Material data, copper-zinc-tin alloy

UNS C46500 Arsenical Naval Brass Composition, properties, ASTM B171 tube sheets and forged components

UNS C46500 is arsenical naval brass, a wrought copper-zinc-tin alloy of 59.0 to 62.0% copper, 0.50 to 1.0% tin, 0.02 to 0.06% arsenic and the balance zinc. It is specified for condenser tube plates, heat-exchanger components and marine hardware in seawater service. Tin raises resistance to seawater and impingement attack over plain 60/40 brass. Arsenic inhibits dezincification. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd., an open-die forging works in Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, China, supplies C46500 as forged and machined tube sheets, discs, rings, flanges, valve parts and bushings to ASTM B171, B21, B124 and B283, certified to EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2.

Also referenced as: naval brass arsenical, CDA 465, CA465, ASTM B171 C46500, ASME SB-171 C46500, ASTM B21 C46500, CuZn39Sn1 (arsenical), nearest EN CW719R, BS CZ112 and CZ133, JIS C4622.

C46500 at a glance

Alloy family: Copper-zinc-tin (tin brass)Duplex alpha plus beta naval brass
Nominal composition: Cu 60, Zn 39, Sn 0.8, As 0.04Cu plus named elements 99.6% min
Density: 8.41 g/cm³0.304 lb/in³
Tensile strength: 379 MPa (55 ksi)Typical, as hot rolled M20
Hot forgeability: Rating 90C37700 = 100, hot forming rated excellent
Machinability: Rating 30Free-cutting brass C36000 = 100
Melting range: 888 to 899 °C1630 to 1650 °F, solidus to liquidus
Key specifications: ASTM B171, B21, B124Also B283, B432, ASME SB-171
Purpose of the arsenic: Dezincification inhibitor0.02 to 0.06% As. C46400 has none
Supplied by: Jiangyin Jiangnan MetalMOQ 10 kg, lead time 20 to 60 days

§01

What is C46500 naval brass?

C46500 is the arsenic-inhibited grade of naval brass. The base is a 60/40 copper-zinc alloy in which roughly 0.8% tin replaces an equal quantity of zinc. Arsenic is then added at 0.02 to 0.06% to suppress dezincification.

Naval brass was developed for seawater service. Plain 60/40 brass is strong and easy to hot work, but in saline water the zinc is preferentially leached out of it. That failure mode is dezincification. It leaves a porous copper residue behind an apparently sound surface, and the affected metal has almost no strength left. Substituting tin for part of the zinc slows the attack and improves resistance to impingement by moving water. Arsenic at the level specified for C46500 inhibits the mechanism further. For that reason C46500, not the uninhibited C46400, is the grade written into condenser and heat-exchanger drawings.

Metallurgically the alloy is a duplex alpha plus beta brass. The beta phase gives it the excellent hot workability that makes it a forging and hot-pressing alloy. The alpha phase carries the ductility. The same duplex structure holds cold workability down to a fair rating, so heavy parts are hot forged close to shape rather than cold formed.

C46500 and nickel aluminium bronze are different alloys. The two are regularly confused. C46500 is a brass: copper, zinc, tin and arsenic, with no deliberate aluminium or nickel. Nickel aluminium bronze, UNS C63000 wrought or C95800 cast, runs roughly 9 to 11% aluminium, 4 to 6% nickel and 2 to 5% iron, with no significant zinc. Published C46500 datasheets that list aluminium and nickel percentages have reproduced C63000 figures under the wrong alloy number. Both alloys serve marine applications, but strength, colour, machining behaviour and welding procedure differ throughout.

The naval brass family

Naval brass grades and their inhibitor additions
UNS	Name	Inhibitor	Typical use
C46400	Naval brass, uninhibited	None	General marine hardware, forgings, fasteners
C46500	Naval brass, arsenical	As 0.02 to 0.06%	Condenser tube plates, heat exchangers, seawater service
C46600	Naval brass, antimonial	Sb 0.02 to 0.10%	Alternative inhibited grade, regional preference
C46700	Naval brass, phosphorized	P 0.02 to 0.10%	Alternative inhibited grade
C48200, C48500	Naval brass, leaded	Pb added	Free-machining variants, screw-machine work

§02

C46500 chemical composition

Composition limits for UNS C46500 are copper 59.0 to 62.0%, tin 0.50 to 1.0%, arsenic 0.02 to 0.06%, lead 0.20% maximum, iron 0.10% maximum, and zinc as the remainder. Copper plus the sum of named elements must reach 99.6% minimum.

UNS C46500 composition limits, weight percent
Element	Symbol	Minimum %	Maximum %	Function
Copper	Cu	59.0	62.0	Base metal
Zinc	Zn	n/a	Remainder	Strength, cost, beta phase former. Nominally about 39%
Tin	Sn	0.50	1.0	Seawater and impingement corrosion resistance
Arsenic	As	0.02	0.06	Dezincification inhibitor
Lead	Pb	n/a	0.20	Residual, not deliberately added
Iron	Fe	n/a	0.10	Residual

Composition limits per the Copper Development Association alloy record for C46500, as adopted in ASTM B171/B171M, ASTM B21 and ASTM B124. Copper plus the sum of named elements: 99.6% minimum.

Lead content and RoHS

Lead is not an intentional addition and production heats normally run well under the ceiling, so the grade is commonly sold as a lead-free naval brass. The specification limit of 0.20% maximum still sits above the 0.1% RoHS threshold on paper. Where RoHS compliance or a drinking-water approval applies, state the limit on the purchase order and check the actual lead figure on the EN 10204 3.1 mill certificate before release.

§03

Mechanical properties of C46500

Typical as-hot-rolled C46500 flat product develops 379 MPa (55 ksi) tensile strength, 172 MPa (25 ksi) yield strength at 0.5% extension and 50% elongation. Cold-drawn rod reaches 552 MPa (80 ksi) tensile in the half-hard H02 temper, hard-drawn tube 607 MPa (88 ksi).

Typical mechanical properties by product form and temper, measured at 20 °C
Form	Temper	Code	Section	Tensile	Yield 0.5% ext	Elong.	HRB	Shear
Plate, sheet	As hot rolled	M20	25 mm	379 MPa / 55 ksi	172 MPa / 25 ksi	50%	55	276 MPa
Plate, sheet	Light anneal	O50	6 mm	414 MPa / 60 ksi	193 MPa / 28 ksi	45%	58	283 MPa
Sheet	Light anneal	O50	1 mm	427 MPa / 62 ksi	207 MPa / 30 ksi	40%	60	283 MPa
Plate, sheet	Soft anneal	O60	6 mm	400 MPa / 58 ksi	172 MPa / 25 ksi	49%	56	276 MPa
Sheet	Quarter hard	H01	1 mm	483 MPa / 70 ksi	400 MPa / 58 ksi	17%	75	296 MPa
Rod, bar	Soft anneal	O60	25 mm	393 MPa / 57 ksi	172 MPa / 25 ksi	47%	55	276 MPa
Rod, bar	Light anneal	O50	25 mm	434 MPa / 63 ksi	207 MPa / 30 ksi	40%	60	290 MPa
Rod, bar	Quarter hard	H01	25 mm	476 MPa / 69 ksi	317 MPa / 46 ksi	27%	78	296 MPa
Rod, bar	Half hard	H02	6 mm	552 MPa / 80 ksi	393 MPa / 57 ksi	20%	85	310 MPa
Tube	Hard	H04	n/a	607 MPa / 88 ksi	455 MPa / 66 ksi	18%	95	n/a

Typical values from the Copper Development Association alloy record for C46500, metric figures converted from US customary. Section sizes rounded from the source table. These are typical properties, not acceptance criteria. Guaranteed minima are set by the ASTM specification and product form stated on the order, and are reported on the mill certificate.

§04

Physical properties of C46500

C46500 has a density of 8.41 g/cm³, melts between 888 and 899 °C, conducts 26% IACS electrically and 116 W/(m·K) thermally, and has a modulus of elasticity of 103 GPa.

Physical and thermal properties at 20 °C (68 °F)
Property	Metric (SI)	US customary
Density	8.41 g/cm³	0.304 lb/in³
Melting point, liquidus	899 °C	1650 °F
Melting point, solidus	888 °C	1630 °F
Electrical conductivity	26% IACS, about 15.1 MS/m	26% IACS
Electrical resistivity	about 6.6 µΩ·cm	about 39.9 Ω·circ mil/ft
Thermal conductivity	116 W/(m·K)	67 Btu/(ft·h·°F)
Coefficient of thermal expansion	21.2 × 10^-6 /K, 20 to 300 °C	11.8 × 10^-6 /°F, 68 to 572 °F
Specific heat capacity	377 J/(kg·K)	0.09 Btu/(lb·°F)
Modulus of elasticity in tension	103 GPa	15,000 ksi
Modulus of rigidity in shear	38.6 GPa	5,600 ksi

Source: Copper Development Association alloy record for C46500. SI values converted from US customary units.

Thermal expansion in mixed-material joints. At 21.2 × 10^-6 /K, C46500 grows about 1.8 times as much as carbon steel and about 1.3 times as much as austenitic stainless. Where a bolted heat-exchanger joint pairs a naval brass tube sheet with a steel shell flange, the differential growth across the bolt circle has to be taken up by the gasket and the bolt load. Check it at design temperature, not at ambient.

§05

Forging, heat treatment and fabrication data

C46500 rates 90 for hot forgeability and excellent for hot forming, with a hot working range of 650 to 816 °C. Annealing runs at 427 to 593 °C. Machinability rates 30 and cold workability rates fair, so heavy sections are hot forged close to shape and finish-machined afterwards.

Fabrication ratings and process temperatures
Property or process	Value	Comment
Hot forgeability rating	90	Scale where free-forging brass C37700 = 100. Among the better hot-forging copper alloys
Capacity for hot forming	Excellent	Beta phase softens readily at forging temperature
Capacity for cold working	Fair	Duplex structure limits cold reduction between anneals
Machinability rating	30	Free-cutting brass C36000 = 100. Sharp positive-rake tooling, reduced speeds
Hot working temperature	650 to 816 °C (1200 to 1500 °F)	Forging, hot pressing, hot upsetting, ring rolling
Annealing temperature	427 to 593 °C (800 to 1100 °F)	Softening between cold-working passes. Not a hardening treatment
Response to heat treatment	Not age hardenable	Strength comes from cold work, not from precipitation hardening

Joining suitability

Joining process ratings for C46500
Process	Rating	Process	Rating
Soldering	Excellent	Spot welding	Good
Brazing	Excellent	Butt welding	Good
Oxyacetylene welding	Good	Seam welding	Fair
Gas shielded arc welding	Fair	Coated metal arc welding	Not recommended

Ratings per the Copper Development Association alloy record. Zinc fume extraction is required for any hot joining operation on naval brass. In shell-and-tube construction, tube-to-tube-sheet joints in C46500 are normally made by rolled expansion rather than welding.

Common fabrication routes

Hot forging and pressing. The main route for valve bodies, blocks, hubs and heavy marine hardware
Hot heading and upsetting. Bolt, rivet and turnbuckle production
Ring rolling. Seamless rings for seats, retainers and flange blanks
Blanking, shearing, forming and bending. Plate work for baffles and support plates
Drawing. Rod and tube in H01, H02 and H04 tempers

§06

Specifications and international equivalents

C46500 is covered by ASTM B171/B171M for plate and sheet in condensers and heat exchangers, ASTM B21 for rod, bar and shapes, ASTM B124 for forging stock, ASTM B283 for hot-pressed die forgings and ASTM B432 for clad steel plate. ASME SB-171 is the pressure-vessel code adoption.

Governing specifications by product form
Product form	Specification	Title or scope
Plate and sheet, tube plates	ASTM B171/B171M	Copper-alloy plate and sheet for pressure vessels, condensers and heat exchangers. The specification normally quoted for C46500 tube sheets
Plate and sheet, ASME code	ASME SB-171	ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code adoption of ASTM B171
Rod, bar and shapes	ASTM B21/B21M	Naval brass rod, bar and shapes
Forging stock	ASTM B124/B124M	Copper and copper-alloy forging rod, bar and shapes
Die forgings	ASTM B283/B283M	Copper and copper-alloy die forgings, hot pressed
Clad plate	ASTM B432	Copper and copper-alloy clad steel plate, for clad or overlaid tube sheets
General wrought	SAE J461, SAE J463	Wrought and cast copper alloys. Wrought copper and copper alloys

Cross-reference to international designations

Nearest equivalent designations for naval brass
System	Designation	Note
UNS, USA	C46500	Arsenical naval brass, the reference designation
CDA, USA	CDA 465, CA465	Same alloy, legacy three-digit form
EN number	CW719R	CuZn39Sn1. Arsenic not specified
EN and ISO chemical	CuZn39Sn1	Also the ISO designation for naval brass
British Standard	CZ112, CZ133	Naval brass, sheet and plate, and rod respectively
Japan	JIS C4622	Naval brass
Germany, legacy	CuZn38Sn1, 2.0530	Close, but zinc and tin ranges are not identical

Ordering against a European or Japanese designation. None of the grades listed above specifies the 0.02 to 0.06% arsenic addition that defines C46500. They correspond to C46400, the uninhibited grade. Where dezincification resistance is the reason C46500 was chosen, order to the UNS or ASTM designation, or add the arsenic range to the purchase order as a supplementary requirement. A certificate reading CW719R on its own does not demonstrate compliance with C46500.

§07

Corrosion behaviour and where C46500 is used

C46500 performs well in clean seawater, brackish water and moderately polluted river water, and resists dezincification, wear, galling and fatigue. It is the wrong alloy for high-velocity or sulphide-polluted seawater, and for ammonia-bearing environments that promote stress corrosion cracking.

Where it performs

Seawater and brackish water at moderate velocity, the design case the alloy was created for
Dezincification, inhibited by the arsenic addition, which is the practical difference from C46400
Impingement and erosion, improved over plain 60/40 brass by the tin addition
Atmospheric and non-oxidising acid exposure, good general resistance
Wear, galling and fatigue, where the duplex structure gives useful bearing behaviour for stems, balls and bushings

Where to specify something else

High-velocity or silt-laden seawater. Consider C71500 copper-nickel or nickel aluminium bronze
Sulphide-polluted or stagnant seawater. Attack accelerates. Copper-nickel is the usual answer
Ammonia or amine service. Risk of stress corrosion cracking in duplex brasses
Oxidising acids and strong alkalis. Outside the range of the alloy
Service above roughly 200 °C. Strength falls away and dezincification accelerates

Typical applications

Application areas for C46500 naval brass
Sector	Components
Heat transfer	Condenser tube plates and tube sheets, baffles, support plates, condenser plates, heat-exchanger headers and flanges, heat-exchanger tube, heat sinks
Marine	Propeller-shaft components, marine hardware, decorative and structural fittings, mooring and deck hardware, turnbuckles
Valves and flow control	Valve stems, valve seats, valve guides, balls, plunger tips, pump shafts and pump parts
Fasteners	Bolts, nuts, rivets, aircraft turnbuckle barrels
Mechanical	Bushings, bearings, sleeves, gears, cams, shafting, wear strip, structural members
Process plant	Petrochemical tanks, welded piping systems, desalination and power-station condenser components
Consumables	Naval brass welding and brazing rod

§08

C46500 forged and machined products from Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal

Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. supplies C46500 naval brass as forged and machined components: tube sheets, discs, rings, flanges, valve parts, bushings and sleeves. Production runs on the same presses, ring mills, heat-treatment furnaces and machine tools used for the works' steel and nickel-alloy programme, and every order is released against EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 certification.

Product range in C46500

Tube sheets and tube plates to ASTM B171, solid, drilled and grooved to drawing, for surface condensers, feedwater heaters and desalination plant
Baffles and support plates, profiled and drilled to the same tube pattern
Clad and weld-overlaid tube sheets, C46500 facing on a carbon or low-alloy steel backing, per ASTM B432 practice
Forged discs, blanks, hubs and covers, proof-machined for inspection where required
Rings and seamless rolled rings for seats, retainers and flange blanks
Forged flanges in weld neck, blind, slip-on and lap joint patterns to drawing
Round bar, hollow bar, sleeves, bushes and bushings
Valve stems, seats, guides, balls and plunger tips
Pump and propeller-shaft components, shafting and marine hardware
Cylinders, casings, shells and housings bored from solid forged blanks

Size envelope

Working envelope, set by plant equipment
Product	Limit	Set by
Discs, tube sheets, covers	up to 5,000 mm dia. machined	5,000 mm vertical turning lathe
Seamless rolled rings	up to 6,000 mm OD	6 m radial-axial ring rolling mill
Minimum ring size	from 50 mm OD	Upset-and-punch route below ring-mill range
Shafts and long components	up to 14,000 mm turned length	C61160 horizontal lathe
Bored cylinders and hollow sections	up to 1,600 mm dia. by 10,000 mm	CNC deep-hole drilling machine
Single-piece weight	up to 30,000 kg	6,300 t hydraulic open-die press
Minimum order	10 kg, no minimum piece count	Weight-based, so one-off parts can be quoted

Inspection and certification

Every order is released against a documented route: verified chemistry, mechanical testing on a representative test piece, non-destructive and dimensional examination, then certification. The on-site laboratory runs optical emission spectrometry, handheld PMI alloy verification, 600 kN and 300 kN tensile machines, ultrasonic and magnetic particle inspection, and metallography. EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates are standard. EN 10204 3.2 certificates witnessed by BV, DNV, LR, SGS, TÜV or the customer's own inspector are available on request. The works holds CCS, BV, DNV, LR and NK classification society approvals.

About the plant. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. has operated as an integrated melting works and open-die forge in Zhouzhuang Town, Jiangyin City since 1997, with 460 staff including 9 senior engineers, 32 intermediate engineers and 140 technicians. Equipment includes hydraulic open-die presses of 6,300 t, 4,000 t and 2,000 t, radial-axial ring mills of 6 m, 3 m and 1 m, five forging hammers, 14 heat-treatment furnaces including two 15 m well-type furnaces, and a machine shop with vertical lathes to 5,000 mm swing. Steel grades are melted in house through EF, LF, VOD, VIM, VAR and ESR routes. Copper-alloy work such as C46500 is produced from certified alloy stock and passes through the same forging, heat-treatment, machining and inspection chain.

§09

How to request a C46500 quotation

Email a drawing or written specification to sales@steelforgepieces.com. Quotations are normally returned within two working days. Minimum order is 10 kg with no minimum piece count, and typical lead time is 20 to 60 days from order confirmation.

What to include in a request for quotation
#	Item	Example
1	Grade and specification	UNS C46500 to ASTM B171/B171M
2	Dimensions or a drawing in PDF, DWG, DXF or STEP	Tube sheet 1,800 mm dia. by 90 mm, 1,240 holes at 19.2 mm
3	Quantity and expected repeat volume	4 pcs, about twice a year
4	Delivery condition	As forged, proof-machined, or drilled and finish-machined
5	Testing requirements	Tensile, chemistry, dezincification test, dye penetrant
6	Certification and destination port	EN 10204 3.2 witnessed by BV, Rotterdam

For a clad or weld-overlaid tube sheet, state the backing steel grade and the minimum overlay thickness after machining. If the drawing quotes CW719R or CZ112 but dezincification resistance is required, say so on the enquiry, because the arsenic range has to be added to the order as set out in section 06.

§10

Contact for C46500 naval brass forgings

Company: Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd.
Business: Integrated melting works, open-die forge and ring rolling mill
Plant address: No.1 Chengxiqiao Road, Zhouzhuang Town,
Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, China
Established: 1997, 460 employees

Telephone, WhatsApp and WeChat: +86 189 2135 9659
Email: sales@steelforgepieces.com
Approvals: CCS, BV, DNV, LR, NK
Business hours: Monday to Saturday, 08:00 to 17:30 China Standard Time (UTC+8)

Email a C46500 enquiry

§11

Frequently asked questions about C46500

What is UNS C46500?

UNS C46500 is arsenical naval brass. It is a wrought copper-zinc-tin alloy containing 59.0 to 62.0% copper, 0.50 to 1.0% tin, 0.02 to 0.06% arsenic, up to 0.20% lead, up to 0.10% iron, with zinc making up the balance. It is the arsenic-inhibited version of C46400 naval brass. The arsenic suppresses dezincification in seawater and brackish water. C46500 is neither a steel nor an aluminium bronze.

Is C46500 the same as nickel aluminium bronze?

No. C46500 is a copper-zinc-tin brass with about 39% zinc and no deliberate aluminium or nickel. Nickel aluminium bronze is a separate family, UNS C63000 wrought or C95800 cast, containing roughly 9 to 11% aluminium, 4 to 6% nickel and 2 to 5% iron, with no significant zinc.

Both serve marine applications, which is the usual source of the confusion, but they differ in strength, colour, machining behaviour and welding procedure. A datasheet that lists aluminium and nickel percentages under a C46500 heading has reproduced C63000 figures under the wrong alloy number.

What is the difference between C46400 and C46500 naval brass?

Base chemistry and mechanical properties are effectively the same. C46400 is uninhibited. C46500 carries 0.02 to 0.06% arsenic as a dezincification inhibitor, which makes it the grade normally called up for condenser tube plates, heat-exchanger components and seawater service where selective zinc loss matters. C46600 uses antimony and C46700 uses phosphorus for the same purpose.

Which ASTM specifications cover C46500?

ASTM B171/B171M covers C46500 plate and sheet for pressure vessels, condensers and heat exchangers, and is the specification normally quoted for tube sheets and tube plates. ASTM B21 covers naval brass rod, bar and shapes. ASTM B124 covers forging rod, bar and shapes. ASTM B283 covers hot-pressed die forgings. ASTM B432 covers copper-alloy clad steel plate. ASME SB-171 is the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code adoption of ASTM B171. SAE J461 and J463 also list the alloy.

What is the European equivalent of C46500?

The nearest European designation is CuZn39Sn1, EN number CW719R, which is also the ISO designation for naval brass. British Standard equivalents are CZ112 and CZ133. The Japanese equivalent is JIS C4622.

None of these grades specifies the arsenic addition that defines C46500, so where dezincification resistance is the design requirement, order to the UNS or ASTM designation, or add the arsenic range to the purchase order as a supplementary requirement.

Can C46500 naval brass be forged?

Yes. C46500 carries a hot forgeability rating of 90 on the scale where free-forging brass C37700 is 100, and its capacity for hot forming is rated excellent. The recommended hot working range is 650 to 816 °C (1200 to 1500 °F). Capacity for cold working is only fair, so heavy sections are hot forged rather than cold worked. Annealing runs at 427 to 593 °C (800 to 1100 °F). The alloy is not age hardenable.

What are the mechanical properties of C46500?

In the as-hot-rolled M20 temper, typical flat-product values are 379 MPa (55 ksi) tensile strength, 172 MPa (25 ksi) yield strength at 0.5% extension, 50% elongation and 55 HRB. Light-annealed O50 flat product runs about 414 to 427 MPa tensile at 40 to 45% elongation. Cold-drawn rod reaches 552 MPa (80 ksi) tensile and 393 MPa (57 ksi) yield in the half-hard H02 temper. Hard-drawn tube reaches 607 MPa (88 ksi).

These are typical values. Acceptance minima come from the applicable ASTM specification and are reported on the mill certificate.

Is C46500 resistant to seawater corrosion?

Yes, within limits. Tin improves resistance to seawater and impingement attack compared with plain 60/40 brass, and arsenic inhibits dezincification. C46500 performs well in clean seawater, brackish water and moderately polluted river water, which is the basis for its use in condenser plates, tube sheets and marine hardware.

It is still a duplex alpha-beta brass. High-velocity or silt-laden water, sulphide-polluted or stagnant seawater, and ammonia-bearing environments that promote stress corrosion cracking all call for a different alloy such as C71500 copper-nickel or a nickel aluminium bronze.

Is C46500 lead free and RoHS compliant?

Lead is not deliberately added and the specification limit is 0.20% maximum, so C46500 is commonly described as a lead-free naval brass. That 0.20% ceiling still sits above the 0.1% RoHS threshold on paper. For RoHS-critical or drinking-water orders, state the required limit on the purchase order and check the actual lead figure on the EN 10204 3.1 mill certificate before release.

Can C46500 be welded?

Soldering and brazing are rated excellent. Oxyacetylene welding, spot welding and butt welding are rated good. Gas shielded arc welding and seam welding are rated fair. Coated metal arc welding is not recommended. Zinc fume extraction is required for any hot joining operation on naval brass. In shell-and-tube construction, tube-to-tube-sheet joints in C46500 are normally made by rolled expansion rather than welding.

How machinable is C46500?

C46500 rates 30 against free-cutting brass C36000 at 100. It cuts predictably but throws stringier chips than leaded brass and needs sharp positive-rake tooling at reduced speeds. Heavy sections are usually hot forged close to shape and then finish-machined, which costs less than removing large volumes of metal from solid bar.

What C46500 products does Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal supply?

Condenser and heat-exchanger tube sheets, tube plates, baffles and support plates to ASTM B171. Clad and weld-overlaid tube sheets. Forged discs, rings, flanges, hubs and covers. Round and hollow bar, sleeves and bushings. Valve stems, seats, guides and balls. Pump and propeller-shaft components and marine hardware.

Discs and tube sheets are machined up to 5,000 mm diameter, rings roll up to 6,000 mm outside diameter, single-piece weight runs to 30,000 kg, and the minimum order is 10 kg with no minimum piece count.

What is the minimum order and lead time for C46500 forgings?

Minimum order is 10 kg with no minimum piece count, so a single one-off part can be quoted. Typical lead time is 20 to 60 days from order confirmation, depending on size, machining scope and testing requirements. Quotations are normally returned within two working days of receiving a drawing or written specification.

Where is Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal located and how do I request a quotation?

The works is at No.1 Chengxiqiao Road, Zhouzhuang Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, China, between Shanghai and Nanjing on the south bank of the Yangtze. Wuxi Shuofang International Airport is 30 km away and the Shanghai airports are 160 km.

For a quotation, email sales@steelforgepieces.com or call +86 189 2135 9659 with the grade, dimensions or drawing, quantity, delivery condition, testing and certification requirements, and destination port. Customer audits and third-party witness inspections are welcome by prior arrangement.

§13

Data sources and revision

Chemical composition limits, typical mechanical properties, physical properties and fabrication ratings on this page come from the Copper Development Association alloy record for C46500 and the ASTM specifications listed in section 06. SI values are converted from US customary units where the source is stated in US customary.

Typical properties are given for material selection and are not acceptance criteria. Guaranteed values depend on the product form, temper, section size and specification stated on the order, and are reported on the mill test certificate supplied with the goods.

Published 18 September 2026. Last reviewed 18 September 2026 by the Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal engineering department. Corrections and requests for additional data: sales@steelforgepieces.com.