CDA 95400 Bronze, C 95400 Bronze casting, 954 Aluminum Bronze, C95400 Aluminum Bronze, Aluminum Bronze C 95400 Sand casting, Investment casting of Aluminum Bronze 954 grade

C95400 Bronze (CDA 954) — Aluminum Bronze for Tough, Wear-Resistant Castings

C95400 (also written CDA 954, C 95400, Aluminum Bronze 954) is the world’s most widely used cast aluminum-bronze. It combines high strength, excellent wear and galling resistance, good corrosion performance (including many chlorides and seawater splash/immersed zones), and solid machinability for a copper-based alloy. Typical parts include heavy-duty bushings, pump/valve components, gears, wear plates, and marine hardware where bronzes like tin-bronze (C90500) are not strong enough and nickel-aluminum bronzes (e.g., C95500/C95800) would be over-spec.

Names you’ll see in the market

• CDA 95400 Bronze / C95400 Bronze
  UNS designation for cast aluminum bronze per ASTM standards.

• 954 Aluminum Bronze / C95400 Aluminum Bronze
  Common trade/stock name for the same alloy.

• Aluminum Bronze C 95400 Sand Casting
  Same alloy, specified with sand-casting process.

• Investment Casting of Aluminum Bronze 954 Grade
  Same alloy, specified with investment (lost-wax) process.

Chemical composition (typical)

Notes

• The exact ranges are controlled by the applicable casting standard (e.g., ASTM B148 for sand castings; ASTM B271 for centrifugal; ASTM B505 for continuous cast). Foundry melt practice keeps tramp elements very low to protect toughness and corrosion performance.

Mechanical properties (typical)

As-cast (good sand or investment castings)

• UTS (Rm): ~620–655 MPa (90–95 ksi)

• 0.2% YS (Rp0.2): ~310–345 MPa (45–50 ksi)

• Elongation: ~12–15%

• Brinell Hardness: ~170–190 HB

• Shear strength: ~380–415 MPa (55–60 ksi)

• Modulus of Elasticity: ~110–120 GPa

• Density: ~7.5–7.7 g/cm³

Heat-treated (solution-quench + age)

• UTS: ~690–760 MPa (100–110 ksi)

• 0.2% YS: ~415–485 MPa (60–70 ksi)

• Elongation: ~8–12%

• Brinell Hardness: ~200–230 HB

Process clue: A common cycle is solutionizing ~900–955 °C, rapid quench (usually water), then age/temper ~400–550 °C to optimize strength/toughness balance.

Physical / functional data (typical)

• Electrical conductivity: ~7–10 %IACS

• Thermal conductivity: ~25–40 W/m·K (lower than brasses/standard bronzes)

• Coefficient of thermal expansion (20–300 °C): ~15–17 µm/m·K

• Melting range (solidus–liquidus): ~1020–1080 °C

Corrosion & tribology highlights

• Seawater: Very good in splash/immersion; superior to many brasses and tin bronzes.

• Galling/Wear: Excellent anti-galling vs steel; widely used for bushings and thrust surfaces.

• Cavitation/Erosion: Better than standard bronzes; not as extreme as nickel-aluminum bronze grades but strong for pumps/impellers in moderately aggressive services.

• Friction pairs: Pairs well against hardened steels (with or without lubrication). Dry running PV limits are modest; with oil/grease lubrication, PV capability increases dramatically.

Typical applications (“typical castings”)

• Fluid handling: Pump impellers, casings, wear rings, guide vanes, valve bodies/bonnets/seats/stems

• Power & motion: Gears, worm wheels, nuts, screw down nuts, lever arms, cams

• Bearings: Bushings, thrust washers, wear plates, slide ways

• Marine/offshore: Deck hardware, rope sheaves, guide rollers, fairleads, propulsor auxiliaries

• General engineering: Hammer/anvil faces, clapper blocks, dies/bolsters, fixture components

Casting processes for C95400

Sand (green sand / no-bake / CO₂):

• Most common and economical for medium-to-large parts.

• Linear shrink guideline: ~2.0–2.2% (process/mold dependent).

• Use generous feeders/risers; aluminum bronzes exhibit pronounced solidification shrinkage.

• Superheat: typically 100–150 °C above liquidus for fluidity (minimize hold time to limit oxide/dross).

• Mold preheat helps reduce cold shuts/misruns on heavy sections.

Shell Molding:

• Tighter dimensional control and surface finish than conventional sand.

• Good for medium-volume repeat parts (gears, bushings, valve bodies).

Investment Casting (lost-wax):

• Best for complex, thin-wall geometries with near-net finish.

• Finer microstructure can deliver slightly higher tensile/YS vs sand due to faster solidification.

• Linear shrink guideline: ~1.3–1.6% (pattern tooling compensates).

Lost-Foam:

• Viable for complex shapes; gating/degassing discipline critical to avoid oxide films.

• Often chosen for prototype/low-volume complex housings.

Centrifugal Casting:

• Excellent for bushings/rings with dense, defect-lean structure.

• Often followed by finish machining; properties are very consistent radially.

Permanent Mold/Gravity Die:

• Possible on selected geometries; requires careful die design/thermal control due to hot-short tendencies.

• More commonly used for nickel-aluminum bronzes; for C95400 it’s feasible but less common than sand/investment/centrifugal.

Foundry practice essentials for 954:

• Degassing: Inert gas (argon) purging recommended; avoid hydrogen pickup.

• Fluxing/Skimming: Control oxides/dross; use clean ladles and quiet, bottom-feed gating.

• Risers/Feeders: Hot spots and last-to-solidify sections need robust feeding to prevent shrinkage cavities.

• NDT: Dye penetrant for surfaces, radiography for critical sections; pressure/leak tests for fluid components.

• Heat treatment: Stress-relief (≈260–315 °C) after heavy machining helps dimensional stability.

Machining, joining, finishing

• Machinability: Moderate (≈ 40–50% vs free-cutting brass = 100). Sharp carbide tools, positive rake, rigid setups, flood coolant.

• Weldability/Braze: GTAW/GMAW with Al-bronze filler (e.g., ERCuAl-A2 types) is commonly used; keep interpass heat low. Silver-brazing possible but less common than weld repair.

• Surface finishes: Grind/polish to fine finishes for bearing surfaces; phosphorization or solid lubricants can be applied where needed.

• Coatings: Usually not required; for aggressive seawater or splash zone, consider nickel-aluminum bronze if pitting risk is extreme.

Equivalent / “closest” international references (guidance)

• ASTM/UNS: C95400 (cast aluminum bronze)

• ISO/EN (cast): Often cross-referenced to CuAl10Fe3-type compositions (exact EN grade designation varies by producer; mechanicals/impurity limits differ from Ni-bearing grades like CuAl10Ni5Fe4).

• BS (historical): Aluminum-bronze families AB1/AB2 exist, but note: AB2 and EN CuAl10Ni5Fe4 are nickel-aluminum bronzes (closer to C95500/C95800), not direct equivalents to C95400.

• Always verify chemistry and mechanicals in the purchasing spec; “equivalent” tables differ by region and year.

CDA 95400 Bronze

CDA/UNS C95400 is a Fe-bearing aluminum bronze (~11% Al, 3–5% Fe) designed for castings needing high strength, wear resistance, and seawater-capable corrosion performance without the extra cost or magnetism of high-nickel grades. It’s the go-to for bushings, gears, and pump/valve parts.

C 95400 Bronze Casting

As a casting alloy, C 95400 fills well with appropriate superheat and shows predictable, directional solidification. It benefits from:

• Bottom-fed, quiet gating to minimize oxide films,

• Liberal risering/thermal modulation on heavy sections, and

• Post-cast stress-relief or quench-and-age for dimensional control and strength.

954 Aluminum Bronze

“954 Aluminum Bronze” is the trade name for C95400 across foundries/stockists. Expect the same chemistry/mechanical envelope as above. For sliding wear against steel and shock loads, it’s a proven workhorse.

C95400 Aluminum Bronze

Same alloy, noted for:

• High bearing capacity vs standard bronzes,

• Better galling resistance vs brasses/tin bronzes,

• Good corrosion resistance in water, oils, many chemicals, and coastal/marine environments.

Aluminum Bronze C 95400 Sand Casting

Sand casting is the most economical route for medium-large 954 parts. With good molding practice you’ll see:

• Dimensional repeatability suitable for finish machining stock of 2–3 mm per surface (size-dependent),

• As-cast properties around 90–95 ksi UTS and 45–50 ksi YS,

• After heat treatment, 100–110 ksi UTS is common on many geometries.

Investment Casting of Aluminum Bronze 954 Grade

Choose investment casting for thin-wall, fine-detail geometries, small-to-medium sizes, or when machining allowance must be minimized. Expect:

• Finer surface finishes (Ra often ≤3.2–6.3 μm as cast),

• Better thin-section soundness,

• Slightly higher as-cast strength due to faster solidification.

Selecting between C95400 and nearby alloys

• Need higher corrosion resistance in fast-flowing seawater or higher strength at elevated temperatures? → Consider C95500/C95800 (nickel-aluminum bronzes).

• Need maximum wear resistance with embedded solid lubricant? → Consider 954 with graphite plugs or a manganese-bronze alternative (application-dependent).

• Need superior machinability over strength? → Consider leaded tin bronzes (but check environmental/lead restrictions).

Quality & standards (what to put in your PO)

• Standards: ASTM B148 (sand cast), B271 (centrifugal), B505 (continuous cast) as applicable.

• NDT: DP/RT levels per ASTM E165/E446 or customer spec for criticals.

• Heat treatment: Specify as cast, stress-relieved, or quenched & aged with target hardness (HB).

• Mechanical test bars: “Attached” or “separately cast” per spec; investment casting often uses separately poured coupons.

• Corrosion/witness samples: For marine service, consider a corrosion witness coupon program.

Practical tolerances & allowances (rule-of-thumb)

• Pattern shrink (sand): ~2.0–2.2% (confirm with your foundry).

• Pattern shrink (investment): ~1.3–1.6%.

• Machining stock: Small parts 1.0–1.5 mm/side; medium 1.5–3.0 mm; large/heavy 3–6+ mm (geometry dependent).

• Flatness/straightness: Define functionally; include stress-relief after roughing on large rings/plates.

Quick spec sheet

• Alloy: C95400 (CDA 954), Aluminum Bronze

• Chemistry (wt%): Al ~10.5–11.5, Fe ~3–5, Mn 0.2–1.5, Cu balance, residuals low

• As-cast properties: UTS 90–95 ksi, YS 45–50 ksi, Elong 12–15%, 170–190 HB

• Heat-treated: UTS 100–110 ksi, YS 60–70 ksi, Elong 8–12%, 200–230 HB

• Processes: Sand (green/no-bake), Shell, Investment (lost-wax), Lost-Foam, Centrifugal

• Use-cases: Bushings, wear plates, gears, pump/valve parts, marine hardware

• Standards: ASTM B148/B271/B505 (per process)

CTA — Get C95400 Castings Made Right

Need C95400 Aluminum Bronze parts with reliable properties and clean, machinist-friendly castings?

• Design for casting support: We’ll review wall transitions, fillets, feeders, and target hardness/strength so your first-article passes.

• Process selection: Sand for economy, investment for complexity, centrifugal for rings/bushings — we’ll recommend the best route.

• Documentation: Full material certificates, heat-treat charts, and NDT on request (per ASTM/EN and your vendor audit needs).

Let’s engineer your 954 Aluminum Bronze part together.
Share a drawing/CAD + annual quantity + service conditions, and we’ll send DFM notes and a firm quote.