Solder & Low-Melting Alloy SnSb12Cu6Pb
ISO 4381 SnSb12Cu6Pb
SnSb12Cu6Pb is a tin-based babbitt bearing alloy hardened by antimony and copper with a lead addition, covered by European bearing-metal standards.
Reference datasheet — SnSb12Cu6Pb 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 AS-CAST condition
SnSb12Cu6Pb tempers and conditions
SnSb12Cu6Pb is supplied in 3 conditions, soft to hard. AS-CAST is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 3 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sand-cast / open-mould test bars and bushes | Slow-cooled condition: coarser SbSn cuboids and Cu6Sn5 needles, slightly lower strength — mainly for test bars and thick bushes. | 55 | 85 | 6 | 28 HB | 8.5 % IACS |
AS-CASTDefault As-Cast lining (chill/static cast on steel or bronze backing) | Standard supply condition: alloy melted and cast as a bonded bearing lining, then bored to size. | 60 | 95 | 7 | 30 HB | 9 % IACS |
Centrifugally cast lining | Choose for large journal bearings and shells where dense, pore-free lining and uniform thickness are required. | 65 | 100 | 8 | 32 HB | 9 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways SnSb12Cu6Pb is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
Ingot | Ingot for remelting | Supply form |
What is SnSb12Cu6Pb?
SnSb12Cu6Pb is a tin-based babbitt bearing alloy hardened by antimony and copper with a lead addition, covered by European bearing-metal standards. It is chosen for plain bearing linings because the soft tin matrix embeds debris and conforms to shaft misalignment while the SbSn and Cu6Sn5 phases carry load; it is supplied as ingot and as sand- or centrifugally cast linings on steel shells. Strength is low (95 MPa tensile, 60 MPa yield, 7 % elongation, 30 HB) and service temperature is capped near 130 °C, so it suits medium-duty journals only; the lead content excludes RoHS and potable-water work, where a lead-free tin babbitt is the usual substitute. SnSb12Cu6Pb has a density of 7.4 g/cm³ (0.267 lb/in³), lighter than 67% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 240°C (464 °F). SnSb12Cu6Pb has a yield strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 95 MPa (13.8 ksi) — stronger than 100% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 7% and the elastic modulus is 53 GPa (7.69 Msi).
What is SnSb12Cu6Pb used for?
- plain bearing shells
- gearbox bushings
- industrial pump bearings
Advantages
- High strength — 60 MPa (8.7 ksi), better than 100% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Stiff — 53 GPa (7.69 Msi), better than 99% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Easy to machine — 90/100, better than 95% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 70/100, better than 91% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- High service temperature — 130°C (266 °F), better than 87% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Limitations
- Limited formability — 20/100, worse than 95% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Limited ductility — 7%, worse than 86% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- High embodied carbon — 18 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 76% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
SnSb12Cu6Pb properties
Typical room-temperature values for SnSb12Cu6Pb-AS-CAST; bars are the position among solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Physical3
SnSb12Cu6Pb has a density of 7.4 g/cm³ (0.267 lb/in³), lighter than 67% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 240°C (464 °F).
Mechanical13
SnSb12Cu6Pb has a yield strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 95 MPa (13.8 ksi) — stronger than 100% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 7% and the elastic modulus is 53 GPa (7.69 Msi).
Thermal6
SnSb12Cu6Pb is rated for continuous service to 130°C (266 °F). It conducts heat at 52 W/m·K (30 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 72% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 23 µm/m·K (12.8 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
SnSb12Cu6Pb conducts electricity at 9 % IACS, worse than 54% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (55/100), better than 78% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of SnSb12Cu6Pb takes about 300 MJ of energy and emits 18 kg of CO₂ — more than 73% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability8
SnSb12Cu6Pb's machinability is excellent (90/100, better than 95% of solder & low-melting alloy grades); weldability poor (20/100); formability poor (20/100).
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 solder & low-melting alloy family
Yield strength against density for every solder & low-melting alloy grade FabDigit runs. SnSb12Cu6Pb is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with SnSb12Cu6Pb
Is SnSb12Cu6Pb easy to machine?
Bores and faces very easily with sharp, high-rake, well-honed tools, generous clearance and flood oil/soluble coolant; avoid heavy cuts that smear or lift the lining.
Can SnSb12Cu6Pb be welded?
Not fusion welded — repairs are made by re-tinning and re-pouring the lining or by low-temperature babbitt soldering; keep melt below ~450 °C to limit Sb/Sn loss and oxidation.
Can SnSb12Cu6Pb be formed, bent or molded?
Cast, not formed: tin the steel shell (flux + pure tin at ~280–320 °C), pour at roughly 430–480 °C with a chilled backing to give a fine SbSn/Cu6Sn5 structure and thin, well-bonded lining.
SnSb12Cu6Pb 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sbforms hard SbSn cuboids | 11 – 13 | 12 |
| Cuforms Cu6Sn5 needle skeleton | 5 – 7 | 6 |
| Pbintentional addition per grade designation | 1 – 3 | 2 |
| Asimpurity limit | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Feimpurity limit | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Biimpurity limit | ≤ 0.08 | |
| Znimpurity limit | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Alimpurity limit | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Cdimpurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Snremainder, approx. 79–83 % | balance |
What surface finishes work on SnSb12Cu6Pb?
Finish by boring and burnishing to the oil-film clearance; no anodizing — steel backings are tinned or zinc plated, and lining bonds should be ultrasonically or dye-penetrant checked.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Solder & Low-Melting Alloy SnSb12Cu6Pb in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ISO
- 4381 SnSb12Cu6Pb
How much does SnSb12Cu6Pb cost?
SnSb12Cu6Pb is a high-cost solder & low-melting 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.
SnSb12Cu6Pb — frequently asked
What is SnSb12Cu6Pb used for?
SnSb12Cu6Pb is typically used for plain bearing shells, gearbox bushings and industrial pump bearings. In short: medium-duty babbitt lining; high embeddability and conformability; cast onto steel shells.
What is the yield strength of SnSb12Cu6Pb?
SnSb12Cu6Pb has a typical yield strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 95 MPa (13.8 ksi) — stronger than 100% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is SnSb12Cu6Pb easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated excellent (90/100, better than 95% of solder & low-melting alloy grades). Bores and faces very easily with sharp, high-rake, well-honed tools, generous clearance and flood oil/soluble coolant; avoid heavy cuts that smear or lift the lining.
Can SnSb12Cu6Pb be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (20/100). Not fusion welded — repairs are made by re-tinning and re-pouring the lining or by low-temperature babbitt soldering; keep melt below ~450 °C to limit Sb/Sn loss and oxidation.
What surface finishes work on SnSb12Cu6Pb?
Finish by boring and burnishing to the oil-film clearance; no anodizing — steel backings are tinned or zinc plated, and lining bonds should be ultrasonically or dye-penetrant checked.
Can SnSb12Cu6Pb be formed, bent or molded?
Cast, not formed: tin the steel shell (flux + pure tin at ~280–320 °C), pour at roughly 430–480 °C with a chilled backing to give a fine SbSn/Cu6Sn5 structure and thin, well-bonded lining.
What is the maximum service temperature of SnSb12Cu6Pb?
SnSb12Cu6Pb is rated for continuous use to about 130°C (266 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does SnSb12Cu6Pb cost?
SnSb12Cu6Pb is a high-cost solder & low-melting 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
- ISO 4381 — Plain bearings: Lead and tin casting alloys for multilayer plain bearings — ISO (2011)
- ASTM B23 — Standard Specification for White Metal Bearing Alloys (Babbitt) — ASTM (2019)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys (Tin and Tin Alloys) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 18 — Friction, Lubrication, and Wear Technology (Bearing Materials) — ASM International (2017)
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.