Lead-Free Copper Alloys in Products and Components

Important results from the project

The project primarily has two goals. The first goal is to drastically reduce the use of lead in society. By showing how lead-free Cu alloys can be manufactured efficiently and knowledge adaptation for dissemination to SMEs, the project has reach this goal, although with a short time delay. The second goal, becoming leading in Europe on the manufacturing of lead-free Cu alloy components, is hard to quantify but significant progress has been made in this direction.

Expected long term effects

The project has already resulted in a new group of products manufactured in low-lead brass. This development is expected to continue as current research show that commercial production in these materials are possible. Even though the manufacturing cost for low-lead products initially will be substantially higher than for equivalent lead-containing products, the added customer value of an environmentally friendly product is expected to warrant a slightly higher sales price.

Approach and implementation

The project implementation has been divided into three distinct parts dependent on workpiece material; oxygen-free copper, bronze and brass, where each material posed different problems and conditions for sustainable production with low lead contents. Cooperation with the Lead-Free Brass project funded by Mistra has resulted in substantial positive synergy effects.