All about  Beryllium copper - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 06, 2011, 03:18:40 am
content: If you wonder about the materials that the expensive probes or test leads,hides under the hood ?Read this linkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryllium_copper

author: nukie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2011, 02:08:03 am
content: The problem being Beryllium copper isn't exactly expensivethere's no reason for them to charge more.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 07, 2011, 06:24:18 pm
content: Hi-Z scope probes use a very thin resistive core, something like NiCr, definitely not beryllium copper. A whole book could be written about the manufacturing of this wire (but isn't, it's usually considered trade secret). Another feature that make them expensive are the attenuation hybrid. The capacitor across the attenuation resistor should not display any frequency-dependent behavior, most will have a capacitance that varies with the frequency at high frequencies. This is not your standard ceramic cap.For some insight about the intricacies of probe design, read Joe Weber's Oscilloscope Probe Circuits (availablehere), published by Tektronix around 1960. This is by far the most detailed description available.

author: tecman
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2011, 07:59:49 pm
content: Bberyllium copper most often appears in electronics gear as a spring material. Usually leaf springs of some sort. Since beryllium is extremely toxic, its use as an alloy is seen less frequently today.paul

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2011, 06:53:17 pm
content: Quote from: tecman on June 07, 2011, 07:59:49 pmYou will quite often find it used for EMC screens, for example on the case to some computer cases.YoursNeil

author: Time
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2011, 09:31:51 pm
content: They just use BeCu in test leads because they do not wear out as fast as pure copper when being bent and flexed continually. It has nothing to do with precision.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2011, 10:12:05 pm
content: What about the part of " lesser sparks " ?I was thought that this matters more than anything.

author: Time
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2011, 02:48:13 am
content: That just means when you clank or drop it on something it doesn't produce sparks that ignite flammable gases in the air. It can still make electrical sparks. Its still very conductive.

author: RCMR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2011, 09:42:46 pm
content: I recall during my time as an RF tech that many of the RF power transistors with ceramic bodies contained beryllium and we were warned not to crush or grind them due to the toxicity of that substance.Just another nasty element found in this industry I guess -- along with cadmium, mercury, lead etc.Although I seem to recall playing with a lot of lead when I was a kid and inhaling 60/40 solder fumes for decades -- hmmm, perhaps that does explain a few things

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2011, 11:10:37 pm
content: Are you talking about the MRF-317 BLV-25 BLY-87 BLY-89 ? Or something more special than that ?