Copper Alloy CC481K
EN CC481K
CC481K is a phosphorus-deoxidised high-tin cast bronze (CuSn11P-C, C91100, ZCuSn10P1) in which about 11 % tin plus phosphorus forms a hard delta/Cu3P network that carries load and keeps friction low.
Reference datasheet — CC481K is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the GC condition
CC481K tempers and conditions
CC481K is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard. GC is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sand cast | Choose for one-off or large, complex bearing housings, worm wheel rims and pump parts where section thickness varies. | 190 | 310 | 6 | 95 HB | 11 % IACS |
Permanent (chill) mould cast | Choose for medium-to-large series of small bushings and worm wheels where a finer, denser structure and tighter tolerances are needed. | 220 | 350 | 4 | 110 HB | 11 % IACS |
GCDefault Continuously cast bar/tube | Default stock condition: continuously cast round bar, hollow bar and tube for machined bushings, nuts and thrust washers. | 230 | 380 | 8 | 105 HB | 11 % IACS |
Centrifugally cast | Choose for large-diameter, heavily loaded bushings, sleeves and worm-wheel rims needing a dense, porosity-free wall. | 240 | 400 | 8 | 110 HB | 11 % IACS |
What is CC481K?
CC481K is a phosphorus-deoxidised high-tin cast bronze (CuSn11P-C, C91100, ZCuSn10P1) in which about 11 % tin plus phosphorus forms a hard delta/Cu3P network that carries load and keeps friction low. Engineers specify it for heavily loaded sliding bearings, worm wheels and bushings, available sand cast (GS), gravity die cast (GM), centrifugally cast (GZ) and continuously cast (GC) at 230 MPa yield, 380 MPa tensile, 8 % elongation and 105 HB. Limits are low ductility, poor fusion weldability, a 250 °C service ceiling and only 11 % IACS conductivity, with a machinability score of 45. Where more elongation or easier machining is needed, CC491K gunmetal or nickel-modified CC484K are the nearest alternatives. CC481K has a density of 8.8 g/cm³ (0.318 lb/in³), heavier than 58% of copper alloy grades. It melts at 830°C (1,526 °F). CC481K has a yield strength of 230 MPa (33.4 ksi) and a tensile strength of 380 MPa (55.1 ksi) — stronger than 51% of copper alloy grades. Elongation at break is 8% and the elastic modulus is 110 GPa (16 Msi).
What is CC481K used for?
- worm wheels
- sliding bearings
- centrifugally cast bushings
- gear blanks
Limitations
- Limited formability — 8/100, worse than 94% of copper alloy grades
- Difficult to weld — 20/100, worse than 88% of copper alloy grades
- High embodied carbon — 4.8 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 84% of copper alloy grades
- Limited ductility — 8%, worse than 83% of copper alloy grades
CC481K properties
Typical room-temperature values for CC481K-GC; bars are the position among copper alloy grades.
Physical3
CC481K has a density of 8.8 g/cm³ (0.318 lb/in³), heavier than 58% of copper alloy grades. It melts at 830°C (1,526 °F).
Mechanical13
CC481K has a yield strength of 230 MPa (33.4 ksi) and a tensile strength of 380 MPa (55.1 ksi) — stronger than 51% of copper alloy grades. Elongation at break is 8% and the elastic modulus is 110 GPa (16 Msi).
Thermal6
CC481K is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 47 W/m·K (27.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 69% of copper alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 18.4 µm/m·K (10.2 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
CC481K conducts electricity at 11 % IACS, worse than 68% of copper alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (65/100), better than 58% of copper alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of CC481K takes about 70 MJ of energy and emits 4.8 kg of CO₂ — more than 84% of copper alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 45%.
Manufacturability8
CC481K's machinability is fair (45/100, better than 64% of copper alloy grades); weldability poor (20/100); formability not recommended (8/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the copper alloy family
Yield strength against density for every copper alloy grade FabDigit runs. CC481K is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with CC481K
Is CC481K easy to machine?
Machines to a fine finish with sharp carbide or HSS tools, positive rake, high speed and light feed; chips are short and abrasive due to δ/Cu₃P — expect ~20–30 % of free-cutting brass throughput and use flood coolant.
Can CC481K be welded?
Poor fusion weldability (hot-shortness, tin oxide); repair only by GTAW with matching phosphor-bronze filler and 150–250 °C preheat, or preferably braze/solder.
Can CC481K be formed, bent or molded?
Cast-only alloy — essentially no cold forming; design generous fillets and directional solidification with chills/risers because of the wide freezing range and micro-shrinkage tendency.
CC481K chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Snforms hard δ-phase for wear resistance | 10 – 11.5 | 10.8 |
| Pdeoxidiser; forms Cu₃P hard particles | 0.5 – 1 | 0.7 |
| Pbimpurity limit | ≤ 0.25 | 0.1 |
| Znimpurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Niimpurity limit | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Feimpurity limit | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Sbimpurity limit | ≤ 0.2 | |
| Simpurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Alimpurity limit | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Siimpurity limit | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Mnimpurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Curemainder, ~88% | balance |
What surface finishes work on CC481K?
Not anodisable; finish by machining/burnishing, polishing, chemical patination, or tin/nickel/silver plating; bearing bores are usually honed or roller-burnished.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on copper alloy parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Copper Alloy CC481K in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- CuSn11P-C
- Similar grades
- C91100ZCuSn10P1
How much does CC481K cost?
CC481K is a high-cost copper alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
CC481K — frequently asked
What is CC481K used for?
CC481K is typically used for worm wheels, sliding bearings, centrifugally cast bushings and gear blanks. In short: strongest high-tin cast bronze; lead-free bearing bronze; wear-resistant delta-phase casting.
What is the yield strength of CC481K?
CC481K has a typical yield strength of 230 MPa (33.4 ksi) and a tensile strength of 380 MPa (55.1 ksi) — stronger than 51% of copper alloy grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is CC481K easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, better than 64% of copper alloy grades). Machines to a fine finish with sharp carbide or HSS tools, positive rake, high speed and light feed; chips are short and abrasive due to δ/Cu₃P — expect ~20–30 % of free-cutting brass throughput and use flood coolant.
Can CC481K be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (20/100). Poor fusion weldability (hot-shortness, tin oxide); repair only by GTAW with matching phosphor-bronze filler and 150–250 °C preheat, or preferably braze/solder.
What surface finishes work on CC481K?
Not anodisable; finish by machining/burnishing, polishing, chemical patination, or tin/nickel/silver plating; bearing bores are usually honed or roller-burnished.
Can CC481K be formed, bent or molded?
Cast-only alloy — essentially no cold forming; design generous fillets and directional solidification with chills/risers because of the wide freezing range and micro-shrinkage tendency.
What is the maximum service temperature of CC481K?
CC481K is rated for continuous use to about 250°C (482 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between CC481K-GC and CC481K-GS?
GC is the default condition — default stock condition: continuously cast round bar, hollow bar and tube for machined bushings, nuts and thrust washers. GS: choose for one-off or large, complex bearing housings, worm wheel rims and pump parts where section thickness varies. Yield strength is 230 MPa in GC versus 190 MPa in GS.
How much does CC481K cost?
CC481K is a high-cost copper alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- EN 1982 — Copper and copper alloys: ingots and castings (CuSn11P-C / CC481K) — CEN (2017)
- GB/T 1176 — (ZCuSn10P1) — SAC (2013)
- CDA alloy datasheets C90700 / C91100 — Copper Development Association (2023)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 13B — Corrosion: Materials — ASM International (2005)
- Continuous-cast bronze bearing bar datasheets (bushing producers) — various (2024)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.