Isabellenhütte is manufacturing fasteners made of their proprietary Isa-Con copper alloy materials. Isa-Con fasteners have comparable strength and conductivity to stainless steel and copper materials, respectively.Source: Isabellenhütte Gmbh The fasteners are intended for fastener applications that need high electrical conductivity and heat resistance.

The manufacturer proposes Isa-Con materials as an alternative to traditional zinc-plated steel fasteners when those components provide inadequate conductivity, thermal management or excessive footprint or weight. The low electrical resistance of the fastener permits it to supply sufficient conductivity in a small size, and mitigates the development of heat.

A steel fastener would need to be oversized to provide equivalent conductivity and heat resistance. Traditional copper fasteners need to be oversized to ensure tensile strength. However, fasteners comprised of Isa-Con450 feature a tensile strength between 450 and 550 MPa and 80% conductivity per the International Annealed Copper Standard.

Isabellenhütte cites bridging busbars as a potential application, and believes the fasteners could serve prominently in the automotive industry. Mechanically-stressed plugged connectors would also benefit from the strong, conductive properties of Isa-Con material.

This news originally appeared in Wire and Tube News.