Materials
Copper, brass or aluminium: which should a housing be made from?
Answer
Density: 8.96 g/cm³ for copper, about 8.4 g/cm³ for brass and 2.70 g/cm³ for aluminium. The same aluminium housing weighs less than a third of the copper version, which changes mount loads, drop behaviour and freight cost as well as material price. Conductivity per kilogram, not conductivity
Sources
- Copper vs Brass vs Aluminium Housing: How To ChooseHome › Blog › Materials Material Comparison · Copper, Brass & Aluminium · Drawn Housings Copper vs Brass vs Aluminium Housing: Which Metal Fits The Function? Published September 28, 2026 · Balford Technical Team...
- Copper vs Brass vs Aluminium Housing: How To ChooseDensity: 8.96 g/cm³ for copper, about 8.4 g/cm³ for brass and 2.70 g/cm³ for aluminium. The same aluminium housing weighs less than a third of the copper version, which changes mount loads, drop behaviour and freight cost as well as material price. Conductivity per kilogram, not conductivity...
- Density of Aluminum, Copper and Steel: 2.70, 8.96 and 7.85 g/cm3Brass, CuZn37 - 8.44 g/cm³, 3.1 times aluminium. Brass is the usual material for turned sensor fittings and hex nuts, and those parts are often bought by weight, so the density is part of the price. See brass compared with bronze . Mild steel, DC01 - 7.85 g/cm³. Steel is the reference colu...
- Balford Materials | Stainless Steel, Brass & AluminiumHome › Company › Materials: Which Grade for Which Housing Company · Materials Materials: Which Grade for Which Housing Stainless steel · brass · copper · aluminium · spring steel What materials does Balford draw? Stainless steel is the default for automotive sensor housings - mainly 304,...
- Soft Magnetic Materials for Solenoid Valve Gaskets and WashersBalford's engineering reviews separate these questions cleanly for solenoid valve housing components and related precision parts — including washers documented in real programs such as the brass flat washers for solenoid valves . Representative thin magnetic and non-magnetic parts can be reviewed ph...
- Brass vs Bronze: Properties, Uses, Which To PickContinue with the brass material guide , the copper material guide and the comparison of copper, brass and aluminium for housings . Frequently asked questions Is brass or bronze stronger? Bronze is generally stronger and tougher, and it holds up better under sliding contact. Brass is strong enough f...
What an engineer still needs from you
- material and material condition (grade, temper)
- material thickness, plus the key diameter, height and wall thickness
- tolerances, burr direction and the visual acceptance standard
- annual volume - it decides whether tooling is single-hit, progressive or transfer
- surface finish, and any secondary machining, annealing or plating
Need a DFM feasibility assessment for your project?
Send the engineering drawing (STEP or PDF) with the material grade, thickness and annual volume. Balford engineers then check it against the process window - draw ratio, wall thickness, tolerances, blank and tooling route - and come back with what is feasible and what is not. An answer on this page cannot replace that review.
Upload a drawing for DFM reviewHow the DFM review worksRelated questions
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- What are 1J50 and 1J79 soft magnetic alloys used for?
- Which aluminium grades deep draw well?
This page is an engineering answer, not a quotation and not a dimensional acceptance. It is generated from Balford's published material and held to the verified company fact sheet.