A lead-free alternative for potable water fitting applications

L. & M. Precision Products Inc. is a leading manufacturer of custom precision-machined products. The company has the capability to machine products in a variety of materials, including ECO BRASS (C69300), a high performance lead-free brass.

A lead-free alternative

It started in California and spread nationwide — companies can no longer use leaded brass alloys because of AB1953 and S3874 restrictions on lead content in potable water fittings. In addition, disinfection treatments and changing water quality places a strain on the corrosion resistance of many of the lead-free replacement brasses introduced to meet the new legislation. These changing dynamics have created a need for an alloy that is not only 100 per cent recyclable, but that is also dynamic enough to be used in multiple applications that require performance and corrosion resistance. Fortunately, there’s an alloy that meets both sets of challenges and has proven itself in the field — ECO BRASS.

This super alloy contains a nominal 76 per cent copper, 21 per cent zinc, three per cent silicon and 0.1 per cent phosphorus. Silicon makes the alloy inherently strong, and in some ways acts like chromium in stainless steel. This means it can take much more stress than many copper alloys without cracking from applied stress or corrosion. Phosphorus protects the brass matrix from a corrosion type called dezincification, which is where some alloys lose their zinc selectively when exposed to water with high chloride contents. The result is an alloy which, since 2000, has met the needs of the potable water industry in real world applications.

L. & M.’s expertise

L. & M. Precision Products has the expertise and capability to produce custom precision-machined products from stainless steel, aluminum, copper alloys, titanium, steel, nylon, teflon, ECO BRASS and more. The Toronto-based company continuously upgrades its equipment and improves processes to ensure it consistently produces quality products on time for its customers in Canada and the U.S.

To learn more about ECO BRASS or the company’s capabilities, contact L. & M. Precision Products or visit www.ECOBRASS-USA.com.

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