The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has established a unified system for designating the temper (or condition) of copper, aluminum, magnesium, and their products. This guide details that system, focusing on the copper-specific designations. Notably, "H" designations (like H08, H10, H14) specifically indicate various levels of cold-worked (strain-hardened) tempers.
Basic Temper Designations
The system is built upon a set of one or two-letter prefixes that define the primary processing state of the material.
| Prefix | Basic Temper | Description |
|---|---|---|
| O | Annealed | Soft condition achieved through annealing to meet mechanical properties. |
| OS | Annealed (Special Grain Size) | Annealed to meet specific, standardized grain size requirements. |
| M | As Manufactured | As-cast or hot-worked condition, with various controls during production. |
| H | Cold Worked (Strain-Hardened) | Condition achieved by controlling the amount of cold working. (This is the category for H08, H10, etc.) |
| HR | Cold Worked & Stress-Relieved | Cold worked to a controlled amount, then stress-relieved. |
| HT | Thermally Treated | Cold worked and then given a low-temperature heat treatment for order strengthening. |
| T | Heat Treated | Condition achieved through heat treatment and rapid cooling (for alloys that can be precipitation hardened). |
| W | As Welded | For welded tubing, essentially retains the temper of the strip/band used, except in the heat-affected zone. |
Detailed Subdivisions for Key Tempers
The basic designations are followed by numbers (and sometimes additional letters) to specify the exact condition. Below are the details for the most common categories, including the requested H tempers.
1. H (Cold Worked) Tempers – from Soft to Spring
These codes indicate increasing levels of hardness and strength due to cold working.
H00 – 1/8 Hard
H01 – 1/4 Hard
H02 – 1/2 Hard
H03 – 3/4 Hard
H04 – Hard
H06 – Extra Hard
H08 – Spring
H10 – High Spring
H12 – Special Spring
H13 – Extra High Spring
H14 – Maximum Spring
2. O (Annealed) Tempers
These specify the prior history and degree of annealing.
O10 – As Cast and Annealed (Homogenized)
O20 – Hot Forged and Annealed
O25 – Hot Rolled and Annealed
O30 – Hot Extruded and Annealed
O50 / O51 – Light Anneal
O60 / O61 – Annealed (Soft)
O65 – Annealed After Drawing
O70 – Dead Soft Annealed
3. T (Heat Treated) Tempers - Subcategories
This complex category uses a second letter (e.g., TQ, TB) to define the type of heat treatment.
TQ – Solution Heat Treated and Quenched
TB – Solution Heat Treated
TD – Solution Heat Treated and Cold Worked (e.g., TD04: Solution treated and cold worked to hard temper)
TF – Solution Heat Treated and Precipitation Hardened
TH – Solution Heat Treated, Cold Worked, and Precipitation Hardened (e.g., TH04: Hard temper after full treatment)
TS – Cold Worked and Spinodally Hardened (e.g., TS08: Spring temper via spinodal hardening)
4. W (Welded) Tempers - Subcategories
These indicate the temper of the starting strip and any post-weld processing.
WM – Welded from strip of a specific temper (e.g., WM04: Welded from hard temper strip)
WO – Welded and Annealed
WH – Welded and Cold Drawn
WR – Welded, Cold Drawn, and Stress-Relieved
How to Interpret a Code (Example: H10)
A code like H10 is interpreted as follows:
Prefix (H): The primary process is Cold Working.
Numeral (10): The specific sub-category within cold-worked tempers is High Spring.
Meaning: The material has been cold worked to a degree that gives it the mechanical properties (hardness, tensile strength, yield strength) defined for the "High Spring" temper according to the relevant ASTM standard.
Summary Table of Key H Tempers
| Temper Designation | General Description | Typical Application / Property Focus |
|---|---|---|
| H00 (1/8 Hard) | Slight increase in strength over annealed, good formability. | Forming operations requiring some strength. |
| H02 (1/2 Hard) | Moderate strength and good ductility. | A widely used general-purpose temper. |
| H04 (Hard) | High strength, reduced ductility. | Applications requiring strength and wear resistance. |
| H08 (Spring) | Spring temper properties. | Electrical contacts, springs requiring good conductivity. |
| H10 (High Spring) | Higher spring properties than H08. | Stiffer springs, switch components. |
| H14 (Maximum Spring) | The highest spring properties achievable by cold work. | Critical spring applications where maximum elastic limit is needed. |
Our product range
| Product Category | Product Name | Common Standard Grades | Key Specifications (Typical) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Tubes / Pipes | • Straight & Coiled Tubes • Refrigeration Tubes • Capillary Tubes • Heat Exchanger Tubes |
C11000 (ETP Copper) C12200 (DHP Phosphorous Copper) C12000 (DLP Phosphorous Copper) EN 12735-1: CU-DHP JIS H3300: C1220, C1100 |
Standards: ASTM B75, B88, B280, EN 12735 OD: 3mm - 300mm Wall Thickness: 0.3mm - 10mm Condition: Annealed (O), Hard (H) |
|
| Copper Sheets / Plates | • Hot Rolled Plates • Cold Rolled Sheets • Cut-to-Size Blanks |
C11000 (ETP Copper) C10200 (Oxygen-Free Copper) C26000 (Cartridge Brass) C70600 (90-10 CuNi) |
Standards: ASTM B152, B465 Thickness: 0.5mm - 50mm (Plates: >3mm) Width: up to 1500mm Length: up to 4000mm or custom Condition: Rolled, annealed, mill finish |
|
| Copper Rods / Bars | • Round, Square, Hexagonal Rods • Copper Alloy Rods • Precision Ground Bars |
C11000 (ETP Copper) C36000 (Free-Cutting Brass) C26000 (Cartridge Brass) C10200 (Oxygen-Free Copper) C17200 (Beryllium Copper) |
Standards: ASTM B187, B301, EN 12163, 12164 Diameter: 2mm - 200mm Length: Straight bars up to 6m, coils available Condition: Drawn, extruded, annealed |
|
| Copper Wires | • Bare Copper Wire (Hard/Soft) • Enamelled (Magnet) Wire • Stranded & Bunched Wires • Braided Wires & Flexibles |
C11000 (ETP Copper) C10200 (Oxygen-Free Copper) C10100 (C-OF Copper) Grade: 1/2 Hard, 1/4 Hard, Soft |
Standards: ASTM B1, B2, B3, IEC 60228 Diameter: 0.05mm - 12mm (bare) Conductivity: 100% IACS min. Packaging: Spools, coils, drums |
|
| Copper Foils | • Rolled Strips (in Coils) • Thin Foils • Connector Alloy Strips |
C11000 (ETP Copper) C26000 (Cartridge Brass) C19210 (Phosphor Bronze, 1.0%) C26800 (Yellow Brass) |
Standards: ASTM B152, B465, EN 1652 Thickness: 0.05mm - 3.0mm (Strips), <0.05mm (Foil) Width: 10mm - 600mm (typical coil width) Condition: Hard (H), 1/2 Hard, Soft (O), rolled temper |
Our factory
We are a specialized manufacturing factory with integrated production capabilities for copper and copper alloy products, including tubes, rods, bars, plates, sheets, strips, and wires. Our facility is equipped with modern production lines featuring extrusion presses, continuous casting machines, precision rolling mills, drawing benches, and controlled annealing furnaces, enabling us to control the entire process from raw material to finished product. Supported by an in-house laboratory for quality assurance and compliant with international standards (ASTM, EN, JIS), we provide customized solutions, reliable packaging, and efficient export logistics to serve global clients in HVAC&R, electrical, automotive, and industrial sectors.
copper product packaging
We take great care in packaging to ensure our copper products arrive in perfect condition. Standard packaging includes moisture-resistant materials, sturdy wooden crates or pallets, and protective corner guards to prevent damage during transit. For products requiring enhanced protection against oxidation, such as high-purity copper tubes or finely finished surfaces, we also offer optional nitrogen-purged (inert gas) packaging upon request. This service effectively minimizes surface oxidation during long-distance shipping or storage, ensuring your products maintain their optimal quality upon arrival.
