Copper Types and Terms


Copper Types

  • Brass is a metal alloy containing copper and zinc.
  • Bronze is a metal alloy containing copper and tin.
  • Copper bars and copper rods are solid, straight uniform products of copper that can be extruded. These products have cross-sections in a variety of shapes, from circular to triangular, square and more.
  • Copper and bronze bearings are the most popular type of sleeve bearing because of the versatility and excellent properties copper alloys offer.
  • Copper pipe is made of a copper and has excellent electrical conductivity.
  • Copper billets are large pieces of pure copper that can be cut into smaller lengths in order to be extruded or forged as copper tubing, rod or bar.
  • Copper coil and copper wire are copper products with uniform cross-sections, available in several shapes. Copper is the best conductor of electricity of all the metals, except silver, and for this reason copper wire is common in electrical applications.
  • Copper sheet is formed from the rolling process and can be used as roofing.
  • Copper strip is a long sheet of metal with a length many times its width.
  • Copper tubing is a hollow aluminum product, useful in HVAC, plumbing and similar applications where corrosion-resistant tubing and a high level of heat transfer are required.



Copper Terms

Aging - Various surface treatments that can be done to copper to produce an "aged" or "antique" look.

Bending - A mechanical process, by which rollers, bending shoes or mandrels are used to bend a curved section on metal tubes, rods or other shapes.

Brake Forming - A type of bending that can be used on sheet, strip or plate.

Brass - A copper alloy, primarily containing zinc.

Brazing - A method of joining metal pipe or tube by using a nonferrous filler material.

Bronze - A copper alloy, primarily containing tin.

Castings - Metal shapes produced from pouring molten metal into a mold and waiting for it to cool and solidify into the desired shape.

Cleat - A small copper strip that is used as a fastener for sheet copper components.

Cold Forging - The process of hammering a metal into shape at room temperature.

Deoxidized Copper - Copper that has had a deoxidizer, such as phosphorus, added to it in order to reduce oxygen.

Extrusion - A method of creating a metal shape with a uniform cross-section, by forcing heated metal through a die.

Flashing - Copper sheet that is used in construction in order to prevent or divert water penetration.

High Conductivity Copper - Standard copper that is used in electrical applications, capable of 100% electrical conductivity.

Hydroforming - A method of forming that involves using hydraulic pressure on sheet metal placed between a male die and a rubber piece.

Laminating - Bonding, usually with adhesives, of metal sheet or strip alloys to various substrates, including aluminum, plywood and steel. The resulting product is often very strong.

Mechanical Treatments - Treatments done to finish metal surfaces, including grinding, polishing and buffing.

Patina - The natural copper coating that results from atmospheric corrosion.

Roll Forming - The process of pressing metal sheet or strip between rollers.

Scrap - Metal that is leftover after cutting. Generally, this can be recycled.

Soldering - A method of joining that is used for watertight applications, such as for roofing and gutters.

Spinning - A method of forming a product by using a hand tool to shape a revolving metal piece.

Stamping - Using a die in a press or a hammer to shape metal sheet or strip.