Wieland Werke AG

Suitable for various applications: high-performance copper alloys

Wire made of special alloys from Wieland-Werke AG makes miniaturization and substitution possible

Hanover Fair, 16 – 20 April 2007, Hall 5, Stand E15



Wieland-Werke AG, Ulm, Germany, will be exhibiting a wide range of high-performance copper alloys for a variety of applications at this year’s Hanover Fair. The materials as well as semi-finished products in the form of wire are used, for example, for different applications in the automotive and electronic industries. One of Wieland’s innovations taking centre stage at the Hanover Fair will be special copper alloys combining high strength with high electrical conductivity. An example is Wieland-K55 used in the form of wire in connectors for the automotive industry. Apart from high strength and high conductivity, K55 is characterized by resistance to vibrations and fatigue and, therefore, particularly suitable as alternative material for connectors with soldered joints subjected to continuous and intense vibrations. If the customer requires a special cold-forging quality, Wieland supplies high-conductivity copper alloys such as K81 as well as brass, bronze and nickel-silver materials. Due to their outstanding properties, precipitation-hardening special alloys from Wieland are suitable for the miniaturization of semi-finished products and as substitutes for conventional materials for production and environmental reasons. These innovative materials are an alternative to lead-, beryllium- or cadmium-containing alloys.



Wieland semi-finished products are available in many product forms – as rods, sections and wires. They are supplied in different sizes, the smallest wire diameter available being 0.3 millimetres, and are suitable for a wide range of applications, for example in the electronic and automotive industries as well as in the IT and infrastructure sectors.



High-strength and high-conductivity copper alloys for electronic applications

For the electrical and electronic industry Wieland will be presenting high-strength and high-conductivity copper alloys at the Hanover Fair. These alloys are used whenever high electrical conductivity as well as high mechanical strength and fatigue strength are required, for example, in connectors and stranded wires. Copper alloys such as K55, K65, K80 and K88 are fine-grained and precipitation-hardened and, therefore, particularly resistant to vibrations and fatigue. Moreover, they are highly resistant to thermal stress relaxation and softening. For example, the CuNiSiMg alloy K55 is suitable for connector pins.



Cold-forging qualities: very fine-grained materials

For applications which have to exhibit a very high cold-forging quality, Wieland produces wires from high-conductivity and high-copper alloys such as the CuSn alloy K81. Cold-forging qualities in nickel silver and brass are used for the production of ball-point pen tips. All cold-forging materials have a very fine grain and homogeneous microstructure with a positive effect on the cold-forging process.



Development partnerships for new materials and products

With many years experience in the production of copper alloys, an in-house foundry, a test laboratory and state-of-the-art wire drawing machines, Wieland offers its customers the possibility of jointly developing, for example, substitutes for potentially hazardous elements such as beryllium, cadmium and tellurium in conventional products.



Further information:

Wieland-Werke AG

Karin Maier, Public Relations

Graf-Arco-Straße 36 – Germany

Tel. 0049 731-944-2663 – fax: 944-42663

karin.maier@wieland.de, www.wieland.de



Wieland-Werke AG

Dr. Robert Zauter

Product Management and Marketing

Extruded/Drawn Products

Graf-Arco-Straße 36 – 89078 Ulm, Germany

Tel. 0049 731-944-2277 – fax: 944-4550

robert.zauter@wieland.de



Public relations:

Press’n’Relations GmbH – Bruno Lukas

Magirusstraße 33 – 89077 Ulm, Germany

Tel. 0049 731-9628717 – fax: 9628797

blu@press-n-relations.de, www.press-n-relations.de



The Wieland Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of semi-finished and special products in copper and copper alloys. These include strip and sheet, tube, rod, wire and sections as well as slide bearings, finned tubes and heat exchangers. Wieland supplies customers in numerous markets, producing over 100 different copper alloys, which are primarily used in the electrical and electronic industry. Wieland products are also used in construction, mechanical engineering and in the automotive as well as heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration industries. Together with its customers the company develops solutions for individual and industrial applications.



The Wieland Group comprises over 30 manufacturing companies, slitting centres and trading subsidiaries in Europe, China, Singapore, South Africa as well as in the USA. Wieland’s R&D as well as production and sales are certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2000-12. Moreover, Wieland has an accredited testing and certification laboratory.



The Wieland Group achieved a turnover of € 2,504 million in the business year 2005/2006, with an export share of more than 68 %. Wieland has over 6,000 employees worldwide.



Photos:

1. Connectors made of Wieland-K55

2. Wieland special alloys: high strength and high conductivity