alzen® - the alloy without lead
For the reduction of your CO2-footprint
alzen® 305 is a zinc-based alloy (ZnAlCu) developed by voestalpine without the addition of lead, which is primarily suitable for use as a bearing material and also offers other possibilities and advantages.
Compared to lead-containing red castings, this sustainable lead substitute is characterised by comparable mechanical and tribological properties, significantly lower density and a good price-performance ratio.
With alzen® 305, we are expanding our material portfolio in the Foundry Group and creating additional options for customised castings in all segments.
Advantages
- High load capacity of the ZnAlCu alloy
- Excellent emergency running property & wear-resistant
- Good embedding capacity of impurities & dirt
- No lead as an alloying element and therefore no information obligation according to REACH Regulation, Article 33
- Low density
- Excellent sliding properties with low coefficients of friction
- Very good wettability & lubricant distribution
- Higher thermal conductivity than standard leaded red bronze alloys e.g. CuSn12-C13/Gbz12, CuSn7Zn4Pb7/RG7, CuSn12-C13 / (Gbz12)14, CuSn7Zn4Pb7-C15 / (SAE66016, RG717), CuSn7Pb15-C18 / (SAE6719), CuSn10Pb10-C20 / (SAE6421), CuSn14-C22 / (B14)23 etc.
- Good damping capacity
- High processing speeds possible (similar to aluminium alloys such as EN AW-5083)
- Low sensitivity to edge pressure (comparable to Gbz12)
- Lower CO2-footprint compared to conventional gunmetal alloys
Industries & Applications
Our innovative special alloy alzen® 305 is favoured by recognised companies from demanding sectors of the metal and electronics industry.
Mechanical and plant engineering | Metal industry | Rail vehicle manufacturing
- Machine tools
- Conveying systems
- Drive technology
- Agricultural machinery
- Mining, construction machinery
- Pumps and compressors
- Cooling and air technology
- Fittings
- Food processing machinery
- Textile machinery
- Ovens
- Machines for the paper industry
- Metal production and rolling mill equipment
The lead-free zinc alloy is used for various tribological applications. The spectrum ranges from sliding elements such as plates, guideways, thrust washers, bushings and bearing segments to hydraulic components such as sealing rings and other customised special parts.
Lubrication types of plain bearing
Delivery programme
alzen® 305 | Casting material
Mould casting small
- Diameter: 35 - 116 mm
- Lengths: 280 - 500 mm
Mould casting large
- Diameter: 60 - 570 mm
- Lengths: up to 580 mm
- Block dimensions: on request
Sand casting / composite material
- Size range: on request
Delivery times
- Semi-finished products: approx. 8 weeks
- Finished parts: approx. 12 weeks
alzen® 305 | Wrought alloy
Raw sheets
Max. dimensions s x L x B [mm] | ||
s | L | B |
| 12 | 1300 | 1650 |
| 15 | 1300 | 1650 |
| 20 | 1300 | 1650 |
| 25 | 1300 | 1650 |
| 30 | 1300 | 1650 |
| 35 | 1800 | 1650 |
| 40 | 1800 | 1650 |
| 45 | 1800 | 1650 |
Rolled-in bearing segments
- Max. thickness finished parts: 31 mm
- Max. thickness raw parts: 45 mm
- Size range: on request
Sand casting / composite material
- Size range: on request
Delivery times
- Semi-finished products: approx. 8 weeks
- Finished parts: approx. 12 weeks
Packaging and surface protection
If no special agreements have been made by the time of acceptance of the order, the choice of packaging and/or surface protection for transport and storage is the responsibility of voestalpine Camtec GmbH.
Standard packaging
- Castings < 20 kg: cardboard
- Castings ≥ 20 kg: wooden boxes
- Metal sheets: disposable pallets incl. edge protection
To prevent oxidation of finished components, it is recommended that alzen® 305 finished parts are stored in a dry environment. Additional protection is provided by corrosion inhibitors such as ENSIS® RPO 600.
Plain bearings for linear, radial, thrust, spherical and combination applications
Linear bearing
Wear plates:
Wear stripes:
Radial bearing
Bushings without/ with flange:
Bearing shells:
Thrust bearing
Thrust washers:
Spherical bearing
Technical Details
alzen® 305 is used for tribological applications due to its good sliding properties. The information on the recommended sliding speed and surface pressure relates to the condition of mixed friction and therefore represents lower values than for wear-free liquid friction.
| Wrought alloy | Castingmaterial | Castingmaterial | Castingmaterial |
Material properties 1) | alzen® 305K | alzen® 305 | CuSn12-C-GM | CuSn7Zn4Pb7- |
Density ρ in kg/dm³ | 4,6 | 4,6 | 8,7 7) | 8,8 7) |
Young‘s modulus ²)E in N/mm² | 62.000 | 70.000 | 97.000 7) | 101.000 7) |
Yield strength ²)Rp0,2 in N/mm² | 215 | 215 | 150 6) | 120 6) |
Tensile strength ²)Rm in N/mm² | 290 | 290 | 270 6) | 230 6) |
Elongation at break ²) A5 in % | 8 | 5 | 5 6) | 12 6) |
Offset yield strength ²)Rdp0,2 in N/mm² | 240 | 240 | 150 - 160 7) | 120 - 160 7) |
Compressive strength ²)Rdm3,0 in N/mm² | 330 | 330 | - | - |
Hardness 3)in HBW10/1000 | 90 | 115 | 80 6) | 60 6) |
Coefficient of thermal expansion α in 10-6 K-1 | 26 | 26 | 17,8 7) | 18 7) |
| Thermal conductivity λ in W/(m*K) | 100 - 113 | 100 - 113 | 55 7) | 64 7) |
| Coefficient of static friction 4) µRH | 0,12 - 0,2 | 0,12 - 0,2 | - | - |
| Coefficient of mixed friction 4) µRH | 0,02 - 0,05 | 0,02 - 0,05 | - | - |
| pv-value 4) in N/mm² * m/s | 1,5 | 1,5 | 1,3 | 1,0 |
| Sliding speed v in m/s | 0,2 - 1 | 0,2 - 1 | 0,4 | 0,4 |
| Dynamic surface pressure pdyn N/mm² | 10 | 10 | comparable | comparable |
Static surface pressurepstat N/mm² | 40 | 40 | comparable | comparable |
Max. temperature short term Tmax in °C | 120 | 120 | - | - |
| Min. temperature Tmin in °C | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| Min. hardness of the counter bodyHBmin in HBW10/1000 | 225 | 225 | 200 | 200 |
| Roughness of counter body Rz / Ra in μm | 6,3 / 0,8 | 6,3 / 0,8 | 6,3 / 0,8 | 6,3 / 0,8 |
1) The values listed are reference values and do not represent design limits.
2) Average values analysed on cast samples at room temperature, may vary depending on component
size: Strength values are temperature-dependent.
3) Maximum values tested on cast samples at room temperature, may vary depending on component size.
4) According to ASTM G77 under lubricated conditions at v=0.5m/s, varies depending on additional
lubrication, load, sliding speed and ambient conditions.
5) The values have been determined on the standard sheet thickness d = 15 mm, may vary depending on
the sheet thickness.
6) Reference values taken from EN 1982:2017.
7) Reference values taken from the Deutsches Kupferinstitut.
Substitutable materials
From a tribological point of view, the materials listed can be replaced by alzen® 305 or alzen® 305K. A precise examination of the load situation, lubrication conditions and fit design is necessary before any change of material. The customer is not exempt from testing the selected product in advance.
- CuSn12-C-GM / (GBz12)
- CuSn7Zn4Pb7-C-GM / (SAE660, RG7)
- CuSn7Pb15-C-GM / (SAE67)
- CuSn10Pb10-C-GM / (SAE64)
- CuSn14-C-GM / (B14)
According to the current EU directive (REACH / Article 33), these materials contain sub-stances of very high concern (SVHC) and are therefore required to provide information.
