What is the material of CW617N brass, what field is it used in, and why all brass fittings in Europe are made of CW617N brass.
1. What is the material of CW617N?
CW617N = European standard low-lead free-cutting brass (CuZn40Pb2)
Standard: EN 12165/12167/12168 (European copper alloy standard)
Composition (typical):
Cu：57–59%
Zn: allowance
Pb: 1.6–2.5% (low lead, far lower than traditional high lead brass)
Trace Fe, Sn, Ni, etc. (≤0.3%)
Performance:
Tensile strength: ≥370 MPa (cold working can reach 600 MPa)
Elongation: ≥20%
Hardness: HB 75–95
Melting point: 880–920 C.
Good machinability, corrosion resistance, dezincification resistance and electrical and thermal conductivity.
Second, the main application areas
Drinking water/water heating system (core): faucet, valve, pipe fittings, water meter, copper insert and plug (such as Pete test plug).
Gas system: gas valves, connectors and instruments.
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC): radiator, bleeder valve and connector.
Food/beverage: food-grade contact parts (in line with EU food contact)
Electrical/electronic: RoHS compliant connectors, terminals and switches.
Machinery/automobile: precision shaft sleeve, gear, sensor housing, cooling system components.
Locks/Hardware: door handle, lock body, bathroom hardware.
Third, the reason why CW617N is preferred for brass joints in Europe (core 5 points)
1. Environmental compliance (the most critical)
Low lead: the lead precipitation is ≤0.01 mg/L, which meets the mandatory drinking water/environmental protection standards of EU such as RoHS, WRAS, KTW, DVGW and UBA.
Bare copper can be directly contacted with drinking water, and nickel/chromium plating is not needed (to avoid the release of heavy metals due to abrasion of the coating).
2. Excellent machinability
Lead+biphase structure, good chip breaking, long tool life, smooth surface and high dimensional accuracy.
Suitable for automatic lathe and CNC precision machining, suitable for mass production of joints, plugs and threaded parts.
3. Corrosion resistance and dezincification resistance (necessary for water pipes/gas)
α+β dual-phase structure, strong dezincification resistance, not easy to corrode and crack in chlorine/hard water/gas environment.
Long-term use does not leak, does not fail, and has a long service life.
4. Balanced mechanical properties
Moderate strength, toughness and hardness, pressure resistance, wear resistance and impact resistance, suitable for pipeline pressure and installation torque.
Good cold/hot workability, forging, turning, threading and welding.
5. European standardization+mature supply chain
European plumbing/gas/industry is forced to adopt EN standard, and CW617N is the designated brand.
The supply chain in Europe is perfect, the cost is controllable, the certification is complete, and the replacement cost is high.
4. Why does Pete test plug use CW617N?
Pressure test scenario: it needs pressure resistance, sealing, medium resistance and repeated disassembly.
High thread accuracy: CW617N machinability ensures thread fit and sealing.
Drinking water/gas compatibility: low lead+corrosion resistance, meeting system medium requirements.
European standard matching: the test connector must meet EN and drinking water certification, and CW617N is the only compliance option.
CW617N/C36000/HPb59‑1 Brass Comparison Table
1. Brand correspondence
CW 617N: European standard EN brass, lead brass, easy cutting.
C36000: American standard ASTM brass, fast cutting brass, extremely strong cutting performance.
HPB591: GB brass, the most commonly used lead brass.
2. Elements (simplified)
CW 617N: Cu ≈ 57%, Pb≈2.5%, which is easy to cut and has good corrosion resistance.
C36000: Cu ≈ 60%, Pb≈3%, the cutting performance is the best.
HPB591: Cu ≈ 59%, Pb ≈ 1% ~ 2%, which is the most cost-effective and universal.
3. Performance comparison
Machinability: c36000 > CW 617n > HPB 591.
Corrosion resistance: CW 617N > HPB591 ≈ C36000.
Strength/plasticity: HPb59‑1 is slightly better than the other two.
Cold working: hpb591 > cw617n > c36000.
Hot working: all three are good.
4. Typical use
CW 617N: Water heating valves, pipe fittings, gas/water nozzles, products exported to Europe.
C36000: precision car parts, shaft sleeves, screws, nuts and high-precision hardware.
HPB59-1: Nuts, bolts, fittings, valves and structural parts.
here below is brass test plug also name brass test point , we can DZR brass , HPB59-1 brass, CW617N ,CW602N . Stainless steel 316.
stainless steel 304 . But most of material we export to australia , italy , UK ,material is DZR brass ,CW617N , and C46500 .
For this brass test plug , we can do size 1/8'' 1/4'' 3/8'' 1/2'' 1'' , also do long type . different color strips . Use media is water and gas .
Welcome to cooperate with us . We accept all size design
