Copper is used in numerous areas within the architecture and art industries; today, we'll explore which sectors utilize it most.
First, Piping Systems
Due to its numerous advantages, such as aesthetics, durability, ease of installation, fire safety, and hygienic properties, copper pipes offer a significantly superior price-performance ratio compared to galvanized steel and plastic pipes. They are increasingly popular and the material of choice for water, heating, gas, and fire sprinkler systems in residential and public buildings.
In developed countries, copper water systems already account for a significant portion of the total system. For example, the Manhattan Building in New York City, considered the world's sixth tallest building, utilizes 60,000 feet (10,000 kilometers) of copper piping for its water supply alone. In Europe, the consumption of steel pipes for drinking water is significant. In the UK, the average annual consumption per person is 1.6 kilograms, while in Japan, it's 0.2 kilograms.
Due to the rusting tendency of galvanized steel pipes, many countries have banned their use. Promoting the use of copper piping systems in housing construction in my country is imperative. Second, home decoration.
The use of copper sheets for roofs and eaves has a long tradition in Europe. In Nordic countries, it's even used for wall decoration.
Copper is highly resistant to atmospheric corrosion, durable, and recyclable. Its excellent workability allows for easy formation into complex shapes, and its attractive colors make it ideal for home decoration. Its use on the roofs of historic buildings like churches has a long history and continues to radiate an alluring brilliance. It is also increasingly being used in modern large-scale buildings, even in apartment buildings and residential buildings.
For example, in London, the Commonwealth Council Building, a representative example of modern British architecture, features a complex roof constructed of copper sheets weighing approximately 25 tons. The Crystal Palace Sports Centre, which opened in 1966, features a wavy roof made of 60 tons of copper. Statistics show that the average annual per capita consumption of copper sheeting for roofing in Germany is 0.8 kilograms, while in the United States, it's 0.2 kilograms. Furthermore, steel products for interior decoration, such as door handles, locks, shutters, door rails, lamps, wall decorations, and kitchen utensils, are not only durable and hygienic, but also exude an elegant ambiance, making them highly sought after.
Third, Statues and Crafts
No other metal in the world is as widely used in the manufacture of various crafts as copper, enduring its enduring popularity from ancient times to the present. Today, cast copper alloys are widely used in urban construction, including monuments, bells, tripods, statues, Buddha images, and antique artifacts.
Modern musical instruments, such as flutes, are made of white copper, and saxophones are made of brass. Various exquisite artworks, as well as inexpensive gold-plated and imitation gold and silver jewelry, also utilize copper alloys of varying compositions.
The Tian Tan Buddha in Hong Kong, completed in 1996, is constructed from a composite of tin, zinc, and lead bronze. It stands 26 meters tall and weighs 206 tons. The Nanhai Guanyin Buddha on Putuo Mountain in Zhejiang Province, completed in 1997, stands 20 meters tall and weighs 70 tons. It is the world's first giant bronze statue constructed using imitation gold. Subsequently, an 88-meter-tall bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha was completed in Wuxi.
Fourth, Coins
Since our ancestors used coins for transactions, copper and copper alloys have been used to make coins, a tradition passed down through generations. With the development of modern conveniences like automatic pay phones, transportation, and shopping, the amount of steel used in coinage has only increased.
In addition to varying the size of copper coins, different alloy compositions and colors can be easily used to create and distinguish different denominations. Commonly used coins include "silver coins" containing 25% nickel, brass coins containing 20% zinc and 1% tin, and "copper" coins containing smaller amounts of tin (3%) and zinc (1.5%). Millions of tons of copper are consumed worldwide annually in the production of copper coins. The Royal Mint in London alone produces 700 million copper coins each year, requiring about 7,000 tons of metal.
The company has a cluster of leading copper processing production lines in China, including:
German imported precision copper tube production line (annual output of 30,000 tons)
Japanese technology copper foil rolling line (thinnest up to 6μm)
Fully automatic copper bar continuous extrusion line
Intelligent copper sheet and strip finishing mill unit
Digitalized control and management of the whole production process is realized through MES system, and the dimensional accuracy of the products can reach ±0.01mm.
