Engineers’ guide to Nickel Aluminium Bronze

Copper Development Association’s ‘Guide to Nickel Aluminium Bronze for Engineers’ assembles, for the first time, technical information previously scattered across industry publications and defence standards, making it readily accessible and presenting it in an easily-browsed and -digested form.

The publication aims to give an engineering overview of the properties of the alloys, their specifications and their applications for operators, designers, manufacturers and fabricators. Their corrosion behaviour is explained and guidance is given to obtain optimum service performance. Methods of manufacture, welding and fabrication are described and a list of references and useful publications is provided. The Appendix covers full details of designations, specifications and related composition and mechanical property requirements.

The publication has been written by Ivan Richardson and reviewed by a group of technical metals and corrosion specialists. Ivan Richardson is an industry specialist in copper alloys. His experience spans all aspects of manufacture, product development, testing and metallurgical investigation. He has worked throughout his career with aluminium bronze alloys, both in their production and application, in various technical, marketing and management roles, primarily at Delta Manganese Bronze and latterly as an international consultant, including work with Copper Alloys.

Alloys of copper and aluminium are known as aluminium bronze and, together with other alloying additions, produce a range of properties that are beneficial to a diverse range of industries. Of these, the nickel aluminium bronze group of alloys is the most widely used. They have been adapted with time to optimise performance and can provide a combination of properties that offer an economic alternative to other types of alloy systems.