieces of brass are then fed through another series of rollers to further
reduce their thickness to about 0.1 in (2.5 mm). This process is called cold rolling
because the temperature of the brass is much lower than the temperature during hot
rolling
9 Steps 7 and 8 may be repeated many times to achieve the desired thickness,
strength, and degree of hardness. In some plants, the pieces of brass are connected
together into one long, continuous sheet and are fed through a series of annealing
furnaces and rolling mills arranged in a vertical serpentine pattern.
10 At this point, the wide sheets may be slit into narrower sections to produce brass
strip.
maymay
then
given
an acid
bath
andto
rinse
to clean
it.
11The
Thestrip
sheets
bebe
given
a final
cold
rolling
tighten
the tolerances
on the
thickness or to produce a very smooth surface finish. They are then cut to size,
stacked or coiled depending on their thickness and intended use, and sent to the
ware-house for distribution.
12 The strip may also be given a final finish rolling before it is cut to length, coiled,
and sent to the warehouse.

APPLICATIONS
Musical Instruments
Brass is used to make wind
musical instruments owing
to its good acoustic
properties. It is popularly
used to make trumpets,
tubas, horns, euphonium,
saxophones and trombones.

Tableware & Utensils

Brass gives an attractive
appearance does not rust or
tarnish easily, and is durable.
Brass tableware is available in
one of two finishes: antique finish
and polished finish. Popular brass
items include napkin rings,jugs,
cutlery, crockery, trays, icetongs, wine chillers and cooking
utensils.

Radiators
Brass is a good thermal conductor and
is used to make radiators and heat
exchangers. Radiators are used in cars
and trucks to prevent the engine from
overheating. An efficient radiator is
one that has excellent heat
transferring capability.Brass was the
primary choice for heaters and