What Are Copper Gaskets?

A gasket is a very important part in any type of machinery. It serves as a seal between different surfaces in order order to stop anything from leaking. It can also be considered a mating surface, because it fills the space between the parts to take care of any irregularities. Gaskets are often made of copper, which is something that we sell often at Phoenix Specialty Manufacturing. If you need copper gaskets, you may be interested in knowing how they are made and what you can expect from them.

Creating Copper Gaskets

When we make copper gaskets, we use a machine called a stamping press. This machine uses something called a die, which is a large block of metal with the shape of the gasket cut out into it. It is firmly attached to the stamping press, and another large block of metal is consistently pushed up and down into the die. A sheet or coil of raw metal is pushed through the machine. As the large block of metal pushes down into the die, the raw metal is cut out into the correct shape. Many parts of the same exact size and shape are created as the stamping press does its work.

Properties of Copper

Gaskets can be made from a variety of materials, including, but not limited to rubber, metal, fiberglass, and silicone. Copper is a popular material for gaskets because it has properties that make it an obvious choice. It is a conductor of heat and electricity. Because it is such a great conductor, it actually increases the electrical energy efficiency of motors. Thus, using it in a motorized machine is a smart investment. It is soft and malleable, so it is easy to work with. It does not corrode easily, because it slowly reacts with oxygen to form a layer of copper oxide over the metal, which serves as a protective layer. It does not react with water, which makes it a good option for protecting against leaks. Copper also has many alloys and compounds, which are used often. It is not a very expensive metal, so it offers great properties without a large price.

What We Do

At Phoenix Specialty Manufacturing, we have over 300 different types of metal available. We work with copper regularly and can also work with its alloys and compounds. If you are looking for certain properties that copper offers, give us your specifications and we can find the right metal for you. We carry copper gaskets in our large inventory of over 400 million parts. The 100,000 items in this inventory are ready to go, so you can order them and get same-day shipping. If you choose to order a custom stamping of a copper gasket or anything else, we can ensure that you will get a part to your exact specifications. Because it is a custom part, it will take longer, but we can get typically get your part shipped to you within two weeks of your order. That’s the fastest manufacturing and delivery time in our industry.