Federalloys® alloys in ingot form
Since februari, 2001, Lagermetall AB is representing The Federal Metal Company, Bedford, Ohio, on ingots in Europe and Concast Metal Products, Mars, Pennsylvania, on shapes,
in Scandinavia. We offer the European and the Scandinavian market Federalloy©alloys in form of ingots as well as casted material (tubes, bars, shapes and billets).
What is Federalloy®?
Federalloy©alloys is a series of lead-free copper-alloys invented by Mr. A.R. Singh, Chief metallurgist and Vice President at the Federal Metals Company, Bedford, Ohio, U.S.A.
The Federal Metal Company replaces lead (Pb) with bismuth (Bi), and offers an alloy with superior pressure tightness and comparable machinability characteristics to leaded brass and bronze alloys. The solution is not only effective but so unique that The Federal Metal Company has received patents from the U.S. Patent Office and has applied for others in many countries around the world.
Federalloy® alloys were created to enable all people coming into contact with leaded brass and bronze products, to have brass and bronze alloys, in the future, that perform as well or better, but which do not contain lead (Pb).
Through a unique, patented process, Federalloy©© alloys can be designed and developed to satisfy the physical property need of all users. To date over 15 Federalloy© alloys have been created. Federalloy© alloys can replace most leaded copper alloys in Europe today.
What´s unique about the Federalloy©alloys?
The Federal Metal Company replaces lead (Pb) with bismuth (Bi).
The main concern for users who replace lead with bismuth (Bi) in their brass or bronze alloys is brittleness of the product. Federalloy©alloys overcome this by uniform distribution of bismuth throughout the copper matrix. The uniform distribution of bismuth is the secret to the lead-free alloys superior pressure tightness and comparable machinability characteristics to leaded brass/bronze alloys.
Federalloys© castings are in compliance with NSF/ANSI regulations, Standard 61, Sections 8 and 9. They contain less than 0,10 % lead. NSF is the National Sanitary Foundation, is a non-profit organization, whose recommendations and environmental goals have an important impact on the US-market. Among the NSF-staff there is engineers as well as chemists, microbiologists and environmental experts (see www.nsf.org).
NSF as a third party between EPA (Environmental Protection Agency / Govt.) and the industry has been certified for e.g. the leaching of lead (Pb) in plumbing, waterfittings and other sanitary applications as it relates to drinkingwater, called Standard 61, sections 8 and 9. Federalloy© alloys pass these regulations.
Which copperalloys can be replaced by Federalloy© alloys?
Today The Federal Metal Company of Bedford, Ohio, have the technology and knowledge to replace most European leaded copperalloys. The research and development has been concentrated and divided into 8 groups of copperalloys.
To date, 15 leadfree, fully replaceable Federalloy©alloys has been developed. These alloys can be found in the Federalloy© alloys-group below. Research for new alloys and developments is permanently being done.
Federalloys I
Federalloys II
Federalloys III
Federalloys IV
Federalloys V
Federalloys VI
Federalloys VII
Federalloys VIII
Leadfree alloys for Plumbing
Leadfree alloys replacing Gear bronzes
Leadfree alloys replacing Bearing bronzes
Leadfree alloys replacing Brasses
Leadfree alloys replacing Nickel alloys
Leadfree alloys replacing Aluminum bronzes
Leadfree alloys replacing Manganese bronzes
Leadfree alloys replacing Silicon alloys
Would you like to know more about the Federalloy©alloys?
In general or especially about the alloys which you and your company work with.
Please don´t hesitate to contact us at LM.
Tel: +46 19 10 45 25 Fax: +46 19 12 38 55.
Ask for Bo V:son Hellström or Christer Hellström.
Federalloy© - Foundryfriendly with environmental benefits
"Some of the benefits with Federalloy©ingots"
Experience with foundrymen since 1993 who have used a whole variety of Federalloy brass and bronze alloys makes it possible for us to conclude the following:
1. The desired pouring temperature for heavy or light castings as is the case with leaded brasses is crucial. However, some of the Federalloy alloys have a higher melting point (liquidus) than the leaded brasses they are replacing. Consequently, an adjustment must be made reflecting the higher pouring temperature without fear of burning into sand, shrinkage porosity, gas holes or other defects associated with hot metal.
2. The airborne lead over eight hours period is less than ten (10) micrograms per cubic
meter (m3) of air. Blood lead programs can be phased out once air levels are under thirty (30) micrograms per cubic meter (m3) of air.
No respirators are required of employees working in environments that are below fifty (50) micrograms per cubic meter (m3) of air with a time weighted average of eight hours.
3. Federalloy©castings pass leachate standards for copper, lead and bismuth as defined by current Regulations, Standard 61, Sections 8 and 9. The NSF (National Sanitary Foundation) Standard 61, is considered to be one of the hardest regulations in the world concerning leachment in drinking water.
As mentioned above and in other text, Federalloy© alloys, pass these regulations.
4. With the Federalloy©alloys You get the lead out of the foundry environment and in the copper alloy You are casting, without losing any mechanical abilities or machinability in the casted items. The appearance of Federalloy rough castings is noticeably preferable to leaded brass and bronze due to superior microstructural characteristics.
5. When melting Federalloy, the toxicity in molding sand from lead is less than one part per million. (The US Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, limit is five parts per million.)
Sand therefore, is no longer classified as hazardous due to lead and thus can be disposed of at greatly reduced costs.
6. Federalloy alloys' improved surface finish requires less shot blast, thereby reducing cleaning costs and shortening cycle times.
7. Also, due to the uniform distribution of bismuth in Federalloy alloys, as opposed to the non uniformity of lead in leaded brass/bronze castings, a better surface condition is achieved which may reduce machining requirements and therefore, machining costs.
8. The uniform distribution of bismuth makes Federalloy alloys easier to polish and buff. Federalloy alloys will demonstrate a higher luster when plated.
