The Wieland Group has introduced a new line of lead-free brass with its SZ product family, specifically the eco SZ3 alloy.
As part of the ecoline family, the SZ3 boasts unprecedented quality and outperforms the previous lead-free alloys, rendering them excellent alternatives for comparable lead-containing alloys, Wieland claimed. The stricter regulatory requirements and the rising demand for green products prompted the development of new lead-free copper alloys that retained properties like those of the leaded variants.
"Customers from all over the world are already benefiting from our intensive research and development in the field of lead-free alloys and the extensive expertise of our team," said Dr. Erwin Mayr, CEO of the Wieland Group. "We actively support our customers in their sustainable transition from lead to lead-free alloys."
The new flagship product, eco SZ3, meets all current requirements placed on leaded materials CuZn40Pb2 and CuZn39Pb3, such as conductivity, corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. Eco SZ3 has excellent hot-stamping properties, and although the alloy contains less than 0.1 percent lead, it also has good machinability. These properties make the material highly attractive for use in industries such as plumbing, electrical and automotive, the company said.
In addition to the excellent machining properties of eco SZ3, its copper-zinc ratio of 60:40 ensures a reduced metal price component and high economic efficiency.
Eco SZ3 is part of the CuZnSiP alloy family. Because it contains the same alloying elements, a slight mixing of chips and scrap within the alloy family remains possible. Moreover, the machine does not require cleaning when changing alloys. Like their lead-containing counterparts, one can rework the chips and scrap into new rods without losing quality or recyclability – making the eco SZ3 exceptionally economical and eco-friendly, the company said.
"The new SZ product family, especially eco SZ3, revolutionizes our entire lead-free ecoline portfolio – especially in terms of machining performance, efficiency and sustainability. We look forward to accompanying our customers into a lead-free future with these environmentally friendly products," said Anton Zierhut, president of Extruded Products of the Wieland Group.