Serving businesses like yours with high-quality, high-volume plated Cuponal components consistently and efficiently. Contact us today to see how we can support your needs.
What is Cuponal?
Cuponal is a bimetallic composite material composed of a copper outer layer and an aluminium core. Due to the advantageous properties offered by the combination of these two metals, it is frequently used in electrical applications, such as busbars, connections, distribution, and switchgears. Cuponal combines aluminium’s lightweight nature with copper’s excellent electrical conductivity, making it ideal for various electrical uses.
Benefits of Cuponal
Cuponal offers significant benefits to a wide range of sectors, especially those where weight, cost, and efficiency are crucial.
- Cost effective alternative to copper
- Lightweight compared to other metals
- Light aluminium core
- Lower surface contact resistance
- Workability
- Safety benefits
Cuponal Applications
Busbars
Cuponal is widely used in manufacturing busbars, which are critical components of power distribution systems. While aluminium and copper busbars have been popular choices, Cuponal has emerged as an economical alternative to copper in recent times. It offers weight-saving advantages and significant cost reductions compared to copper. Cuponal busbars are also known as CCA Busbars (Copper-clad aluminium busbars). If you need help selecting the right material for your busbars or require busbar plating solutions, feel free to contact us.
Railway
In the railway industry, cuponal is utilised in traction systems alongside busbars to provide power to trains. It aids in reducing component weight while maintaining efficient electrical performance, which is vital for energy efficiency and operational reliability in railway systems.
Construction
Cuponal is commonly used as a lightning conductor in buildings and construction to ensure compliance with lightning protection standards. These lightning conductors are installed on structures to safeguard them from lightning strikes. Bi-metallic lightning conductors, like Cuponal ones, offer a combination of lightweight aluminium with high workability, conductivity, and low resistance, making them well-suited for lightning protection and conductors.
Tin plating
Tin is a silvery metal known for its high malleability. Tin plating is a process that involves coating metals with a thin layer of tin. When applied to cuponal, this process offers manufacturers numerous benefits, mainly protecting against corrosion, erosion, and oxidation. Consequently, tin plating helps extend the lifespan of cuponal components.
Nickel plating
Our team has extensive experience in electroplating and nickel plating on cuponal components. Nickel plating on cuponal components provides exceptional protection against erosion, as well as excellent resistance to wear and corrosion, making it a durable choice. This resilience is attributed to its high oxidation resistance.
Silver plating
Cuponal is susceptible to oxidation and corrosion, and in some applications, fritting can be a common issue. Fritting disrupts the electrical connection and leads to unwanted resistance. To address this, silver plating is often used to prevent fritting by providing a stable surface.
Furthermore, the addition of silver coating prevents oxidation and degradation, making it an ideal material for high-temperature environments, such as those found in the power generation industry. Moreover, silver plating offers remarkable anti-galling and anti-fretting properties. It is available in a variety of shades, ranging from a bright and shiny appearance to a matte finish.
Ready to start your plating process?
Do you have a use case for Cuponal or want to discuss your needs? Don’t let substandard plating compromise the performance, longevity, or quality of your Cuponal products. Contact us today. A successful partnership with Karas Plating means steady lead times, increased customer satisfaction, and peace of mind.