C17200 Large Beryllium Copper Bushing & Bearing Sleeve

C17200 is a precipitation-hardening copper-beryllium alloy selected for components that require substantially higher strength, hardness and fatigue resistance than conventional copper alloys.

Large C17200 bushings and bearing sleeves are suitable for heavy-load mechanical assemblies, tooling systems and precision equipment where resistance to deformation, wear and repeated loading is important.

Cymber Metal can supply rough-forged hollow blanks, semi-finished sleeves and fully machined bushings. This allows customers to purchase either machining stock or components manufactured to an approved drawing.

Why Choose C17200 for Large Bushings?

C17200 provides a useful combination of mechanical strength and electrical conductivity. After suitable solution treatment and precipitation aging, the alloy can develop high hardness and load-carrying capability while retaining the thermal and electrical characteristics of a copper-based alloy.

Key process features

• High strength and hardness after controlled age hardening
• Excellent fatigue and spring performance
• Good resistance to wear, deformation and galling
• Useful electrical and thermal conductivity for a high-strength copper alloy
• Non-magnetic characteristics
• Good dimensional stability when the heat-treatment and machining sequence is properly controlled
• Suitable for precision CNC turning, boring and honing
• Large hollow sections available as forged or rough-machined blanks
• Custom oil grooves, lubrication holes and drawing-specific features available

Available Supply Forms

Rough-Forged Hollow Blanks

Large hollow forgings can be supplied with machining allowance for customers who perform their own heat treatment and final machining.

Semi-Machined Sleeves

The inner diameter, outer diameter and end faces can be rough-machined to reduce the customer’s machining time and material removal.

Finish-Machined Bushings

Bushings can be finish-turned, bored and honed according to the approved drawing. Where tight dimensional tolerances are required, final machining after heat treatment is generally preferred.

Typical Size Range

Inner Diameter:
30 mm to 250 mm

Outer Diameter:
50 mm to 350 mm

Length:
30 mm to 400 mm

Larger sizes and non-standard wall thicknesses may be available after reviewing the required alloy, condition, quantity, tolerances and inspection requirements.

C17200 Chemical Composition

Beryllium (Be): 1.80–2.00%

Cobalt + Nickel (Co + Ni): 0.20% minimum

Cobalt + Nickel + Iron (Co + Ni + Fe): 0.60% maximum

Copper (Cu): Balance

The applicable standard edition, purchase specification and material test certificate shall govern the final chemical requirements.

Mechanical Performance

In selected fully age-hardened conditions, C17200 can achieve tensile strength of 1200 MPa or above and yield strength of 1000 MPa or above.

These values must be treated as condition-dependent reference values rather than blanket guarantees for every bushing. Actual properties depend on the raw-material form, wall thickness, heat-treatment condition, sampling location and governing specification.

Required minimum tensile strength, yield strength, hardness and electrical conductivity should be stated in the inquiry and confirmed in the quotation, inspection plan and material test certificate.

C17200 or C17500/C17510?

C17200 is normally selected when strength, hardness and wear resistance are the main requirements.

When higher electrical or thermal conductivity is the primary consideration, C17500 or C17510 may be evaluated separately. These are different copper-beryllium alloys and are not direct substitutes for C17200.

C17500 and C17510 products must be quoted according to their own applicable material standards, heat-treatment conditions and required properties. Their conductivity figures should not be presented as C17200 performance.

Production and Machining Route

Depending on the requested size and condition, the qualified production route may include:

1. Material Preparation

Certified C17200 billet, bar or forging stock is selected according to the required dimensions, condition and inspection plan.

2. Hot Working

Large sections may be forged or extruded into hollow blanks. Controlled hot working refines the structure and reduces the amount of material removed during machining.

3. Solution Treatment

The material is heated under controlled conditions and quenched to establish the required solution-treated structure.

4. Precipitation Aging

Controlled aging develops the specified balance of strength, hardness and conductivity. Large wall thicknesses require an appropriate time-and-temperature cycle to obtain consistent properties.

5. Rough Machining

The inner diameter, outer diameter and end faces are rough-machined with suitable allowance for heat treatment and final finishing.

6. Finish Machining

CNC turning, boring and honing are used to achieve the specified dimensions,roundness, concentricity and surface finish. Oil grooves, lubrication holes, shoulders and chamfers can be added according to the drawing.

7. Cleaning and Protection

Finished parts are cleaned, inspected and protected against oxidation and handling damage during storage and international transportation.

Quality and Inspection Options

The inspection scope is established according to the purchase specification and the criticality of the component.

Available controls include:

• Heat and lot traceability
• Material test certificates
• Heat-treatment records
• Chemical composition verification
• Tensile, yield, hardness and conductivity testing
• ID, OD, length and wall-thickness inspection
• Roundness, concentricity and runout inspection
• Surface-finish inspection
• Ultrasonic examination on suitable large or rough-machined sections
• Dimensional reports using micrometers, bore gauges or CMM equipment
• SGS, BV, TÜV or other third-party inspection by arrangement

Ultrasonic testing, full dimensional reporting and third-party inspection should be specified during the quotation stage. They are not automatically included with every order.

Bearing and Lubrication Design

C17200 provides high strength and wear resistance, but it is not an inherently self-lubricating bearing material.

Actual bearing life depends on load, speed, mating material, surface finish, alignment, operating temperature and lubrication. Oil grooves and lubrication holes can be machined according to the customer’s bearing design.

Typical Applications

• Aerospace bearing and structural components when C17200 is specified by the approved drawing
• Oil and gas drilling and downhole equipment
• Heavy-duty pivot and guide bushings
• Precision molds, mold inserts and tooling components
• High-load mechanical assemblies
• Electrical and electromechanical equipment
• Automotive and industrial sensor assemblies
• Precision instruments and production equipment
• Defense-related components manufactured to approved specifications
• Low-sparking equipment components subject to application-specific risk assessment

Machining Safety

Machining, grinding, welding or thermal processing of beryllium copper can generate beryllium-containing dust, mist or fumes.

These operations require suitable engineering controls, local exhaust ventilation, occupational exposure management, appropriate personal protective equipment and waste-handling procedures. Customers should review the applicable safety data sheet and follow local occupational health regulations before processing the material.

Request a Quotation

For an accurate quotation, please provide:

• Alloy grade
• Required inner diameter
• Required outer diameter
• Length
• Quantity
• Heat-treatment condition
• Dimensional tolerances
• Surface-finish requirement
• Oil-groove or lubrication-hole drawing
• Required hardness or conductivity
• Ultrasonic or third-party inspection requirements
• Delivery destination

Contact Cymber Metal for large C17200 beryllium copper bushings, oversized bearing sleeves, forged hollow blanks and custom-machined components.