DECEMBER 2005
Published by the Copper Development Association Inc. to highlight market development news of the copper and brass industry Special 100th Edition Four Decades
of Innovation COPPER SHINES ON PRIME TIME The Copper Development Association celebrates the 100th issue of Copper Topics with this special commemorative edition -- a look at noteworthy copper developments it has chronicled over the past four decades. Copper played a starring role in many remarkable 20th century advances. It was on board when America began exploring space and sent a man to the Moon. It helped us drill for oil under the seas and build the tallest skyscrapers. CDA even had a hand in developing several electric car prototypes that debuted in the late 1960s and '70s. And innovative uses for the metal continue to be discovered. Just this past Fourth of July, NASA fired off a copper "Comet Crusher" on a mission aimed at unlocking the secrets of our solar system. Businesses, industry and the general public all take advantage of copper's beneficial properties. Chefs value copper cookware for its excellent heat-transfer capabilities, as does the automotive industry with CuproBraze® high-efficiency heat exchangers. Engineers rely on copper's durability and corrosion resistance for a variety of designs, while copper plumbing tube is a favorite choice of homeowners for the same reason. Manufacturers gain substantial energy savings by using premiumefficiency copper-wound motors -- and soon, motors with all-copper rotors will produce even greater efficiencies in both consumer and industrial equipment. Copper impacts our lives in so many ways that it's hard to imagine our world without it. Mankind's "oldest metal" is vital to modern building and construction, transportation, computing, communications, power generation and delivery, creature comforts (air conditioning and heating), art and architecture, security, healthcare and food preparation. The list is nearly endless. Bringing the most interesting and fascinating new copper applications to your attention has been the mission of Copper Topics for nearly 40 years. Starting in January 2006, Copper Topics will become part of another colorful, insightful CDA publication: Discover Copper. Available online (www.copper.org) as well as in print, Discover Copper will continue to provide up-to-the-minute news and information about the world's longest-used metal. Stay in touch. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Hometime Spotlight Copper for Residential Exteriors The Copper Development Association is proud to have taken part in the construction of new facilities recently at a Missouri summer camp for children with special needs. The project was featured in an episode of ABC's top-rated television program, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and seen by some 17 million viewers. CDA contributed 6,000 square feet of copper sheet, used to build a standing seam copper roof, exterior flashing, gutters and a custom-made cupola for the house where camp founders and operators Paul and Cindy Teas live with their two children. "This house has some fantastic copper treatments on it," said ABC cast member and designer Tanya A copper roof was installed on Paul and Cindy Teas' home on the campgrounds of Camp Barnabas, a camp for children with special needs in southwest Missouri, for an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The Copper Development Association donated three tons of copper sheet for the project, which was seen by some 17 million viewers when it aired this fall on ABC-TV. McQueen during the special two-hour prime-time broadcast that aired in October. The episode documents the addition of three new buildings on the grounds of Camp Barnabas, a charitable facility dedicated to helping disabled children enjoy the experience of summer camp. Copper plumbing and wiring was used throughout the three-building project.
continued on back No. 1 -- 1968 copper-coated electrical heating circuits powered by the car's battery. Nearly invisible thread-thin copper wires embedded in the Pontiac Grand Prix's windshield serve as the car's radio antenna. ADORNING CULTURAL LANDMARKS Mexico City's "Palace of the One Hundred Suns," a sports and cultural arena built for the 1968 Olympic Games, evokes the Aztec pyramids created some 1,500 years ago. Its crowning glory is a giant domed roof made from a series of 121 copper pyramids fashioned together. The massive roof glitters spectacularly in the sun; hence the arena's unusual nickname. Architect Felix Candela chose copper for its durability and natural beauty. popular in home décor. Department stores such as Lord & Taylor promote these decorative objects as upscale home furnishings for the middle class. Dave Grossman, one of the era's leading sculptors, describes his work as "art for the mass market, rather than serious, one-of-a-kind art." check writing tables that weigh 400 pounds each. popular Sixties game show "To Tell the Truth." This emissionfree vehicle has a top speed of 70 miles per hour and can travel up to 150 miles on a single electric charge. No. 6 -- 1970 No. 3 -- 1969 AFFORDABLE EXTERIOR CLADDING Plywood panels laminated with a copper top-sheet make a bold design statement on Holiday Inn's prototype motel in Bridgeport, Conn. This new lightweight copper fascia system from Ardmore Products Inc. reduces material and installation costs, making copper more competitive as a material for building construction. No. 5 -- 1969 EMISSIONS-FREE VEHICLE A prototype copper electric car produced by the Copper Development Association debuts to widespread media attention, including a drive-on appearance on the No. 7 -- 1970 popular urban practice is opening fire hydrants to cool off in the summer), a series of giant, portable, copper water sprinklers keep New York City children cool in the summer heat. Designed from ordinary copper plumbing tube by New York artist Anita Margrill, the 10foot-tall sprinklers are lightweight yet durable enough to stand-up to children's play and repeated use on the city streets. KEEPING KIDS COOL Using only a fraction of the water lost by an open fire hydrant (a ENHANCING URBAN LANDSCAPES The First National Bank building in Chicago becomes the tallest bank building in the world. Its other great accomplishment is the extensive use of bronze for its sloping exterior walls ­ the building's trademark ­ and the bank's interior, which includes bronze No. 8 -- 1970 Angela Preuss, sa les manager for the Coppercraft Gu makers of copper ild, household produc ts such as chafing dishes and cand lestick holders, ho lds aloft a 1970 goal for the comp sales any's part-time sa les force, which sel copper products ls at parties held in their homes. No. 2 -- 1968 INNOVATIVE AUTOMOBILE ELECTRONICS Volkswagen and Pontiac unveil automobiles featuring innovative copper technology. A rear window de-icing system in the VW uses No. 4 -- 1969 ARTISTIC HOME DECOR "Designed sculptures" made from copper, brass and bronze are COPPER "TUPPERWARE" PARTIES With its part-time sales force of housewives selling copper household products from their homes, the Coppercraft Guild in Taunton, Massachusetts, sees a 50-percent boost in sales. "No other material is rich enough for company, informal enough for family," says Angela Preuss, a Coppercraft sales manager. prototype copper elec viewers saw the CDA's first Some 20 million television "To Tell the Truth." car debut on the game show tric 2 The CDA-developed "Life Safety System," an all-copper residential sprinkler system, is more economical to install than existing steel pipe systems that are designed for industrial use. The automatic copper fire sprinklers require a much smaller available water supply because residential fires develop more slowly than industrial fires. No. 12 -- 1971 No. 13 -- 1972 No. 14 -- 1972 No. 9 -- 1971 No. 10 -- 1971 No. 11 -- 1971 BEAUTIFUL WALL COVERINGS "Chemetal" ­ a new, advanced cloth-backed copper and brass wall covering from Advanced Resin Products, is easily applied by skilled craftsmen and requires no special cleaning or care. Pure copper or brass sheets, 30 inches wide and up to 12 feet in length, feature unique one-of-a-kind patterns created by a chemical etching process. LUSTROUS INTERIOR DESIGN OPTIONS Thousands of people tour the "Decade 70 House of New Concepts" at the National Home Builders Show in Houston, Texas. The showcase features dozens of interior design and building material options made with copper, including a copper-clad vaulted ceiling, bronze flooring, a bronze room divider, a tri-columned bronze pedestal dining table, and copper laminate countertops and wall coverings. ANTIFOULING MARINE APPLICATIONS A prototype shrimp boat with a coppernickel hull lives up to its potential in the first two months of testing in the waters off Nicaragua. The 67-foot craft was built to demonstrate copper's unique ability to prevent barnacles and other marine life from fouling the ship's bottom. As a result, the Copper Mariner travels at 16 percent greater speed and with 22.5 percent less fuel consumption than similar vessels with conventional hulls. LIFE-SAVING SPRINKLER SYSTEMS After a devastating fire kills 28 hotel guests, Tucson's Pioneer International Hotel rebuilds and installs the first "life-oriented" fire sprinkler system made entirely with copper tubing. The fast-reacting copper system was developed by the CDA and is hailed as a muchneeded and cost-effective improvement over conventional steel-pipe sprinklers, the latter being designed primarily to protect property, not human life. FUTURISTIC ELECTRIC CAMPER Renowned auto designer Mario Revilli creates a new prototype vehicle, the Exemplar 2, for the Copper Development Association. This hightech auto is equipped with copper alloy brake discs, copper alloy brake lines, copper alloy trim and an innovative electro-hydraulic power system. With the push of a button, the system transforms the vehicle into a camper, with passenger seats that become beds and a roof that rises for additional headroom. PRE-PLUMBED UNITS SPEED CONSTRUCTION Seventy factory-built modular hotel rooms, complete with preinstalled copper plumbing and electrical systems, are shipped cross-country by rail and installed as part of a multi-story hotel addition near the new Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida. The rooms, which come with finished balconies, painted ceilings, carpets and wall coverings in place, take only six days to assemble when they arrive. CDA's 1972 Exemplar 2 prototype electric car features a roof that extends (as shown) for extra headroom while camping. 3 No. 15 -- 1972 ELECTRICPOWERED SUV The first electric utility vehicle takes center stage at Chicago's Design Engineering Show. Named the Electric Van III, this is the third electric vehicle to be introduced by the Copper Development Association. A precursor to modern Sport Utility Vehicles, the electric van features a lightweight, highly aerodynamic body that reduces air drag for overall efficiency. The nation's first solarpowered church is the Center of Hope Church in Denver. Shown is Pastor Al Haan standing in front of more than 80 all-copper solar collectors that provide space heating and domestic hot water for the structure. who install the system say they chose copper over screw-jointed pipe conductors because it is "lightweight, easier to cut (than steel), and its soldered joints are stronger in an earthquake situation." Copper Data Center celebrates seven years of helping engineers throughout the country retrieve important technical data on copper, brass and bronze in a matter of minutes. This free service from CDA is located in Columbus, Ohio. The data center can be accessed remotely by decision-makers in the copper and metals industry worldwide via remote computer terminals in their offices. No. 18 -- 1973 elements are used throughout Washington D.C.'s new Metro Rail System to create a sense of visual warmth, softness and human scale. Handrails, doors and hardware, information kiosks and 12-foothigh pylons marking the entrances to the new rapid rail system are executed in bronze to entice people to leave their cars at home and take the new mass transportation system into the city. Using less copper than 16- ounce standard copper sheet, it proves to be more affordable yet equally durable. Copper roofing, known for its quality and durability, typically remains trouble-free longer and outlasts other roofing materials. No. 17 -- 1973 INFORMATIVE RESEARCH CENTER The computer-based No. 16 -- 1972 HIGH RISE FIRE SAFETY San Francisco's tallest skyscraper, the 50story Transamerica Building ­ dubbed "the Pyramid" by its creators ­ is outfitted with a new automatic fire sprinkler system using all-copper tubing. Mechanical and electrical engineers SUPERIOR SEA FARMING Sea farmers at Marifarms Inc. in Panama City, Florida, discover copper's antifouling properties and switch to copper floats in place of the foamplastic floats they were using. Plastic floats are quickly covered with barnacles, weighing them down and endangering the shrimp farmers' business because they allow the shrimp "crops" to escape. No. 21 -- 1974 No. 20 -- 1973 DURABLE COMMERCIAL ROOFING A recreational complex in New Hampshire sports a new highstrength, light-gauge 12-ounce copper roofing sheet designated "Tough 12" by CDA. FORWARDLOOKING TECHNOLOGY The first publicly announced commercial electric vehicle test in the USA gets underway in Birmingham, Michigan, using CDA's Copper Electric Van IIIB. This two-year test by the City of Birmingham will pit electric- and gasolinepowered vehicles against each other in side-by-side performance comparisons. No. 19 -- 1973
An all-copper fire safety sprinkler system is installed in San Francisco's Transamerica Building, the tallest building on the West Coast. "HUMANIZING" MASS TRANSPORTATION Bronze architectural
4 Close-up of floats used by Marifarms in the Gulf of Mexico for six months show copper's ability to resist bio-fouling (the growth of harmful marine life) while Styrofoam floats are covered by barnacles. Mariner showed no harmful marine growth and required no hull maintenance for a savings of up to $10,000 annually. No. 22 -- 1974 ENABLING SOLAR POWER CDA breaks ground on the first true solarpowered house using commercially available technology. A solarcollector roof system employs copper plumbing tube and copper sheet metal to capture energy from the sun. This "free" power provides up to 75 percent of the home's energy for cooling and 100 percent of its energy for space heating. running errands and quick trips in stop-andgo traffic, the twoseater features an aerodynamic shape and roomy hatchback. It has a 75-mile range on a single charge in city driving. Energy costs are estimated between $0.02 and $0.03 a mile. No. 24 -- 1975 PROMOTING NEW MARKETS With its goal of creating new markets for the copper, brass and bronze industries, CDA completes construction of its "Decade 80 Solar House." In addition to a copper solar energy collector roof system, the home features a copper automatic fire sprinkler system, solid copper and brass wallpaper, a bronze window and door system, and more. Challenged by a modern interior design in the house he is plumbing, a Denver contractor becomes the first to introduce a new commercial plumbing product into a singlefamily home. An open floor plan in the kitchen left few options for venting the plumbing drain out of view. The plumber used an innovative self-aerating copper pipe called Sovent, which does not require a separate vent pipe to the outdoors to keep from marring the modern interior décor. because installation time is one-third faster than with other piping systems. No. 29 -- 1976 No. 26 -- 1975 No. 23 -- 1974 FASTER FISHING FLEETS The world's first barnacle-resistant fishing fleet launches from Mexico's West Coast, three years after CDA put its prototype copper-nickel hulled shrimp trawler, the Copper Mariner, into service. Despite continuous use in Nicaraguan waters, the PROTECTING LIVES IN HIGHRISES Little Tokyo Towers is the first high rise built in Los Angeles under new state and city fire codes, which require automatic fire sprinklers to be installed in newly constructed buildings over 75 feet tall. An all-copper "Life Safety System" protects residents of the 16-story residential tower. SOLAR IS BOOMING Skyrocketing energy costs have consumers scrambling for alternative solutions to heat their homes and provide domestic hot water. The number of new, all-copper solar collector manufacturers also climbs ­ fueled by industry recognition of copper's superior performance and quality for this application. No. 31 -- 1977 No. 28 -- 1976 No. 25 -- 1975 ENERGY EFFICIENT ELECTRIC CAR A Copper Electric Town Car is the CDA's fifth in a series of prototype electric cars to hit the streets. Designed for No. 27 -- 1976 RESIDENTIAL PLUMBING SOLUTIONS
5 LIGHTWEIGHT SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Citing ease-of-use over steel piping for residential sprinkler installations, the head of Acme Automatic Sprinkler, located just outside Philadelphia, chooses an all-copper sprinkler system for the 21-story residential Regency Towers condominium building in Ventnor, New Jersey. The contractor says copper systems take less than half the time for installation as steel systems. URBAN CO-OPS TRY SOLAR ENERGY Twenty-five turn-ofthe-century residential co-op buildings in New York City's most disadvantaged neighborhoods are slated to "go solar," thanks to assistance from a private group called the Energy Task Force. Tenants provide the work equity to install all-copper solar panels while government funding pays for the equipment. No. 30 -- 1976 FAST FOOD CHAIN INSTALLS SPRINKLERS, FAST The popularity of fast food restaurants prompts concern for diner safety. Burger King Corporation announces that its 2,000 locations would be outfitted with allcopper fire sprinklers by 1980. Director of Safety Donald Herbstman says the company chose copper No. 32 -- 1977 CAPITOL COPPER CONSTRUCTION More than 30,000 pounds of copper are used to re-roof the Arizona State Capitol Building in Phoenix. The building's dramatic dome is covered in copper that has a special clear finish, called Incracoat (developed by the International Copper Research Association), applied to its surface to ensure that its original coloring never fades. No. 33 -- 1977 VEGAS HOTEL PLUMBING IS NO GAMBLE Las Vegas casino hotel construction booms with the help of a new, easier-to-install copper Sovent plumbing system. An 800-room addition to the Flamingo Hilton and the all-new Las Vegas Hilton benefit from the self-aerating plumbing system, which eliminates the need for separate vent stacks, saving time and cost of installation. Connecticut builds a nine-story addition that is the first known structure to incorporate three new all-copper building systems: A copper solar energy system, all-copper automatic fire sprinklers and an all-copper Sovent plumbing drain system. In addition, copper tube is used throughout for water distribution and drainage, air temperature control, clinical air for intensive care patients and snow ­melting equipment. No. 36 -- 1978 No. 35 -- 1978 COST-SAVING PLUMBING SYSTEMS Self-aerating copper Sovent plumbing drain-vent systems continue to demonstrate the installation speed and cost-saving attributes of these prefabricated products. Projects in the news range from a new 1,000-room MGM Grand Hotel in Reno to a 100-room retirement home. All benefit from an estimated 30 percent in savings over conventional drainage systems. a city driving range of 79 miles (with stops), and a cruising range of 72 miles at 40 mph. Designed to sell for $5,000 and be used as a second car, it is introduced at the Fifth International Electric Vehicle Symposium. No. 39 -- 1979 No. 40 -- 1979 No. 38 -- 1979 No. 34 -- 1978 TRIO OF BUILDING SYSTEMS Danbury Hospital in SOLAR POWERED FIRE STATION The country's first fully solar-assisted fire station is constructed in Dallas, Texas. Fire Station #1 uses 60 all-copper solar collector panels to provide 75 percent of its hot water, 50 percent of its cooling and 40 percent of its heating. To encourage residents to learn more about solar power, appointments are scheduled to allow the public to view the system. No. 37 -- 1978 TRIAL TRANSPORTATION The Copper Electric Runabout is CDA's latest electric vehicle prototype designed to reduce pollution and gas consumption. With a 14-hp electric motor powered by eight leadacid batteries, it has a top speed of 59 mph,
6 MOTORS FOR MACHINERY Statistics show that copper use for industrial and farm machinery and mining equipment totals 45 million pounds annually. Most of the copper is used in electric motor windings. Electric forklifts, which have up to four separate motors, consume 8.7 million pounds. Draglines for mining and construction use 2.7 million pounds ­ one 5,000,000-pound dragline alone requires 120,000 pounds of copper in motors and generators, 30,000 pounds in wiring and more than 4,000 pounds in bronze bearings and bushings. ODE TO COPPER Two Arizona hotels use copper throughout to attract guests by projecting an image of beauty and to suggest Arizona's copper mining history. The San Carlos Hotel incorporates copper-clad doors, elevator facades, ceilings and planters. The Fiesta Inn uses 15,000 square SOLAR SWIMMING POOLS More than 1,000 copper solar panel installations are reported to be heating swimming pools in homes across the country, and many systems coordinate pool heating with home hot water and space heating and cooling. The systems The copper Sovent self-aerating plumbing drainage system simplifies installation while reducing construction costs. Here a photographer shoots a training film for CDA on the new technology, which is heralded as a breakthrough in building construction by the New York State Urban Development Corporation. feet of copper in the building's façade, exterior and interior lamps and in walkways to guest rooms, while the inn's bar, tables, countertops and food trays are all copper-clad. demonstrate copper's superior heat-transfer capability and long lifetime over plastic solar panels, and fewer copper panels help to reduce materials and installation costs. Consumers also realize savings more quickly, as payback on combined pool/home heat- ing is reduced in many cases to less than two years. No. 41 -- 1979 SOLAR APPRENTICE PROGRAM More than 10 million pounds of new copper will be needed to supply 75% of the expected 115,000 solarpower installations this year, according to CDA estimates. In a project conceived by CDA, the National Association of Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors will train more than 50,000 apprentice plumbers ­ by having them install copper solar panels on the roofs of their training schools. copper alloy condenser tubes in their cooling systems to handle the higher temperatures and greater water velocities they must accommodate. The use of 90/10 and 70/30 copper-nickel alloys offers increased reliability and higher performance. Light-wall copper alloy tube not only provides an economic advantage, it also has distinct advantages of high heat transfer and anticorrosion properties. Nos. 44 and 45, 1980 and 1981 No. 43 -- 1980 No. 42 -- 1980 RELIABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION As America's growing need for energy prompts calls for bigger power plants, engineers are specifying IMPROVED FUEL EFFICIENCY In a continuing effort to reduce vehicle weight, and thereby realize greater production efficiency and consumer fuel savings, manufacturers show renewed interest in highly capable, lighterweight copper radiators. One promising advance is a new soldering process that is lighter, stronger, has higher conductivity, and costs less than current lead-tin solders. ENERGY SHOWHOUSE The third in a series of copper showcase homes opens. Extensive use of energy-saving features throughout the home includes high-efficiency window glazing and increased insulation to supplement built-in solar-energy collectors. The Sun/Tronic "idea home" gets 45 percent of its space and water heating energy from the sun, while photovoltaic cells provide 5 percent of its electrical power. A novel heat exchanger reclaims waste heat from the heat pump to also heat domestic water. per's extremely long life and high aesthetic appeal. The manufacturer, Zappone, notes that the 99% pure copper materials are more expensive to purchase and install at $3.80 to $5 per square foot, but says their higher cost is balanced by their superior performance benefits. No. 48 -- 1981 No. 49 -- 1982 No. 47 -- 1981 SPARKLY RESTAURANT DÉCOR Embossed copper panels, a popular material for covering interior ceilings and walls since before the turn of the century, are back in vogue as architects increasingly specify the decorative panels for both residential and commercial projects. The famed Maxwell's Plum in San Francisco is cited as just one example of upscale restaurants to feature the panels as a key design element. MAJOR MANUFACTURERS ENTER SOLAR MARKET The appeal of solar power is expected to increase with the entry of the world's largest carmaker into the expanding solar collector market. Seeking new markets outside its traditional automotive business, the Harrison Radiator Division of General Motors now designs and produces all-copper solar collectors. The units, which heat a home's domestic water, will be sold through solar equipment installers nationwide. CLASSICAL EXTERIOR FOR SYMPHONY HALL A 14,000-sq-ft batten seam copper roof crowns the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. An informal survey of architects from New England to California shows an appreciation of copper roofing as an often less-expensive choice for quality and longevity as well as classical beauty, which, according to the Symphony Hall architect, "is so linked with the city's image and prestige, there was no way that roof could be anything but copper." No. 46 -- 1981 LONG-LASTING ROOF SHINGLES A long-time producer of aluminum roof shingles begins offering easy-to-install copper shingles, citing cop7 Copper-shingled roofing is extremely durable and attractive. The History of Copper
Could our civilization thrive, or even survive, without copper and this wondrous metal's ever-growing number of useful alloys? Put quite simply, no. In the 10 millennia since civilization's first metal was discovered and put to work on our behalf, it has been celebrated with one use after another. Greek soldiers wore bronze armor -- and wielded bronze weapons. Bronze rams on the prows of their fast galleys helped sink the Persian fleet at the climactic battle of Salamis. The ahead-of-their-times Egyptians performed complex medical operations with copper-alloy instruments, and copper in various forms was a mainstay in their medicine chests. In the ancient world, food was cooked and served in bronze or brass kitchenware. Water was -- and still is -- stored in copper and brass vessels to prevent growth of pathogens. An early Roman coin made of copper. Early civilizations used copper, and its principal alloys bronze and brass, for any number of important applications, many of which continue today: beds in showrooms and department stores. American companies that first imported brass beds to fill orders are again making their own.
No. 50 -- 1982 BRASS BEDS MAKE A COMEBACK Proving once more that "what is old can be made new again," brass beds make an amazing comeback among American consumers. The elegant, old-fashioned beds, relegated for many years to back bedrooms, antique shops and grandmothers' attics, now compete sale-for-sale with modern wood-frame ing. Plumbing systems on the rigs are used mainly to draw in cooling water, but steel piping develops internal marine growth that impedes flow. Coppernickel is not only naturally impervious to biologic infestation, it is also highly corrosionresistant; experts predict it will find many other uses on the big rigs. No. 52 -- 1982 THE `WRIGHT' SHINGLES In homage to its iconic namesake, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation selects cop- per shingles for the 3,000 sq. ft. roof of a new home to be built in an exclusive downtown Denver neighborhood. The home's design evokes the architect's "organic" approach to residential architecture, and the copper shingles were chosen to represent the excellence and elegance for which Wright was famous.
The solid brass bed is back in style--with dozens of U.S. manufacturers trying to keep up with demand. No. 53 -- 1983 No. 51 -- 1982 BIG OIL RIGS RELY ON COPPER PIPING Encrustation by marine organisms is causing oil producers to replace deteriorating steel piping on their offshore drilling rigs with longlived copper-nickel pip8 SCREENING OUT UNDESIRABLES Biologically resistant copper-nickel screens over underwater intakes protect the nation's water supplies from invasive marine life and debris. The intakes are designed so that water flows too slowly to draw in marine organisms, but these and other unwanted materials eventually find a way in. The copper-nickel prevents organisms Back then, bronze mirrors allowed potentates and people of high stature to admire themselves, as well as their copper jewelry. All the while, their garments were held together with copperalloy fittings. Early local traders -- and later, world travelers -- depended on coins made of copper or its alloys. Today, nations around the globe still do. The vital importance of copper in our lives is not limited to the far distant past. In the 17th century, brass replaced iron in clock movements. Because brass did not rust, it facilitated the development of increasingly durable and accurate clock construction and shipboard instruments like telescopes, sextants and compasses, making travel over vast oceans -- and then long rail lines -- safer and more dependable. Copper contributed to the expansion of the British Empire in the mid-18th century when the Royal Navy discovered that its warships would stay free of worms and barnacles (and sail faster) if the hulls were sheathed in copper. Still later, the Industrial Age sparked a flood of new copper applications: Fulton's steamship had copper boilers, as did the first steam-powered locomotives and mining pumps. Early production machinery contained many parts made of copper alloys. Telegraphs, telephones and ocean-spanning communications, all essential to world trade, could only have developed as a result of copper cables. In the same way, the innovation of copper-wound electric motors and generators freed manufacturing from water power and enabled machinery to be located virtually anywhere, and gave rise to automotive mobility that freed mankind to travel whenever and wherever it wished -- even to the Moon and beyond. As all of these examples demonstrate, copper, brass and bronze have played an instrumental role in the growth of civilization and in human history itself -- a starring role in which everyone in the metal industry can be proud.
The development of brass mechanical components made clocks more accurate and durable than previous models that used wooden or iron parts. from attaching to the screens, and the screens are easy to remove to clear away any material that could block the intakes. per minute. Fabrication benefits include higher productivity, reduced solder use and stronger tube-to-header joints. Zinc-based solders with three times the thermal conductivity of lead-tin solders are in development to make the copper and brass radiators lighter, stronger, more efficient and potentially more economical. No. 54 -- 1983 RESILIENT AUTOMOBILE RADIATORS The advantages of welded brass radiator tube over lock-seam tubing are so great, a new plant is built in Dearborn, Michigan, that can produce welded tubing at 600 feet No. 55 -- 1984 EFFICIENT SUPERMARKET REFRIGERATION One of the largest U.S. manufacturers of supermarket cooling equipment chooses copper for heat exchange coils and refrigerant tubing on its products. Copper coils increase the efficiency of multiple freezers and refrigerator units, enabling them to use less energy, and require less than half the maintenance of steel-coil units. A copper-coiled unit can serve up to 30 refrigeration circuits compared with a steeltube unit, which may serve only three, according to the manufacturer. Copper-tubed evaporative cooling is also becoming popular for computer-room
9 cooling; some 6,500 pounds of copper tubing is reportedly used to cool equipment at a San Diego computer lab. ed magnetic waves from entering. Rooms containing the equipment are encased with copper sheeting to protect patients and staff and to prevent stray radio frequency signals from distorting the diagnostic images. NMR systems generate magnetic fields 40,000 times stronger than the Earth's magnetic field. No. 57 -- 1984 No. 56 -- 1984 MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING Nuclear Magnetic Resonance imaging systems have become powerful medical diagnostic tools, but they require shielding to prevent radiation from escaping and unwant- KEEPING SHOPPERS COOL Major shopping center developers, especially in Sun Belt states, are increasingly choosing copper over steel tubing for vital area-cooling systems. Based on life-cycle costs, copper proves to be less expensive because it lasts longer than steel and less maintenance is required. No. 58 -- 1985 NO-STICK COPPER Marine use of copper alloys continues to rise due to their resistance to corrosion and biofouling. Applications include offshore oil drilling rigs, ship hulls and components, and intakes to water systems for municipalities and power plants. Because marine life does not adhere to copper, there is also less weight buildup and correspondingly less strain on structures. This copper dome on a Cleveland medical clinic protects a nuclear imaging system from interference by stray radio frequency signals. helps to protect residents who otherwise could not afford to improve their homes, while it employs 60 high-school dropouts who help with the installation, providing them with income and newfound construction skills. be taken out of service as often. The hull sheathing ranged from 90-10 and 70-30 copper nickel plate to thin copper-nickel foil laminated to fiberglass. The boats sail waters from Italy to the China Seas, Latin America, and the U.S. Atlantic Coast. outside noise and can protect the windows from damage during high winds, hurricanes and hailstorms. roof) within 20 years. When asked why a copper roof was specified, the installer hailed its competitive cost, longevity and resistance to corrosion.
No. 63 -- 1988 No. 61 -- 1987 No. 60 -- 1985 No. 59 -- 1985 ENERGY SAVING BRONZE LOUVERS Operable louvers made of bronze block up to 85 percent of the sun's rays in summer and prevent heat from radiating out in winter. The louvers, which are attached to the outside of windows in a home or business, also block SHIELDING LADY LIBERTY After standing for nearly a century in New York harbor, the Statue of Liberty is undergoing a complete renovation. Investigators find that despite continual exposure to its harsh saltwater and industrial environment, the copper cladding on the statue shows hardly any erosion. Most of the statue will remain intact, but as part of the restoration its torch and flame are to be replaced with new ones identical to the original design. DOMINO'S ORDERS COPPER The largest standingseam copper roof in the USA, and perhaps in the world, is installed on the dramatic new headquarters of Domino's Pizza in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Using some 320,000 sq. ft. of copper, the project exceeds the previous record holder, the Mexico City Sports Palace. The office complex is expected to double its size (and its copper No. 62 -- 1987 SPRINKLER TRAINING IN BROOKLYN, NY An all-copper automatic fire sprinkler system is installed in 90 lowincome apartments in eight tenement buildings in Brooklyn through the efforts of a local community group. The project offers farreaching benefits: It INTERNATIONAL WATERS FILLED WITH COPPER HULLS A long-term study shows that boats with copper-nickel hulls remain free of marine fouling through many years of use. From shrimp boats in Mexico to fireboats in Italy to motor sailers and luxury yachts in the U.K. and the USA, the results after some 10­20 years of service show their hulls last longer, they run faster than their counterparts, and they don't have to
The Statue of Liberty's flame is rebuilt using the original design that called for solid sheets of copper to be hammered over a mold, a process known as repoussè. No. 64 -- 1988 COPPER FLASHING ON THE RISE Field research indicates that copper is increasingly displacing aluminum in flashing, gutters and downspouts for residential construction. This allows builders to add not only a longer-lasting material, but also greater aesthetic appeal and a higherquality look to the residences they build. 10 diameter copper tubing buried in the earth, where temperatures hover constantly around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, even in winter climates.
No. 65 -- 1989 INHERENT CORROSION PROTECTION Manufacturers of screw-making machinery confirm tests by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) that production rises by as much as 23 percent, and costs are reduced by as much as 25 percent, when they switch from producing steel screws to freecutting brass screws. Using brass also eliminates the need to plate the steel screws for corrosion protection. annealed copper tubing requires much less installation labor than rigid steel-pipe gas systems, in part, because the tubing comes in long lengths and need fewer fittings. The smaller outer diameter of the tubing also allows the drilling of smaller holes for installation. No. 69 -- 1990 No. 67 -- 1990 A SMART HOUSE The Smart House, a futuristic building showcase that homebuyers can duplicate today, features an advanced electricalelectronic wiring system that controls energy distribution, power and communications in residences. Builders are invited to study the new design, which uses 40 percent more copper than used in the wiring of conventional homes. No. 68 -- 1990 No. 66 -- 1989 DURABLE AIR CONDITIONING Homeowners are cooler in summer because of the copper coils in airconditioning systems. The world's largest manufacturer of AC systems, Carrier Corp., has switched from aluminum to copper coils because the latter are easier to repair and offer the greatest durability, an advantage to consumers. FIRE SPRINKLERS THAT SAVE MONEY AND LIVES To meet local laws, two 44-story office towers in Los Angeles are retrofitted with an automatic copper fire sprinkler system at a cost of $7 million. The project uses 320,000 feet of copper tubing and 30,000 sprinkler heads. for the Michigan Library and Historical Center in Lansing, uses a 3½-inch-thick panel consisting of 36-oz. copper sheet plus a foam insulation, with a backup sheet of aluminum. The copperfaced panels are 15 inches wide by 10 feet in length and, in time, will develop an eyecatching patina. General Motors a Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. GM employed a dispersion-strengthened copper alloy for cap electrodes to improve the quality of its assembly-line spot welding. The caps are snug-fitted onto resistance welding electrode shanks to aid the welding of coated steels. Successful weld rates climbed to 97.8 percent. No. 71 -- 1991 No. 70 -- 1991 HARVESTING HEAT FROM UNDERGROUND A new Direct Coupled Heat Pump reduces home energy costs by as much as 75 percent. Unlike other heat pump systems, the DCHP system's savings result from having its heat-exchange medium circulating through closed loops of small- EYE-CATCHING LIBRARY EXTERIOR Copper-paneled curtain-wall systems gain in appeal among architects and builders. One system, installed BETTER THAN STEEL Because brass is easier to machine than steel and higher accuracy can be achieved with it, brass is displacing steel in the manufacture of hydraulic and pneumatic components. Some parts that were made in two steel pieces require only one piece in brass, another cost saving. No. 73 -- 1992 FASTER PERSONAL COMPUTERS Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute develop improved integrated circuits in which copper replaces aluminum for better interconnections in electronic devices such as computers. The result: Your PC runs faster because of copper. No. 67 -- 1990 DISTRIBUTING RESIDENTIAL GAS More and more, homes heated by natural or bottled gas depend on copper tubing for its distribution. Flexible No. 72 -- 1991 Copper-paneled walls on the Michigan Library and Historical Center develop an attractive patina over time. STRONGER WELDING Copper alloy plays a key role in gaining 11 blue. Although all saxes made in the USA are fabricated of brass, in Germany a small number are made of copper. No. 74 -- 1993 SALTWATER RESISTING DOORS A seashore home built just 100 feet from the Pacific Ocean has doors and windows sheathed in copper to withstand salt spray. Most species of wood typically used for doors and windows, if left unprotected, will deteriorate quickly in seacoast environments. This homeowner's copper-clad doors also develop an appealing patina over time, adding to their aesthetic as well as practical value. No. 76 -- 1993 No. 75 -- 1993 SAFER SURGICAL SCAPELS Patients undergoing surgery are at less risk and require fewer transfusions because of cauterizing scalpels made of a copper alloy. Cauterizing employs heat to seal wounds and stop bleeding. The Shaw Hemostatix scalpel uses two layers of high-conductivity, high-strength copper to sandwich a hardened steel cutting edge. The new design poses no risk of electrical shock, because the current used to heat the blade does not pass through the patient. Vehicle engines run smoother and last longer because copper is added to lubricants. Motor oil manufacturers typically include additives containing soluble, antioxidant copper to their products, a process originally patented by Exxon Chemical Corp. Exxon considers the copper-based additive to rank among the most significant inventions in crankcase additive chemistry in this century. refineries are equipped with nonsparking tools made of beryllium bronze. The U.S. Navy and NASA astronauts in space also rely on copper alloy tools. Because these tools are corrosion resistant, they are especially useful in applications such as food-preparation, and due to their nonmagnetic properties they are frequently used to repair sensitive electronic equipment. cally made with durable, non-corrosive copper alloys. The lids on some coffins are also affixed with commercial bronzes. of lead-free cast red brasses for the plumbing industry. Bismuth and selenium are used as a substitute for lead in cast fixtures. Although the primary reason for this change is in faucet production, the new brasses are expected to find application in valves, backflow preventers and water meters. No. 80 -- 1995 No. 79 -- 1995 No. 78 -- 1994 NON-SPARKING TOOLS Steel tools can cause dangerous sparks, so workers in grain elevators, chemical plants, fuel tankers and oil ELEGANT MONUMENTS AND PLAQUES Copper and its alloys are widely used in the funeral and burial business. Coffins, vaults, plaques on monuments, and cremation urns are typi- EFFECTIVE LIGHTNING PROTECTION Every man-made structure, including homes, farm and commercial buildings -- and especially those far from the nearest firehouse -- requires a copper lightning protection system. Tall trees close to homes need the same protection. Experienced installers prefer malleable copper grounding wires and rods to brittle aluminum for these systems. No. 82 -- 1996 BIG BRASS PLAYS SAX Saxophone sales boom after Bill Clinton becomes President. A lifelong sax player, President Clinton inspired one maker of the brass instruments to introduce a "Presidential" model painted red, white and WIND RESISTANT ROOFING Tests by Underwriters Laboratory show that homes with standingseam copper roofing can better withstand hurricane-force winds. This information is especially helpful for residents in Gulf-coast states. The higher cost of copper roofs is offset by the fact that they outlast other roofing materials, including repeated re-roofing with asphalt shingles. No. 81 -- 1996 No. 77 -- 1994 IMPROVING MOTOR OIL This Presidential model, like all "Made in USA" saxophones, is all brass. LEAD-FREE FAUCETS New federal lead-content requirements for kitchen and bath fixtures spur development 12 from the occupying Romans some 2,000 years ago. applications such as outdoor patios, walks and driveways to melt snow. Proponents of copper cite failures of plastic tubing, which cause extensive damage. percent for service, compared with the cost of a T-1 line. No. 83 -- 1997 DURABLE HOME APPLIANCES Cast copper or sintered bronze bearings are the reason kitchen blenders -- and many other small appliances and useful devices -- work so well for so long. The copper-based bearings reduce friction, not only in home appliances, but also in automobiles, trucks and virtually all heavy industrial equipment. One bearing bronze, C95400, is nearly as strong as steel but doesn't rust. No. 85 -- 1998 No. 88 -- 1999 VITAL PIPING FOR OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING Copper is a vital component in the function of offshore drilling rigs, the source of 25 percent of all U.S. oil. In its various forms and alloys, copper can be found in piping, in heat exchangers that cool hot oil from deep underground, in pumps used to inject sea water into old wells to retrieve residual oil, in big generators, and in miles of wiring. No. 87 -- 1999 HIGH-SPEED COMMUNICATIONS In the race for everhigher data transmission speeds for telephones and computers, digital subscriber line (DSL) is proving to be a popular and affordable choice. Consumers save because DSL uses existing copper lines for high-speed communications. One hotel that upgraded to DSL spends less than 20 SOLVING SOLAR SYSTEMS MYSTERIES NASA selects copper for a 770-pound bullet to penetrate comet Tempel 1 on July 4, 2005. Copper is the choice because it's easily discernible in the spectral analysis that will be made of the impact explosion, allowing scientists to determine the composition of the materials that formed the solar system some 4 billion years ago. Dr. Michael F. A'Hearn, University of Maryland astronomer, with the Deep Impact copper cratering mass used by NASA. No. 89 -- 2000 No. 90 -- 2000 No. 84 -- 1997 HISTORIC RECORD-KEEPING A Dead Sea Scroll made of copper describes a still-undiscovered treasure hidden somewhere in or near the area that is now Israel. Historians speculate that the unidentified treasure may have been hidden No. 86 -- 1998/99 LONG LASTING RADIANT HEAT SYSTEMS Many installers of radiant heating for homes and businesses favor copper tubing over cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) for underfloor comfort and other After 2,000 years, the writing on this copper Dead Sea Scroll is still legible. NEW COPPER DOLLAR Pennies can no longer be called "coppers," but the new gold-hued Sacagawea dollar coin, along with billions of new quarters, are mainly copper in composition. An alloy of 77 percent copper plus zinc, manganese and nickel is responsible for the new dollar's golden color. Half dollars, quarters and dimes minted today contain 91.67 percent copper. Nickels are 75% copper, while pennies (since 1982) contain only 2.6% copper. HEAVY DUTY COPPER USAGE The world's largest trucks, used in mining copper as well as other ores, could not run without large amounts of copper. One model contains 3,575 pounds of copper in its generator and motor windings alone. Another requires up to 2.5 miles of copper wiring. Some of these monster trucks can haul 400 tons per load. 13 ensures continuing insurance coverage for the resort. No. 91 -- 2001 GUILT-FREE DARK CHOCOLATE No need for guilt when you munch chocolate -- doctors and nutritionists recommend it as a readily available source of copper. This vital dietary component has many health benefits, including preventing toxic accumulation of iron in the liver. Dark chocolate contains four times as much copper as milk chocolate. Other tasty sources for nutritional copper are oysters, Brazil nuts, pecans, mushrooms and even chopped liver. No. 93 -- 2002 LIGHT RAIL TROLLEYS New generations of LRVs, or light rail vehicles (formerly known as trolleys), depend on copper. Cities across the USA are turning to light rail transportation to solve growing urban congestion and traffic gridlock. These modern iterations of trolley cars rely on copper electronics, wiring and components in nearly every aspect: motors, substations, catenary cables, inverters, controls and air conditioning. Unlike old-style trolleys, AC, not DC, motors, power LRVs. Manufacturers are offering copper appliance facades for refrigerators, freezers and dishwasher