AgW Contact Rivet
The AgW contact rivet is a riveted contact form for high-volume LV electrical apparatus, a silver-tungsten contact button with a pre-formed mounting head (r...
Silver tungsten contacts combine silver's conductivity with tungsten's arc-erosion resistance, the standard material for low-voltage electrical apparatus where contact resistance matters as much as arc handling. Where CuW (copper tungsten) dominates in MV vacuum interrupters, AgW dominates in LV contactors, motor starters, relays, and air circuit breakers. The silver matrix gives lower contact resistance than copper at the same tungsten content; the tungsten phase handles arc duty during making and breaking. We supply AgW contacts across the full grade range covered by GB/T 8320-2025 (Chinese national standard for copper-tungsten and silver-tungsten electrical contacts), from AgW30 for high-conductivity general-purpose duty through AgW80 for severe-duty motor starters. Most production is in tip / button form for LV contactors, with custom geometries available from drawing.
The AgW contact rivet is a riveted contact form for high-volume LV electrical apparatus, a silver-tungsten contact button with a pre-formed mounting head (r...
The AgW contact tip is the standard form for low-voltage electrical apparatus, a small machined or sintered silver-tungsten element brazed or pressed onto a...
AgW custom component is the catch-all listing for silver-tungsten parts that don't fit the standard tip, rivet, or button forms.
AgW70 is the workhorse grade for severe-duty LV electrical apparatus, motor starters, heavy-cycle contactors, air circuit breakers at higher current ratings...
AgW and CuW are the same idea built on different matrices: a tungsten skeleton infiltrated with a conductive metal. Silver costs more, and it is chosen for two reasons copper cannot supply. Silver oxide stays conductive, so contact resistance does not drift as the surface tarnishes; and at the same tungsten content the silver matrix gives lower contact resistance to begin with.
That matters in low-voltage apparatus, where contacts sit closed for months and then have to make cleanly. It matters much less inside MV switchgear, where the duty is arc erosion rather than resistance drift — which is why CuW dominates there and AgW dominates in contactors, motor starters, relays, and air circuit breakers.
| Grade | Tungsten | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| AgW30 | 30 wt% | High conductivity, light arc duty. General-purpose relays and low-cycle apparatus |
| AgW50 | 50 wt% | The middle of the range. Mixed conductivity and arc duty |
| AgW70 | 70 wt% | The workhorse for severe-duty LV apparatus: motor starters, heavy-cycle contactors, air circuit breakers at higher ratings |
| AgW80 | 80 wt% | Maximum arc erosion resistance, accepting the resistance penalty |
Grades follow GB/T 8320-2025, the Chinese national standard covering copper-tungsten and silver-tungsten electrical contacts. The AgW selection guide for LV apparatus maps duty to grade, and choosing an AgW grade for AC contactors covers the contactor case specifically.
Most AgW volume ships as small formed elements rather than machined parts, because LV apparatus is built in quantities where per-piece cost dominates.
AgW is the choice where arc erosion drives the failure. Where welding resistance or low chopping matters more, other silver systems suit better. Tell us the apparatus, the switching frequency, and what the existing contact does when it fails — that description usually settles it faster than a datasheet comparison.
We supply the AgW element and the brazed joint to your drawing. The bar itself comes from conductive rods and conductors.
Grade if known, dimensions or a drawing, the mounting method (brazed, riveted, or pressed), and annual quantity. Annual quantity changes the tooling decision, so it is worth stating even when the first order is a trial.
