Choose Between CCA, CCS and NCC

Start with the property your design needs: lower conductor weight, steel-core strength, or a nickel surface over a copper core. Compare finished resistance, dimensions and joining requirements before choosing the material to sample.

On this page

Identify core, surface and form

CCA has an aluminum core with copper cladding; CCS has a steel core with copper cladding; NCC has a copper core with a nickel outer layer. Confirm the actual construction, grade and processing condition.
Specify round, stranded, flat, strip or foil geometry. State the layer ratio and whether it is by mass, volume or cross-sectional area; those bases cannot be silently exchanged.

Choose a comparison basis

Fix length, temperature and the required resistance or winding space. Equal section, equal resistance and equal weight comparisons answer different questions.
Evaluate tensile or bend requirements, cut and formed edges, joining method, dissimilar-metal contacts and environmental exposure. Surface material alone does not establish lifetime or assembly reliability.

Select standards by material and form

ASTM B566 is for bare round CCA; ASTM B227 and B452 address distinct CCS round-wire scopes. Flat, strip and foil forms need their own agreed purchase requirements.
For nickel- or silver-surface copper round wire, review the actual construction and relevant B355 or B298 scope. Keep mass-percentage classes separate from layer-thickness requirements.

Plan qualification and supply

Agree dimensional, resistance, mechanical, interface and joining tests suited to the construction. Identify methods, sampling and acceptance before comparing samples.
Request batch identification and available inspection documents. For insulated or silver-surface conductors, specify the complete construction and the intended sample evaluation.

Bimetal conductor selection inputs

Add your project inputs, then download the worksheet or send it with an inquiry. The fields start blank; entries are your requirements and observations.

Scroll horizontally to read all columns. Keep the conditions and units with each value.

Item	Information / units	Your input
Function	Current path, weight, mechanical support, termination surface or environmental requirement	Function — your input
Construction	Core and cladding metals, grade, condition, round/flat/foil/stranded form	Construction — your input
Section and layers	Metal and finished dimensions, tolerances, layer thickness or fraction with stated basis	Section and layers — your input
Comparison	Equal length/section/resistance/other design constraint and reference material	Comparison — your input
Electrical data	Resistance or conductivity, temperature, specimen/length, test method and limits	Electrical data — your input
Mechanical and joints	Strength/bend/fatigue criteria, terminal/tooling, joining method and service loads	Mechanical and joints — your input
Exposure	Temperature, moisture/chemical exposure, insulation or protection and test requirements	Exposure — your input
Qualification and supply	Applicable specification/version, sample plan, acceptance, quantity, package and records	Qualification and supply — your input

Drafts are stored only in this browser when you choose Save. Clear inputs also removes the saved draft. Worksheet version: RT-RFQ-WORKSHEET-1.

Question and answer

Can a successful material test authorize replacing a specified copper conductor?

Technical validation and specification approval are separate. Obtain permission from the specification owner, then complete the required assembly and material qualification for the proposed construction.

Compare your conductor options