Detailed explanation of copper stamping parts technology

Copper stamping parts are precision metal structural parts obtained by plastically forming pure copper or copper alloy plates on a press through a stamping die. As an efficient and low-cost metal forming method, the stamping process has unique technical adaptability in the field of copper processing - the good ductility of copper enables it to flow accurately in the mold cavity and fill complex geometric features, while the moderate strength of copper ensures the quality controllability of the blanking section. Unlike cast iron, steel and other structural materials, the value of copper stamping parts is not only reflected in its geometric accuracy, but also rooted in the inherent physical properties of copper itself: excellent electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance and non-magnetic characteristics.

 

This makes copper stampings irreplaceable in areas such as electrical connections, thermal management, signal transmission, etc., that require the functional participation of materials. In the precision manufacturing industry, Precision Copper Stamping Parts represent a technical capability that combines material science, mold engineering and mass production efficiency. It is widely used in high-end manufacturing fields such as automotive electronics, new energy equipment, communication base stations and medical equipment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The performance of copper stamping parts first depends on the choice of its base material. Depending on the application scenario, copper stamping parts can be made of two major types of materials: pure copper series or copper alloy series. Pure copper series: represented by high-purity electrolytic copper such as T1, T2, and TU1, the copper content can reach more than 99.9%. Pure copper has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity - the electrical conductivity of annealed pure copper is close to 100% IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard), and the thermal conductivity is about 400 watts per meter Kelvin, second only to silver among all engineering metal materials. The softening temperature of pure copper is about 1083 degrees Celsius, but grain growth and strength decrease will occur under long-term thermal exposure of about 200 to 300 degrees Celsius, so it is suitable for scenarios with low operating temperatures or extreme requirements for conductivity. The hardness of pure copper is about 86 to 120HBS in the annealed state. It has good stamping formability and is suitable for producing precision parts with complex shapes and large deep drawing ratios.

 

Copper alloy series: including brass (copper-zinc alloy), phosphor bronze (copper-tin-phosphorus alloy), beryllium bronze (copper-beryllium alloy), etc. Brass has good strength and corrosion resistance, and its cost is lower than that of pure copper. It is suitable for structural parts and decorative parts. Phosphor bronze has excellent elasticity and fatigue resistance and is an ideal material for manufacturing elastic components such as spring blades and contact blades. Beryllium bronze can achieve higher hardness and strength after aging treatment while maintaining good electrical conductivity. It is widely used in key elastic components in aerospace and precision instruments. For applications that require a balance between electrical conductivity and mechanical strength, Red Copper Stamping Parts use pure copper as the base material and adjust the mechanical properties through work hardening or subsequent heat treatment while maintaining high electrical conductivity.

 

When selecting materials, the five dimensions of conductivity, strength, formability, corrosion resistance and cost need to be comprehensively considered. For example, power terminals require high conductivity, and pure copper is preferred; the elastic contact pieces in switch sockets require fatigue resistance, and phosphor bronze should be used; structural parts in marine environments need to be resistant to salt spray corrosion, and specific grades of brass should be used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The production process of copper stamping parts can be divided into various types according to the deformation mechanism and part characteristics. Precision blanking process: used to process precision copper parts with flat cross-sections and no tear bands. Different from traditional blanking, the fine blanking process uses a V-shaped ring gear edge, a minimum blanking gap and an anti-top plate structure to cause the material to separate under a three-dimensional compressive stress state. The obtained blanking section smoothness can reach Ra 1.6 microns or less, and the verticality of the section is better than that of ordinary blanking. This process is suitable for parts such as copper gaskets in automobile gearboxes and valve plate gaskets in hydraulic systems that require high cross-sectional quality. Fine blanking dies are usually made of carbide or powdered high-speed steel to ensure dimensional stability in mass production.

 

Bending forming process: bend the copper plate into a V-shape, U-shape, or complex multi-fold shape at a specific angle through a mold. Copper has a high elongation and is not prone to cracking during bending, but springback control is a technical difficulty in the bending process - the elastic modulus of copper alloys is about 110 to 130 GPa, which is lower than steel. Therefore, the amount of rebound of copper parts is usually greater than that of steel parts at the same bending radius. In engineering, the final angle is controlled through bending compensation, bottom imprinting, or using a composite mold for shaping.

 

Stretch forming process: used to manufacture copper stamping parts with cups, boxes or complex curved shapes. During the stretching process, the copper plate flows into the concave mold cavity under the action of the punch, and the material is transformed from a flat surface into a three-dimensional shape. Copper has better tensile properties than most steels, allowing for larger draw ratios and smaller fillet radii, but is also more prone to wrinkling on the sidewalls of the drawn piece or thinning and cracking on the bottom fillets. For deep-drawn copper parts, multi-pass drawing and intermediate annealing processes are often used to eliminate work hardening and restore material plasticity.

 

Composite stamping process: Integrate multiple processes such as punching, bending, stretching, and stamping into a set of progressive dies to achieve continuous automated production of copper strips from coil input to finished product output. This process is suitable for the manufacturing of large-volume, miniaturized copper stamping parts, such as electronic connector terminals, relay contact brackets, etc. Copper Pressed Components can be produced in composite molds at hundreds of strokes per minute with high material utilization and minimal human intervention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The application of copper stamping parts runs through many core areas of modern industry. Automotive electronics and new energy: New energy vehicles use a large number of copper stamping parts for high-voltage connector terminals, soft connecting pieces between battery modules, and signal terminals in charging interfaces. These parts need to meet high current carrying, vibration resistance and long-term reliability requirements at the same time. The materials are mostly made of highly conductive pure copper or copper alloy, and the surface is plated with silver to reduce contact resistance. In traditional fuel vehicles, the heat sink of the generator rectifier bridge, the electromagnetic switch contact bracket of the starter, and the circuit board connection terminals in the ABS control unit are also inseparable from the copper stamping process.

 

Power and distribution equipment: The moving contact bracket and static contact seat in the circuit breaker, the electromagnetic system parts of the contactor, and the knife contact finger of the isolating switch are all copper parts formed by the stamping process. The operating current of these parts ranges from tens of amps to thousands of amps. The design of their conductive cross-sectional area and the optimization of the heat dissipation structure put forward engineering requirements that are combined with the stamping process. Stamping Riveting Electrical Copper Press Parts For Switch Socket is a standard configuration in the switch socket industry. It combines stamped copper components with riveting processes to achieve efficient assembly of conductive circuits.

 

Communications and consumer electronics: The resonant column in the 5G base station filter, the contact reed in the connector, the shielding cover and heat sink inside the mobile phone, and the grounding spring of the notebook computer are all precision copper stamping parts. This field has strict requirements on the miniaturization, lightweight and high-frequency performance of parts. Micron-level dimensional deviations may cause signal integrity problems. The application of copper stamping parts in consumer electronics is often accompanied by the demand for high-density assembly and automated production lines, which have special requirements for the flatness, coplanarity and tape connection methods of parts.

 

Industrial control and medical equipment: Terminal blocks in PLC control modules, power connectors of servo drives, grounding system components of medical imaging equipment, and precision structural parts of surgical instruments all benefit from the customizability and performance consistency of copper stamping parts. In the medical field, copper's nonmagnetic properties make it safe for use in NMR environments, while its bacteriostatic properties make it suitable for use in certain medical device components that come into contact with the human body. Silver Plate Over Copper stamping parts have unique value in the field of radio frequency and high-frequency signal transmission - the silver layer provides the lowest signal transmission loss, while the copper base material ensures structural strength and processability.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you need to evaluate Copper Stamped Electrical Contacts solutions or request samples for your project, please fill out the inquiry form below to inform us of product drawings, material requirements and estimated annual usage. The engineering team will provide process feasibility analysis and quotation suggestions within working days.