C84400 Bronze Casting – Leaded Semi-Red Brass CDA 844 Castings

C84400 bronze casting, also designated CDA 844 and UNS C84400, is a leaded semi-red brass cast alloy of nominal composition 81% copper, 3% tin, 7% lead and 9% zinc (81-3-7-9), standardised in ASTM B584. It is the highest-volume general-purpose casting alloy in the copper-base family because it offers pressure tightness, excellent castability in thin and complex sections, a machinability rating of approximately 90, and a lower alloy cost than red brasses such as C83600 or high-copper grades such as C83300. Cable Glands India casts C84400 for valve bodies, pump housings, pipe fittings, meter bodies and mechanical hardware, and for electrical distribution components including transformer spade terminals, transformer spades, transformer spade connectors, hotline clamps, liveline clamps, transformer grounding clamps, transformer ground connectors, ground rod clamps, stirrup bail clamps and clamshells. Castings are supplied from 20 g to 60 kg, machined, plated and assembled to drawing.

Price: US$ 16.50 per Kg (FOB India). Bulk, OEM and EPC contract pricing available. Tooling amortisation and machining content quoted separately per part number.

Product Overview

Semi-red brasses sit between the red brasses (C83xxx, 83–93% Cu) and the yellow brasses (C85xxx, 60–75% Cu). C84400 carries 78–82% copper with a deliberately high lead content of 6–8%, which is what gives the alloy its two defining commercial advantages: outstanding machinability and reliable pressure tightness in castings that must hold hydraulic or pneumatic pressure without impregnation.

Alloy Metallurgy of CDA 844 Semi-Red Brass

The microstructure is an alpha copper solid solution containing tin and zinc, with lead present as discrete insoluble globules distributed through the matrix and along grain boundaries. Lead is not soluble in copper; during solidification it is the last constituent to freeze and it fills interdendritic channels, sealing the microshrinkage that would otherwise create leak paths. Tin at 2.3–3.5% raises strength and corrosion resistance; zinc at 7–10% widens the freezing range, improves fluidity and lowers cost. The result is a casting alloy that fills thin sections, reproduces detail, and machines with short broken chips. Adjacent alloys in the same family are C83600 leaded red brass, C83800 (83-4-6-7), C84800 (76-3-6-15) and the lead-free replacements C87850 and C89833.

Pressure Tightness and Fluid-Handling Castings

Pressure tightness is the reason C84400 dominates valve and fitting production. Cast bodies routinely pass hydrostatic tests at 1.5 to 2 times rated working pressure without resin impregnation, which removes a process step, a cost and a warranty risk. Typical parts include gate valve bodies and bonnets, globe valve bodies, ball valve housings, check valve bodies, strainer bodies, pump casings and impellers for light duty, water meter housings, flow meter bodies, backflow preventer components, hose bibs, hydrant parts, flanges, unions, elbows, tees, adaptors, nipples, bushings and pipe fittings for industrial and non-potable service.

Electrical Distribution Hardware in C84400

C84400 is used for distribution hardware where mechanical strength, corrosion resistance and low machining cost matter more than maximum conductivity — clamp housings, bail brackets, mounting bodies, cover castings, non-current-carrying clamp halves, enclosure hardware and structural parts of connector assemblies. Its electrical conductivity is approximately 16.4% IACS, roughly half that of C83300. For continuously current-carrying members such as transformer spade terminals and hotline clamp jaws, Cable Glands India recommends C83300 leaded red bronze, and supplies both alloys so a single connector assembly can use the right material in each position.

Transformer Spades, Spade Terminals and Spade Connectors

Transformer spade terminals, transformer spades and transformer spade connectors are cast in C84400 for lower-current ratings, for indoor and pad-mount applications, and where the customer’s qualification is based on mechanical and heat-cycle testing rather than a minimum conductivity specification. The alloy’s castability produces clean drilled pads, NEMA 1-hole, 2-hole and 4-hole patterns, integral cable grooves and threaded stud bosses with minimal machining. Where conductivity is specified, the same tooling can be run in C83300 without pattern change, since shrinkage allowances are closely comparable.

Hotline Clamps, Liveline Clamps and Stirrup Bail Clamps

Hotline clamps and liveline clamps are hot-stick operated tap connectors; the stirrup bail clamp, bail clamp or stirrup assembly is the mating component installed on the main conductor. C84400 is used for clamp bodies, eye-screw housings, jaw supports and bail brackets where clamping force, thread strength and outdoor corrosion resistance govern the design. The alloy’s free-machining behaviour is a direct cost advantage on these parts, which carry deep tapped holes and multiple threaded features.

Grounding Clamps, Ground Rod Clamps and Ground Connectors

Transformer grounding clamps, transformer ground connectors, ground rod clamps, acorn clamps, rebar clamps, pipe ground clamps, lay-in lugs and split-bolt connectors are cast in C84400 for direct-buried and exposed earthing installations. The copper-rich matrix resists soil and atmospheric corrosion far better than plated ferrous hardware, and the alloy accepts the heavy set-screw threads required to develop clamping force on 5/8 in and 3/4 in copper-bonded ground rods. Where the connector must be listed to UL 467 or qualified to IEEE 837, conductivity and heat-cycle requirements should be reviewed against alloy choice at the design stage.

Clamshells and Two-Piece Connector Housings

Clamshells — two-piece cast housings closed over a conductor and bolted or compressed to form a joint — are used for taps, dead-end terminations, cable repair sleeves and bus stabs. C84400 casts the internal serrations, conductor grooves and bolt bosses net or near-net, and machines cleanly at the mating faces. Related items include cast connector bodies, H-tap housings, wedge connector shells, messenger clamps and jumper terminal bodies.

Casting Processes Used for C84400

C84400 has a wide freezing range and high fluidity, so it is castable by all standard foundry routes. Cable Glands India operates green sand moulding for high-volume fittings and clamp bodies, resin shell moulding where finish and tolerance are critical, no-bake furan sand for large or low-volume work, gravity die (permanent mould) casting for repeatable production parts, centrifugal casting for bushings, sleeves and ring blanks, investment casting for complex geometry, and continuous casting to ASTM B505 for bar stock destined for machining.

Machining, Threading and Assembly

At a machinability rating of approximately 90, C84400 is among the easiest copper alloys to machine. Deep set-screw holes, NPT and BSP tapered pipe threads, ANSI UNC/UNF and metric ISO threads, O-ring grooves and sealing faces are produced at high feed rates with long tool life and consistent gauge repeatability. Cable Glands India performs CNC turning, VMC milling, multi-spindle drilling, tapping, broaching and assembly in-house and delivers finished, packaged components rather than raw castings.

Key Features

• Nominal composition 81% Cu, 3% Sn, 7% Pb, 9% Zn to ASTM B584 (81-3-7-9 semi-red brass)
• Minimum tensile strength 205 MPa (29 ksi), minimum yield 90 MPa (13 ksi), minimum elongation 18%
• Excellent pressure tightness — hydrostatic-tight castings without resin impregnation in most designs
• Machinability rating of approximately 90 (free-cutting brass = 100), the highest in the cast bronze group
• Superior fluidity and mould filling for thin walls, cored passages and complex geometry
• Good resistance to fresh water, industrial atmosphere, soil and general corrosive service
• Lower alloy cost than C83600 and C83300 due to reduced copper and tin content
• Non-magnetic and non-sparking; readily tin-plated, nickel-plated and chrome-plated
• Fully recyclable; gates, risers and machining swarf recharged into the melt

Castability and Design Freedom

The wide solidification range of C84400 keeps the metal fluid for longer in the mould, allowing wall sections down to 2.5–3.0 mm, tight radii, thin cored passages and complex bosses to be filled without cold shuts. For designers this means valve internals, connector housings and clamp bodies can be consolidated into single castings rather than assembled from machined components, cutting part count, assembly labour and leak paths. Related terms: thin wall casting, cored passage, mould filling, cold shut, net-shape casting, casting consolidation.

Machinability and Cost per Finished Part

Casting price per kilogram is only part of the delivered cost; machining time is often the larger share. The 6–8% lead in C84400 fragments the chip, reduces cutting force and built-up edge, and extends insert life, typically producing 20–40% shorter cycle times than a low-lead or lead-free alternative on the same geometry. For high-volume fittings and connector bodies that difference dominates the total cost, which is why C84400 has remained the industry default for non-potable fluid hardware.

Corrosion Resistance in Water, Soil and Atmosphere

C84400 resists fresh water, condensate, industrial atmosphere, rural and coastal air, and buried soil service. Because copper is below 85%, the alloy is more susceptible to dezincification than high-copper red brasses in aggressive, high-chloride or low-alkalinity waters; where that risk exists, specify a DZR dezincification-resistant brass casting or a silicon bronze grade. In normal industrial and earthing service the alloy performs well without coating.

Mechanical Performance Under Bolt Load

With 90 MPa minimum yield strength and 18% minimum elongation, C84400 tolerates the bolt preload applied to clamp bodies, terminal pads and flanged joints without cracking, and absorbs vibration and thermal cycling without progressive loosening when correct torque values are used. Threaded features should be designed with adequate engagement length — typically 1.5 times nominal diameter in this alloy — to avoid stripping under installation torque.

Dimensional Control and Surface Finish

Shell moulding and gravity die casting hold ISO 8062 CT7–CT9 with surface roughness of Ra 6.3–12.5 µm; green sand casting holds CT10–CT12 at Ra 12.5–25 µm. Machined features are produced to ±0.05 mm on CNC. First-article inspection reports, CMM data, control plans and gauge studies are supplied for OEM and PPAP-style approvals.

Finishing, Plating and Marking

Castings are supplied shot blasted, tumbled, vibratory finished, polished, electro-tinned, hot-dip tinned, nickel-plated, chrome-plated or passivated according to specification. Coating thickness is verified by X-ray fluorescence. Parts are laser-marked or die-stamped with alloy designation, catalogue number, pressure rating and lot code as required.

Technical Specifications – C84400 / CDA 844

Raw Material Grades and Chemistry Limits

Charge material: certified C84400 ingot to ASTM B30, electrolytic copper cathode, high-grade tin, SHG zinc and controlled foundry returns. Every heat is verified by optical emission spectrometry before pouring, and the heat number is carried through to the mill test certificate.

Comparison with Adjacent Cast Copper Alloy Grades

International Equivalent Standards

C84400 is a North American designation. European, Japanese and Indian standards do not contain an identical chemistry; the nearest analogues below are for procurement reference only and are not drop-in substitutes. Where a drawing calls for C84400, Cable Glands India casts to ASTM B584 chemistry and certifies against that specification.

Substitution guidance: qualify any alternative on chemistry, pressure-test performance and lead content — not on designation alone. Lead content in particular is regulated differently across markets.

Product Types and Variants

Applications in Industry

Where C84400 Is and Is Not the Right Choice

C84400 is the correct default where the part must be pressure tight, heavily machined and cost sensitive, and where the service is non-potable. It is not the right choice for potable water contact in jurisdictions with lead-free legislation, for continuously current-carrying members that need above 25% IACS conductivity, for heavy bearing loads that require a high-tin bronze, or for high-chloride waters where dezincification risk is significant. Cable Glands India stocks patterns and processes for the alternatives in each of those cases and will state the trade-off at the quotation stage rather than after tooling.

Manufacturing Process

1. Tooling and Pattern Development

Drawings or 3D models are converted into a casting model with shrinkage allowance (typically 1.4–1.6%), draft angles, machining stock and a gating and feeding system. Solidification simulation is run on pressure-retaining and thin-wall parts to place risers, chills and ingates before tooling is cut. Patterns are produced in aluminium, resin or CNC-machined tool steel; core boxes are made for internal waterways, cable grooves and threaded bosses.

2. Charge Preparation and Melting

Weighed charges of certified ingot, copper cathode, tin, zinc and controlled returns are melted in medium-frequency induction furnaces under a covering flux that limits zinc volatilisation and hydrogen pickup. Pouring temperature is held in a controlled band appropriate to section thickness, and the melt is degassed and deslagged before tapping.

3. Spectrometric Verification

A chill sample from each heat is analysed by optical emission spectrometry against ASTM B584 limits for copper, tin, lead, zinc and residual iron, aluminium, silicon and antimony. Heats outside limits are corrected and re-analysed before pouring. Heat numbers are logged and printed on the mill test certificate.

4. Moulding and Pouring

Green sand, shell, no-bake or permanent-mould routes are selected per part. Ceramic foam filters are used on pressure-retaining and thin-wall castings to trap dross and prevent inclusions at sealing faces. Directional solidification is controlled by riser modulus and chill placement so that shrinkage is drawn into the feeder rather than into the casting wall.

5. Knockout, Fettling and Blasting

Castings are shaken out, gates and risers removed, and parts shot blasted with steel or ceramic media. Parting lines and ingate stubs are ground flush. Runners and risers are returned to the melt in a controlled ratio to hold chemistry stable.

6. Machining, Threading and Pressure Testing

CNC turning centres, VMCs and drilling and tapping stations produce sealing faces, bores, NPT/BSP/UNC/metric threads and O-ring grooves. Pressure-retaining castings are hydrostatically or pneumatically tested at the specified multiple of working pressure, and results are recorded per lot. Threads are gauged with go/no-go plug and ring gauges.

7. Finishing and Plating

Parts are deburred, tumbled or vibratory finished, then electro-tinned, hot-dip tinned, nickel-plated, chrome-plated or passivated as specified. Coating thickness is verified by X-ray fluorescence and certified where required.

8. Inspection, Marking and Packing

Final inspection covers dimensions by CMM and gauges, hardness, tensile bars poured from the same heat, visual criteria, leak-test records and plating thickness. Parts are marked with alloy, catalogue number and lot code, then packed on export pallets with packing list, mill test certificate and country-of-origin documentation.

Quality Standards and Certifications

Why Choose Cable Glands India for C84400 Bronze Castings

• Integrated foundry and machine shop — melting, moulding, CNC machining, threading, pressure testing, plating and assembly under one quality system and one purchase order.
• Certified chemistry on every heat — OES spectro analysis, heat traceability and mill test certificates supplied as standard.
• Alloy selection advice, not order-taking — where C84400 is the wrong choice for potable water, high conductivity or high-chloride service, the alternative is identified before tooling is cut.
• Six casting routes in-house — sand, shell, no-bake, gravity die, centrifugal and investment casting, so the process suits the part.
• Electrical and fluid hardware experience — the same plant produces transformer spades, hotline clamps and grounding hardware alongside valve and fitting castings.
• Export capability — regular shipments to the USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and South Africa with full documentation.
• Transparent pricing — US$ 16.50 per Kg base rate with LME-linked review, published tooling cost and no hidden certification charges.

Pricing

C84400 bronze casting price: US$ 16.50 per Kg (FOB India). The base rate covers the certified casting in fettled and shot-blasted condition. The following factors determine the final delivered price per piece.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is C84400 bronze casting?

C84400 is a cast copper alloy of nominal composition 81% copper, 3% tin, 7% lead and 9% zinc, standardised in ASTM B584 and designated CDA 844 or UNS C84400. It is classified as a leaded semi-red brass and is one of the most widely used general-purpose casting alloys for valves, fittings and hardware.

Q2. What is the difference between C84400 and C83600?

C83600 is 85-5-5-5 with higher copper and tin and lower lead; it offers slightly higher strength and better bearing and pressure performance. C84400 is 81-3-7-9 with more lead and zinc, giving better machinability, better mould filling and lower alloy cost. Both are pressure tight and both carry a similar minimum tensile strength.

Q3. Is C84400 the same as semi-red brass or 81-3-7-9?

Yes. “Semi-red brass”, “leaded semi-red brass”, “81-3-7-9” and “valve composition” all refer to the same C84400 / CDA 844 alloy.

Q4. Can C84400 be used for potable drinking water parts?

No, not in regulated markets. The alloy contains 6–8% lead and does not meet the 0.25% weighted-average lead requirement of the US Safe Drinking Water Act, NSF/ANSI 61 and 372, or equivalent EU and Canadian drinking water rules. Use lead-free brass casting or silicon bronze casting for potable service. C84400 remains suitable for industrial water, non-potable, HVAC, irrigation and general hardware.

Q5. Is C84400 pressure tight without impregnation?

In most designs, yes. The lead phase seals interdendritic microporosity during solidification, and correctly gated and fed castings routinely pass hydrostatic tests at 1.5 to 2 times working pressure without resin impregnation. Very thin or very heavily cored sections may still require design review.

Q6. Why would I choose C83300 instead of C84400 for a connector?

Conductivity. C84400 conducts at approximately 16.4% IACS while C83300 conducts at approximately 32% IACS. For continuously current-carrying members such as spade terminals and hotline clamp jaws, the higher conductivity of C83300 reduces joint heating and helps meet ANSI C119.4 heat-cycle requirements. For clamp bodies, brackets and housings that do not carry primary current, C84400 is the more economical choice.

Q7. Which casting processes are available for CDA 844?

Green sand casting, resin shell moulding, no-bake furan sand casting, gravity die (permanent mould) casting, centrifugal casting, investment casting and continuous casting to ASTM B505.

Q8. What weight and wall thickness range can you cast?

Approximately 20 g to 60 kg per casting, with as-cast wall sections from about 2.5–3.0 mm depending on flow length and geometry.

Q9. Does C84400 suffer from dezincification?

It can, in aggressive high-chloride or low-alkalinity waters, because copper content is below 85%. In normal industrial water, atmospheric and buried service it performs well. Where dezincification risk is identified, specify a DZR brass or silicon bronze grade instead.

Q10. What certification and testing is provided?

A mill test certificate with heat number, OES chemical analysis to ASTM B584 and mechanical results from separately cast test bars. Hydrostatic test records, dimensional and CMM reports, plating thickness certificates, radiography, RoHS/REACH declarations and third-party inspection are available on request.

Q11. Do you export and what are the lead times?

Yes — regular exports to North America, Europe, the UK, Australia, the Middle East, Africa and South America. New tooling typically takes 2–3 weeks, first samples 3–4 weeks, and series production 4–6 weeks depending on quantity and machining content.

International Equivalent Terms

Linked Parts and Related Terms

Transformer spade terminals · transformer spades · transformer spade connectors · hotline clamps · liveline clamps · hot line tap clamps · stirrup bail clamps · bail clamps · transformer grounding clamps · transformer ground connectors · ground rod clamps · acorn ground clamps · rebar grounding clamps · pipe ground clamps · clamshells · clamshell connectors · parallel groove clamps · split bolt connectors · lay-in lugs · mechanical connectors · bus bar clamps · terminal pads · gate valve body · globe valve body · ball valve housing · check valve body · strainer body · pump casing · water meter housing · flow meter body · pipe fittings · elbows · tees · unions · adaptors · nipples · flanges · hose bibs · glands and bushings · CDA 844 · UNS C84400 · ASTM B584 castings · semi-red brass casting · 81-3-7-9 alloy · pressure tight casting · sand cast brass · shell moulded casting · gravity die cast brass · centrifugal cast bush · investment cast brass · tin-plated brass casting.

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• DZR Brass Casting – Dezincification Resistant
• Lead Free Brass Casting and Cast Parts
• Silicon Brass / Silicon Bronze Casting
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• LG4 Bronze / CC492K Bronze Casting Foundry
• Phosphor Bronze Casting
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• UNS C95500 Bronze Casting
• High Conductive Copper Casting
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Request a Quotation – C84400 / CDA 844 Bronze Castings

Send your drawing, 3D model or catalogue reference with annual quantity, pressure rating, machining requirement and finishing specification. Our foundry engineers will confirm the casting process, tooling cost and delivered price per piece, and will flag DFM improvements before tooling is cut.

Price reference: US$ 16.50 per Kg (FOB India). Quotations issued within one business day.

Email: sales@cableglandsindia.com  |  Tel: +91-22-43449300 / +91-22-43449323
Works: Plot 10 B, GIDC Industrial Estate, Shanker Tekri, Udyog Nagar, Jamnagar – 361004, India
Web: www.cableglandsindia.com