# Brass C360 (Free-Machining)

> The machinability benchmark itself: fastest cycle times in the shop, naturally low-friction.

- Category: Copper Alloys → brass
- HTML page: https://fabvector.com/materials/brass-c360 (Portuguese: https://fabvector.com/pt/materials/brass-c360)
- Price index: $$ (1–5, 6061-T6 = $)

## Mechanical properties (typical values, not certified minimums)

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 385 MPa |
| Yield strength | 310 MPa |
| Hardness | 78 HRB |
| Density | 8.50 g/cm³ |
| Machinability | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Corrosion resistance | ★★☆☆☆ (2/5) |

## When to choose it

Wherever machining dominates cost — small complex turned parts at volume — and where its bearing behavior, conductivity (~26% IACS) or golden as-machined finish earn their keep.

## When to look elsewhere

The ~3% lead bars it from potable-water and lead-restricted assemblies (specify lead-free C69300 instead), and modest strength rules out loaded structural parts.

## Typical applications

- Valve and fluid fittings (non-potable)
- Electrical contacts and terminals
- Bushings and thrust washers
- High-volume Swiss-turned small parts

## Compatible surface finishes

- [As-Machined](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/as-machined)
- [Nickel Plating (Electrolytic)](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/nickel-plating)
- [Electroless Nickel Plating (ENP)](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/electroless-nickel-plating)
- [Tin Plating](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/tin-plating)
- [Hard Chrome Plating](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/chrome-plating)
- [Polishing](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/polishing)
- [Vibratory Tumbling](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/vibratory-tumbling)
- [Laser Marking](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/laser-marking)

## Buyer questions, answered

### What's in 360 brass, and how strong is it?

C36000 (ASTM B16) is 60–63% copper, 2.5–3.0% lead, up to 0.35% iron, and the rest zinc. Density is 8.50 g/cm³ (0.307 lb/in³).

Strength depends on temper. The tensile, yield and hardness numbers in the table above are for half-hard (H02) rod, which is what most shops stock. Annealed bar is noticeably softer. It's non-magnetic, and conductivity is about 26% IACS.

### Why is C360 the 100% machinability benchmark?

Because of the lead. It doesn't dissolve into the brass. It sits in tiny particles that break the chip and lubricate the cutting edge, so chips come off short and the tool lasts a long time.

The copper-alloy machinability index is built around it: C36000 is 100 and every other alloy is rated against it. Lead-free C260 cartridge brass comes in around 30.

One thing buyers don't always see: brass chips have real scrap value. On a turned part where most of the bar ends up as chips, that recovery shows up in the price.

### How do I spec C360 on a drawing? What are the equivalents?

Write the alloy, the spec and the temper: "Brass, UNS C36000 per ASTM B16, H02." 360 brass, CDA 360 and CA360 all mean the same alloy.

The closest foreign grades are CW614N (CuZn39Pb3) in Europe and C3604 in Japan. They machine about the same, but the composition limits aren't identical. If your part was qualified on one of them, name it.

### Can I use 360 brass for drinking water or RoHS parts?

Not for drinking water. At around 3% lead it's far over the limit for wetted surfaces: in the US, NSF/ANSI 372 and the Safe Drinking Water Act cap weighted-average lead at 0.25%. Use a lead-free brass such as C69300 instead. It machines well, just slower than C360.

RoHS is a separate question. Leaded copper alloys up to 4% lead have been covered by an exemption, but exemptions get reviewed. Check the current status before you lock the design.

### C360 or C260 brass?

If the part is mostly machining, C360. It's the fast option.

If it gets bent, crimped or flared after machining, or it has to be lead-free, go with C260. It's more ductile, but it cuts slowly and tends to gum up the tool.

Neither is great in seawater. Look at naval brass (C464) or a bronze for that.


Industries: industrial-automation, consumer-electronics, automotive, robotics, hydraulics-pneumatics, test-measurement · Instant quote: https://fabvector.com/quote