International Copper Association Announces The Global Network of CuproBraze Suppliers Keeps Growing: New Pastes, Powders, Slurries and Foils Now Available

    NEW YORK--Aug. 19, 2002--The International Copper Association (ICA) announces that the number of filler-material products for heat-exchanger manufacturers using the CuproBraze(R) process continues to grow.
    These products include pastes, powders, slurries and foils, allowing for versatility and flexibility in the development of manufacturing processes.
    More than 10 years ago, the ICA responded to the industry need for stronger radiator materials by initiating research that culminated in the discovery of CuproBraze technology, now applied globally in the manufacture of highly advanced heat exchangers.
    The CuproBraze technique uses anneal-resistant copper and brass materials in conjunction with a filler material in its bonding process, which is similar to traditional soldering methods - although the CuproBraze process uses filler materials that melt at approximately 600 degrees Celsius, while traditional soldering filler materials melt below 450 degrees Celsius.
    The filler used in the CuproBraze process consists of nickel, tin, phosphorus and copper. The alloy is patented but is licensed free of charge to high-quality manufacturers, whose products then can be used freely for automotive and heavy-duty industrial heat-exchanger applications.
    The filler alloy is normally processed into a powder by means of atomization, forming spherically shaped, fine grains (with a maximal particle size of 3.5 mils, i.e., 0.0035 in., and an average particle size of 0.6 to 1.2 mils). Pastes are made by mixing the powder with a water-based, solvent-based or thermoplastic binder. The brazing alloy is also available in the form of a thin, ductile, metal foil with thicknesses from 20 to 40 micrometers.
    OMG (Cleveland) which recently acquired BrazeTec (Hanau-Wolfgang, Germany) sells pastes, powders and slurries under the Cobrabond(TM) brand. Lucas-Milhaupt (Cuday, Wis.), a member of the Handy & Harman Precious Metals Fabrication Group, sells pastes and thin paints under the Cupro-Flo(TM) brand. VAC Vacuumschmelze (Hanau, Germany) has successfully formed the alloy into thin foils using a rapid solidification process. This advancement suggests uses in new manufacturing processes and heat-exchanger designs, promising to make the CuproBraze technology even more competitive.
    The economies of volume production have driven the price of powder down considerably since the CuproBraze process was first introduced. Its current cost for limited mass production is 75 percent lower than the original $40 per kilogram for pilot-scale production. Powder prices could drop another 50 percent as mass production and volumes increase.
    "A global network of materials vendors is ready to deliver filler materials in volume for use in the production of CuproBraze heat exchangers," says Anthony Lea, Vice President of the ICA. "Many brazing material vendors have in-house experts on CuproBraze filler materials and can offer technical guidance on implementing a brazing process."
    Contact information for vendors can be obtained from the ICA by calling (212) 251-7240. Additionally, the "CuproBraze Technical Manual," also available from ICA, is an excellent resource for more information on filler materials and their methods of application.
    The International Copper Association, Ltd. (ICA) is the leading organization for the promotion of the use of copper worldwide. The Association's twenty-nine members represent about 80 percent of the world's refined copper output, and its six associate members are among the world's largest copper and copper-alloy fabricators. ICA is responsible for guiding policy, strategy and funding of international initiatives and promotional activities. With headquarters in New York City, ICA operates in 28 worldwide locations through a network of regional offices and copper development associations.