The manufacturing process of a copper faucet is a delicate, multi-step process that requires strict control from raw material selection to finished product processing. The following are the main manufacturing steps of a copper faucet:
1. **Raw material selection**
- **Copper material selection**: The main raw material of a copper faucet is brass (an alloy of copper and zinc), which has excellent corrosion resistance, plasticity and thermal conductivity, and is suitable for making household appliances such as faucets.
- **Alloy blending**: According to the performance requirements of the faucet, the composition ratio of copper is strictly proportioned. Usually brass contains 60-70% copper, and the rest is zinc and a small amount of other metals such as aluminum or nickel.
2. **Smelting and casting**
- **Smelting**: The copper alloy is heated to a high temperature (about 900°C or more) to melt into liquid metal, ensuring that the raw materials are evenly melted and impurities are removed.
- **Casting**: The molten copper liquid is injected into a prefabricated mold through a gravity or pressure casting process. The shape of the mold determines the initial outline of the faucet body. After cooling, the copper liquid solidifies to form a rough blank.
3. **Rough machining**
- **Deburring**: After casting, the rough faucet needs to be initially deburred and the excess material on the surface removed to eliminate the irregular edges that may appear during casting.
- **Machining**: Use lathes, milling machines, drilling machines and other equipment to perform precision machining on the faucet, including drilling, threading and surface flatness processing. This step ensures that the dimensions of each faucet component are accurate and meet the requirements of subsequent assembly and installation.
4. **Fine machining**
- **Grinding and polishing**: The surface of the faucet needs to be polished and polished multiple times to remove minor unevenness and ensure that the faucet has a smooth and flawless appearance. After polishing, the surface of the faucet will present a bright metallic luster.
- **Electroplated**: To prevent copper from oxidizing and rusting during use, the faucet will be electroplated, usually with a corrosion-resistant metal layer such as nickel or chromium to improve durability and aesthetics.
5. **Parts processing and assembly**
- **Valve core and internal parts installation**: The valve core is the core component of the faucet, which determines the switching function and sealing of the faucet. Ceramic valve core or high-quality metal valve core is usually used, which is assembled with the main parts after precision processing.
- **Hose and interface installation**: The key parts such as the water inlet and outlet of the faucet also need to be tested and installed to ensure the perfect combination with the pipeline or water system.
6. **Quality inspection**
- **Pressure test**: The finished faucet needs to be pressure tested to simulate the water pressure environment in home use to ensure that it does not leak or deform under high pressure conditions.
- **Durability test**: Test the number of times the faucet is switched on and off to verify its durability after multiple operations. Usually, tens of thousands of switching operations are tested.
- **Corrosion resistance test**: The electroplated faucet will be tested for its corrosion resistance in salt spray and acidic environments to ensure that its surface coating is not easy to oxidize or rust in a humid or corrosive environment.
7. **Packaging and delivery**
- **Cleaning and packaging**: After all tests are completed, the faucet will undergo a final cleaning process to ensure that there are no oil stains or processing residues, and then it will be packaged according to different models and specifications.
- **Factory inspection**: The product must also be inspected for appearance before packaging to ensure that there are no scratches, spots or other appearance defects. Only after passing the inspection will the faucet be packaged and shipped.
The manufacturing of all-copper faucets is a high-precision, standardized process. Each step requires strict quality control to ensure that the faucet has excellent corrosion resistance, durability and aesthetics. This is also one of the reasons why all-copper faucets are popular. Not only are they stable in performance, but they also have a long lifespan and are suitable for use in home and commercial environments.