Russian Customer Visits Our Company And Successfully Signs Order For C68700 Heat Exchanger Copper Tubes

In April 2026, a delegation of Russian customers visited our company for an on-site inspection and business negotiation. During this visit, both parties reached a cooperation intention on C68700 (aluminum brass) heat exchanger copper tubes and formally signed a procurement agreement.

Accompanied by our relevant department heads, the customers toured the following production workshops and testing facilities:

Melting and Casting Workshop
The customers observed the operation of the mains-frequency core-type induction melting furnace and the horizontal continuous casting line. Our technical staff explained the alloy composition control of C68700 aluminum brass, particularly how the precise addition of aluminum affects corrosion resistance. The customers reviewed the chemical composition test reports of multiple ingot batches on-site and expressed recognition of the stability of the aluminum content, which is controlled within the range of 1.8% to 2.5%.

Extrusion Production Line
In front of the 2,500-ton reverse extrusion press, the customers focused on the extrusion process of copper tube shells from billets. Our engineers introduced how process parameters such as extrusion temperature and extrusion ratio affect the grain size and mechanical properties of the tubes. The customer's technical lead inquired on-site about the differences in extrusion processes between C68700 and C12200, and our engineers answered each question in detail.

Cold Rolling and Drawing Production Line
The customers toured the three-roll planetary rolling mill and the multi-pass drawing line, learning about the multi-stage processing of heat exchanger copper tubes from rough rolling to finished precision drawing. Our company demonstrated the online thickness gauge and outer diameter inspection device, confirming that product dimensional tolerances can be controlled within ±0.05mm.

Heat Treatment Workshop
The customers focused on the controlled atmosphere protective annealing furnace, learning about the intermediate annealing and finished annealing processes for C68700 copper tubes. The customers reviewed the temperature curve recording system of the heat treatment equipment and confirmed its full traceability capability.

Non-Destructive Testing Center
At the eddy current testing (ET) station, our quality inspector performed an online flaw detection demonstration on a 6-meter-long C68700 heat exchanger copper tube, while the customers simultaneously watched the defect signals and automatic marking system on the display screen. The customers also visited the hydrostatic test bench and the air tightness testing device.

Following the tour, both parties held a dedicated business meeting.

The customers first put forward clear requirements regarding technical standards and acceptance terms. The products must comply with ASTM B111 standards, grade C68700, with copper content controlled at 76%-79%, aluminum content 1.8%-2.5%, and arsenic content 0.02%-0.06%. Regarding outer diameter and wall thickness tolerances, the customers required outer diameter tolerance within ±0.10mm and wall thickness tolerance within ±0.08mm. Our company confirmed that all the above requirements can be met and presented historical test data from similar export orders as supporting evidence.

Subsequently, the customers particularly emphasized the corrosion resistance requirements of C68700 copper tubes in seawater and sulfur-containing media. Our technical staff provided the customers with a dezincification corrosion depth test report, which was conducted in accordance with ISO 6509 standards. The results showed a maximum dezincification depth of less than 100μm, far below the customer's required limit of 200μm. The customer's technical lead expressed satisfaction with the data and made copies of the relevant report on the spot for future reference.

Regarding testing certification and third-party inspection, the customers requested that our company provide EN 10204 3.1 inspection certificates and explicitly stated that TÜV Russia would be engaged for pre-shipment inspection. Both parties conducted detailed discussions on sampling plans, test items, and acceptance criteria, eventually reaching an agreement. The test items include chemical composition analysis, room temperature mechanical property testing, flaring test, flattening test, eddy current testing, and dezincification corrosion testing.

Finally, both parties confirmed the delivery and logistics arrangements. The initial order consists of three specifications with outer diameters of 19.05mm, 25.4mm, and 31.75mm, all with a wall thickness of 1.5mm and a single length of 6 meters, totaling 22 tons. The customers requested delivery to the Port of St. Petersburg, Russia within 50 days. Our company responded that we can deliver on time, and the customers accepted.

During the meeting, the customers disclosed that their company has an annual demand of approximately 300-400 tons of C68700 heat exchanger copper tubes, primarily used for heat exchange equipment in power plants and seawater desalination projects. If the initial order is executed smoothly, both parties will sign an annual framework agreement with quarterly rolling orders.

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