A Copper Alliance Member
Good Buy. Good-Bye.
In today's cost conscious component parts industry, the difference between a "good buy" and a "good bye" is often bottom line cost. In this case, free-cutting brass is 17% less expensive than its 12L14 steel counterpart!
It's simple math. While up-front costs for brass may be higher, once you factor in machining costs (brass is up to five time more machinable), turnings value (steel scrap is worthless), and the need to plate steel (brass naturally resists corrosion) - the bottom-line cost for free-cutting brass is significantly lower per finished part.
After only 314 hours exposure to salt-spray (fog) corrosion testing (ASTM B 117), the zinc-coated steel fitting (right) failed to meet customer specification.
| C36000 | 12L14 Steel | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| $92.46 | Raw Material Cost | $35.92 | |
| -44.84 | Scrap/Turnings Value | +0.00 | |
| $47.62 | Net Raw Material Cost | $35.92 | |
| +28.44 | Cost of Machining | +47.78 | |
| +0.00 | Zinc Electrocoating | +6.09 | |
| $76.06 | Total Finished Parts Cost | $91.79 | |
| * Based on June 1994 costs. | |||
For information on vendor sourcing and what makes free-cutting brass the "good buy," call the Copper Development Association at 800-CDA-DATA; fax: 212-251-7234
Useful Resources
Free-Cutting Brass, which many people know by it's traditional name, CDA Alloy 360, is the most important commercial copper alloy, surpassing all but copper itself in terms of annual consumption.
In today's cost conscious component parts industry, the difference between a "good buy" and a "good bye" is often bottom line cost.
For information on vendor sourcing and what makes free-cutting brass the "good buy," call the Copper Development Association at 800 CDA-DATA; fax: 212-251-7234
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