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Material Matchmaking
Choosing the Right Alloy for Function, Cost & Compliance
Issue 057
When you’re designing a critical stamped part, material choice isn’t just a box to check—it’s the heart of your product’s performance.
And let’s be real: with so many alloys competing for your attention (each offering some mix of strength, conductivity, or price), the risk of picking the wrong one is real. A poor material choice can lead to costly redesigns, compliance surprises, or worse—failure in the field.
You’re the hero here. Your design choices shape how the product performs, how it’s made, and how it meets today’s tough regulations. I’ll be your guide to the most popular stamping alloys used today, so you can match materials to performance, production, and compliance goals with confidence.
Let’s dive in.
The Common Alloy Players (and What They Really Offer)The Hidden Cost: When Strip Layouts Work Against You
🥇 C197 (High-Performance Bronze)
📈 Strength: Medium-high (~95 ksi after stress relief)
⚡ Conductivity: Stronger than traditional brasses
🔄 Formability: Excellent for complex bends and forming
🎯 Plating Compatibility: Very good (tin, silver, nickel)
🛡️ Compliance: RoHS compliant, Be-free
💬 A favorite for electrical connectors and leadframes where conductivity and formability balance matters.
🚀 C7025 (High-Strength Copper Alloy)
📈 Strength: Very high (up to 130 ksi)
⚡ Conductivity: ~80% IACS
🔄 Formability: Good with correct heat treatment
🎯 Plating Compatibility: Excellent
🛡️ Compliance: RoHS and DFARS friendly (no Be)
💬 An ideal high-strength alternative to BeCu for compact electrical contacts and terminals.
🔥 Beryllium Copper (C17200)
📈 Strength: Very high (~200 ksi after aging)
⚡ Conductivity: Moderate (~22–28% IACS)
🔄 Formability: Good pre-aging; limited post-aging
🎯 Plating Compatibility: Excellent
🛡️ Compliance: RoHS compliant in most cases; DFARS controlled material
💬 Best when mechanical strength under dynamic load is critical—think aerospace terminals, downhole sensors, and critical spring contacts.
Note: Low-beryllium alternatives are emerging in 2025, offering new options for designs with stricter DFARS or safety standards.
🛠️ 300 Series Stainless Steel (304, 305, 301)
📈 Strength: Moderate to high (depending on temper)
⚡ Conductivity: Poor compared to copper alloys
🔄 Formability: Excellent for 304/305; high strength for 301 spring tempers
🎯 Plating Compatibility: Challenging, requires activation layers
🛡️ Compliance: RoHS and DFARS compliant
💬 Go-to material for applications needing corrosion resistance, mechanical strength, and durability over conductivity.
🌟 Other Useful Choices
🧪 C510 Phosphor Bronze: A good mid-strength, corrosion-resistant option with better conductivity than stainless.
🎨 Nickel-Silver Alloys: Good for low-current contacts needing strong tarnish resistance and decorative finish appeal.
The Plan: How to Choose Smartly
Ask yourself three key questions:
Function First: Is strength, conductivity, or flexibility your top priority?
Finishing Needs: Will it be plated? Which metals? Some alloys bond better than others.
Compliance Landscape: Are DFARS certifications or RoHS compliance non-negotiable?
Also: always account for how heat treating or plating will affect material properties after forming. Small changes can create big downstream impacts.
Ready to pick the right material with more confidence?
If you’re weighing options between alloys, let’s start a conversation. A quick material review now could save you from tooling headaches, compliance issues, and costly rework later.
Gromax Precision Die & Mfg., Inc. specializes in designing and manufacturing precision metal stamped parts and tooling, including progressive stamping dies and custom equipment. With an on-time delivery rate of 99.68% and a defect rate of just 0.066%, the company ensures exceptional reliability and quality.
Gromax is ISO 9001:2015 certified and ITAR registered, serving industries such as medical, defense, aerospace, industrial automation, and automotive with high-quality, innovative solutions.