CZ121 is the standard European grade of free-machining brass consisting of a duplex structure and a 3% lead addition. The particles of lead are finely dispersed throughout the microstructure and acts as both a lubricant and a chip breaker to give the alloy its free machining characteristics.
The machinability rating of 100% for CZ121 is the standard against which all other copper alloys are rated. It is the most widely used of all the brasses due to its suitability for high speed machining operations and also the manufacture of intricate parts. Its combination of machinability, thread rolling and knurling characteristics, combined with its good strength, an ease of soldering / brazing and a high resistance to corrosion makes it the ideal choice for many brass components throughout industry.
Typical Uses:
Traditional uses for CZ121 include a wide variety of machined components made on high speed lathes including screws, bolts, nuts, bushing, pins, washers, butts, hinges and also locks and components for watches.Alloy 303 is a non-magnetic, austenitic stainless steel that is not hardenable by heat treatment. It is the free machining modification of the basic 18% chromium / 8% nickel stainless steel. Alloy 303 was specially designed to exhibit improved machinability while maintaining good mechanical and corrosion resistant properties Due to the presence of sulfur in the steel composition, Alloy 303 is the most readily machineable austenitic stainless steel; however, the sulfur addition does lower Alloy 303’s corrosion resistance to below that of Alloy 304. Like other austenitic grades, Alloy 303 demonstrates excellent toughness, although the sulfur does reduce this a little as well.
Alloy 303 is frequently used in applications that require parts to be heavily machined. Some examples include: