Precious Metal B563
GB B563
ASTM B563 is a palladium-silver-copper contact alloy supplied solution-annealed, hard, stress-relieved and age-hardened.
Reference datasheet — B563 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 SA condition
B563 tempers and conditions
B563 is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard. SA is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SADefault Solution annealed | Standard mill supply condition for wire, strip and rivet stock that must be formed, drawn, coined or deep-drawn before final ageing. | 250 | 550 | 27 | 78 HRB | 5.3 % IACS |
Age hardened | Pick for finished wiping, sliding and slip-ring contacts where maximum hardness, wear life and low stable contact resistance are required. | 700 | 900 | 8 | 25 HRC | 6.2 % IACS |
Stress relieved | Pick when formed springs and contact arms need dimensional stability and relaxation resistance without the full strength gain (or distortion) of a full ageing cycle. | 820 | 950 | 5 | 22 HRC | 5.2 % IACS |
Hardened | Pick for spring-loaded contact fingers and brush wire where elastic limit matters and no further heat treatment is planned. | 850 | 1,000 | 3 | 24 HRC | 5 % IACS |
Cold worked then age hardened | Pick for the hardest, most wear-resistant contact wire and brush stock where forming is complete and ductility is no longer needed. | 1,100 | 1,240 | 2 | 32 HRC | 6 % IACS |
What is B563?
ASTM B563 is a palladium-silver-copper contact alloy supplied solution-annealed, hard, stress-relieved and age-hardened. It offers higher hardness and wear resistance than binary Pd-Ag for wiping and sliding contacts, and is supplied as strip, wire, clad strip and coined contact rivets. In the reference condition it reaches 250 MPa yield, 550 MPa tensile, 27% elongation and 78 HRB, with 500 °C maximum service, but conductivity is only 5.3% IACS and thermal conductivity 31 W/m·K. Where lower contact resistance matters more than wear, the palladium material of ASTM B540 is the nearest alternative. B563 has a density of 11.7 g/cm³ (0.423 lb/in³), heavier than 63% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,010°C (1,850 °F). B563 has a yield strength of 250 MPa (36.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 550 MPa (79.8 ksi) — stronger than 81% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 27% and the elastic modulus is 116 GPa (16.8 Msi).
What is B563 used for?
- slip rings
- potentiometer contacts
- wiping contacts
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 95/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 95/100, better than 82% of precious metal grades
- High strength — 250 MPa (36.3 ksi), better than 81% of precious metal grades
- High service temperature — 500°C (932 °F), better than 79% of precious metal grades
- Stiff — 116 GPa (16.8 Msi), better than 78% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Low electrical conductivity — 5.3 % IACS, worse than 95% of precious metal grades
- Poor heat conductor — 31 W/m·K (17.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 92% of precious metal grades
B563 properties
Typical room-temperature values for B563-SA; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
B563 has a density of 11.7 g/cm³ (0.423 lb/in³), heavier than 63% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,010°C (1,850 °F).
Mechanical12
B563 has a yield strength of 250 MPa (36.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 550 MPa (79.8 ksi) — stronger than 81% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 27% and the elastic modulus is 116 GPa (16.8 Msi).
Thermal5
B563 is rated for continuous service to 500°C (932 °F). It conducts heat at 31 W/m·K (17.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 92% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 14.5 µm/m·K (8.06 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
B563 conducts electricity at 5.3 % IACS, worse than 95% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (95/100), better than 82% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of B563 takes about 90,000 MJ of energy and emits 6,000 kg of CO₂ — more than 66% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 60%.
Manufacturability8
B563's machinability is fair (40/100, worse than 60% of precious metal grades); weldability very good (70/100); formability excellent (85/100).
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 precious metal family
Yield strength against density for every precious metal grade FabDigit runs. B563 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with B563
Is B563 easy to machine?
Machines like a gummy noble alloy — sharp carbide or diamond tooling, high speed, light feeds, flood coolant; swarf and coolant must be captured for refining.
Can B563 be welded?
Resistance, laser and micro-TIG welding to contact carriers are routine; avoid overheating that dissolves the ordered structure and softens age-hardened parts.
Can B563 be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability in the annealed condition (drawing, stamping, coining, cladding); form first, then age harden, since hard/aged tempers have only a few percent elongation.
B563 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pdprimary noble base, gives tarnish immunity | 34 – 36 | 35 |
| Ag | 29 – 31 | 30 |
| Cuprincipal age-hardening/ordering element | 13 – 15 | 14 |
| Aupresent in the commercial Pd-Ag-Cu contact alloy of this class | 9.5 – 10.5 | 10 |
| Ptwear and arc-erosion resistance | 9.5 – 10.5 | 10 |
| Zndeoxidiser / hardness | 0.5 – 1.5 | 1 |
| other (total impurities)per ASTM B563 purity limits | ≤ 0.15 | — |
What surface finishes work on B563?
Not anodizable; take a mirror polish for slip-ring surfaces and can be gold or rhodium flash plated where extra lubricity or low fretting is wanted.
How much does B563 cost?
B563 is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), 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.
B563 — frequently asked
What is B563 used for?
B563 is typically used for slip rings, potentiometer contacts and wiping contacts. In short: age-hardenable palladium alloy; wear-resistant sliding contact; higher service temperature, 500 °C.
What is the yield strength of B563?
B563 has a typical yield strength of 250 MPa (36.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 550 MPa (79.8 ksi) — stronger than 81% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is B563 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (40/100, worse than 60% of precious metal grades). Machines like a gummy noble alloy — sharp carbide or diamond tooling, high speed, light feeds, flood coolant; swarf and coolant must be captured for refining.
Can B563 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (70/100). Resistance, laser and micro-TIG welding to contact carriers are routine; avoid overheating that dissolves the ordered structure and softens age-hardened parts.
What surface finishes work on B563?
Not anodizable; take a mirror polish for slip-ring surfaces and can be gold or rhodium flash plated where extra lubricity or low fretting is wanted.
Can B563 be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability in the annealed condition (drawing, stamping, coining, cladding); form first, then age harden, since hard/aged tempers have only a few percent elongation.
What is the maximum service temperature of B563?
B563 is rated for continuous use to about 500°C (932 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between B563-SA and B563-H?
SA is the default condition — standard mill supply condition for wire, strip and rivet stock that must be formed, drawn, coined or deep-drawn before final ageing. H: pick for spring-loaded contact fingers and brush wire where elastic limit matters and no further heat treatment is planned. Yield strength is 250 MPa in SA versus 850 MPa in H.
How much does B563 cost?
B563 is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), 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
- ASTM B563 Standard Specification for Palladium-Silver-Copper Electrical Contact Alloy — ASTM International (2019)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (precious metal contact alloys) — ASM International (1990)
- Palladium-silver-copper contact alloy (Paliney-type) technical data — Deringer-Ney (2022)
- Electrical Contacts: Principles and Applications — CRC Press (2014)
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.