Pre-bent busbars now available

Sapa delivers high-conductive aluminium busbars to the energy-supply segment. Now, customers can further reduce costs and improve the environmental footprint of their systems by ordering pre-bent busbars.

Busbars are extruded round tubes mainly in the 6101B T6/T7 aluminium alloy, to ensure high conductivity. The extruded tubes are installed in electrical substations to conduct electricity from the high-voltage to the low-voltage net, typically for customers in the energy-supply sector and for their subcontractors.

Pre-bent aluminium busbars now availableNon-supported busbars, which are only fixed to both extremities, are always pre-bent if they exceed +/- 6.000mm. This enables the profiles to go back to their original flatness due to their own weight.

Pre-bent busbars offer customers many advantages, largely because the busbars can be delivered directly to installation sites, cutting transportation and handling costs.

Aluminium busbars have become a popular alternative to copper, mainly due to their favorable price and conductivity performance compared to the red metal.

With the new product, Sapa’s Benelux unit handles all the process steps in-house, including both long-length transport and research and development support, if needed.

The company first casts a special high-conductive alloy at its remelt facility in Ghlin, Belgium, prior to the extrusion and bending processes, which take place in nearby Lichtervelde. The casting and the extrusion process, together with specialized heat treatment, allow Sapa to offer up to 33.6 mSiemens/m conductivity, i.e. above normal standards.

The company offers busbars with diameters up to and including 320mm, and in lengths ranging up to 26 meters. Pre-bent busbars are available up to 250 mm.