machining Berylium Copper

[chet470]

Has anyone machined heat treated Berylium Copper and what benefits are there in comparison to machining non heat treated Berylium Copper.

Thanks

[prince igor]

Our company is machining Berylium Copper but the "forged" one.We are making electrodes for rail flash-butt welding.As far we didn't get any trouble from machining (milling).Very easy to mill,we use Sandvik inserts,and we did a lot of machining.For what I remember we sold as scrap the chips in quantity of about 350 kilograms,and the sandvik inserts did not wear yet on one side (we use R245 for face milling and R390 for sloting).
The only problem is the "hazardous" situation.After milling the chips get very hot (we use high speed machining) even with coolant, so after finishing one operation we need to wait till the vapour condensate inside the work chamber of the machine,because it is impossible to manipulate the piece wich is machined and breathe at the same time.
igor

[lancut]

"Beryllium is a highly toxic metal and if exposed to it, at or above the threshold values, it can lead to a chronic beryllium disease (CBD) (i.e. berylliosis) or an acute beryllium disease. Toxic exposure to beryllium is most often thru an inhalation pathway. Beryllium has a variety of effects. Some beryllium combines with a protein and is deposited in the liver, spleen and kidneys, but the beryllium when bound with a biological protein, a hapten, can result in the chronic form of the disease which is believed to be a delayed hypersensitivity immune response. The major toxicological effects of beryllium are on the respiratory tract,specifically the lungs and their alveoli."

It machines nicely, just remember...

MAKE SURE IT FLOODED WITH LOTS OF COOLANT WHEN MACH!NED!

[Geof]

Machining beryllium copper has been discussed in a few threads.


http://www.cnczone.com/forums/compos...fe_enough.html

Machining beryllium copper

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/haas_m...um_copper.html