CuW Conductive Rod

CuW conductive rod is the raw stock most often used as starting material for arc contacts, contact plates, and custom CuW components. We supply rod in standard diameters and lengths, with optional in-house cutting and end facing for OEMs sourcing semi-finished material. Standard grades are CuW70, CuW75, and CuW80; higher tungsten content is available on request.

If you have an in-house machining capability and prefer to control the contact geometry yourself, ordering rod stock is usually the most cost-effective path. If you'd rather we machine the finished part, see our CuW Static Arc Contact, Moving Arc Contact, and Alloy Component (Custom) listings.

Specifications

Property	Value
Material Grade	CuW70 / CuW75 / CuW80 (higher W on request)
Tungsten Content	70, 75, or 80 wt% (custom on request)
Form	Round bar (rod)
Diameter (OD) Range	Per drawing
Length Range	Per drawing
Diameter Tolerance	Per drawing
Straightness	Per drawing
End Condition	Sawn (default) or faced; specify on order
Electrical Conductivity	32–45% IACS depending on grade (per ASTM B702 typical)
Density	13.0–15.0 g/cm³ depending on grade
Hardness (HB)	175–240 depending on grade

Exact certified properties for your lot are available with material documentation on request.

Applications

• Starting stock for in-house machining of arc contacts, plates, and custom CuW parts
• Conductor element in MV switchgear current-carrying paths where high arc tolerance is needed
• Refurbishment programs requiring CuW stock for one-off contact remakes
• Sub-supply to other VI / VCB manufacturers needing semi-finished CuW

Technical Notes

CuW rod is made by powder metallurgy: tungsten skeleton pressed and sintered, then infiltrated with molten copper. The resulting material is dense (typically >99% theoretical) and machinable on standard CNC tooling, but cuts more like a brass-tungsten composite than like pure copper, slower feed rates and carbide tooling are normal. We can recommend tooling and feeds based on grade and OD if your machining shop is new to CuW.

Two practical sourcing notes:

• For arc contact blanks, order rod slightly oversize on OD to allow for finish machining without exposing inclusions or sub-surface porosity.
• For longer lengths, straightness within standard tolerance is normal, but very long rods (above a certain L/D ratio) may require straightening. Specify if your application is sensitive.

Sourcing & OEM

Standard diameters are available from stock subject to availability; custom diameters and lengths are produced to order. Lead time depends on grade, OD, length, and order volume. Contact us with your specifications for a project-specific quote.