Beryllium Copper Formability

Beryllium copper formability is measured by the bend ratio R/t. Solution annealed and Type-S tempers give tight bends without cracking. With more than 50 years in high performance copper alloys, NGK Berylco supplies UK, Irish and Nordic customers through its Salford office, backed by the wider NGK Group.

The core NGK Berylco grades are C17200 (CuBe2, Berylco 25) for high strength, C17300 (CuBe2Pb, Berylco 33/25) for free machining and C17510 (CuNi2Be, Berylco 14) for high conductivity. They are supplied as strip, wire, rod and plate or block, plus chill vents and non-sparking safety tools. Material can be supplied annealed or cold worked for forming and heat treated afterwards, or mill hardened in Type-B and Type-S tempers ready to use.

Choosing a beryllium copper grade comes down to balancing strength, conductivity and how the part will be made. C17200 is the all-rounder. C17300 suits screw machined parts. C17510 is the pick when current carrying matters most.

Mill hardened strip saves a heat treatment step, while solution annealed material gives the most freedom to form complex shapes before hardening. NGK Berylco's technical team can help pin down the right grade and temper.

Electronics designers need spring contacts that stay springy, conduct well and survive millions of cycles. Connectors, switches and relays all depend on materials that keep their contact force, and that's exactly where NGK Berylco alloys are specified.

Beryllium copper, also called beryllium bronze, adds between 0.4% and 2% beryllium to copper, with small additions of nickel, cobalt, iron, aluminium or lead. After heat treatment it reaches tensile strengths up to 1500 N/mm² and hardness up to 450 HV, while conductivity runs from around 22% to 70% IACS depending on grade. It is non-magnetic, non-sparking, corrosion resistant and works from cryogenic to elevated temperatures.

NGK Berylco also runs a scrap recycling and buyback programme. Recovered material is remelted into alloy of identical composition, which cuts waste and helps customers hit their sustainability targets. All of this sits under ISO 9001, EN 9100, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.

For Beryllium Copper Formability from a supplier with real metallurgical know-how, get in touch with NGK Berylco UK, Houston Park, Montford Street, Salford, M50 2RP. Call +44 (0)161 745 7162 or email enquiries@ngkberylco.co.uk.