Lightning, Thermal & Specialty Copper Straps
Carsai manufactures custom copper lightning strap, thermal strap, perforated copper strip and solenoid strap products for electrical, thermal-management and industrial equipment applications.
Unlike standard raw copper strip, our products are manufactured as finished components according to customer drawings. Copper straps can be cut to length, punched, drilled, bent, plated, insulated and supplied with custom terminals or mounting holes.
Available products include:
- Solid copper lightning straps
- Copper strip lightning conductors
- Braided copper thermal straps
- Flexible copper heat-transfer links
- Perforated copper straps
- Custom solenoid copper straps
- Bent and formed electrical connectors
- Bare and plated copper components
- Straps with terminals, holes or mounting plates
- Prototype and production quantities
Send your application standard, conductor dimensions, terminal design, installation drawing, finish and required quantity for a project-specific quotation.
For our complete range of rigid and flexible flat copper conductors, visit our Copper Strap and Copper Strip Manufacturer page.
Copper Straps for Specialized Applications
Copper straps are used for more than conventional grounding and busbar connections.
Different constructions can be manufactured for:
- Lightning-protection systems
- Heat-transfer assemblies
- Solenoids and electromagnetic equipment
- Flexible equipment connections
- Grounding and bonding networks
- Power-electronic systems
- Scientific and low-temperature equipment
- Industrial machinery
- Transformer and switchgear assemblies
The most suitable construction depends on the strap’s function.
A lightning conductor normally emphasizes electrical continuity and fault-current performance. A thermal strap is designed to transfer heat while limiting mechanical loading. A solenoid strap may carry operating current between a coil and external terminal while fitting a compact installation layout.
These products may use similar copper materials, but their design criteria are not interchangeable.
Copper Lightning Straps
A copper lightning strap is a flat conductor manufactured for use within a customer-designed lightning-protection or earthing system.
Possible applications include:
- Down-conductor sections
- Connections between lightning-protection components
- Earth-termination connections
- Bonding between conductive structures
- Test-joint components
- Connections to grounding bars or electrodes
- Bridging conductors around structural sections
International lightning-protection projects may refer to the IEC 62305 series for the design, installation, inspection and maintenance of lightning-protection systems. IEC 62561-2 addresses requirements and tests for metallic conductors and earth electrodes used as lightning-protection components. The applicable standard, conductor dimensions and installation method should therefore be specified by the system designer.
Carsai manufactures the copper component according to the customer-approved drawing and specification rather than designing the complete lightning-protection system.
Copper Strip Lightning Conductors
A copper strip lightning conductor normally uses a solid rectangular copper section rather than a round cable.
A flat strip may provide:
- A low installation profile
- Broad connection surfaces
- Straightforward mechanical fixing
- Custom holes and terminal features
- Easy integration with copper earth bars
- Controlled conductor dimensions
- Long straight or formed sections
The strip may be supplied as:
- A straight cut conductor
- A short connection strap
- A drilled terminal section
- A bent transition component
- A joining plate
- A tinned connection piece
- A custom component for an existing protection system
The quotation should identify whether the requirement is for raw straight strip or a completed part with holes, bends and surface treatment.
Important specifications include:
- Copper grade
- Width and thickness
- Overall length
- Hole diameter and spacing
- Bend geometry
- Surface finish
- Required standard
- Installation environment
- Production quantity
Selecting a Copper Lightning Strap
A lightning-protection strap should not be selected only by its width.
The system designer should define:
- Required conductor cross-section
- Copper material specification
- Lightning-protection standard
- Installation arrangement
- Joint and terminal method
- Corrosion environment
- Mechanical support
- Connection to other metals
- Inspection and test requirements
A conductor may contain enough copper but still perform poorly if the joints, fasteners or contact surfaces are unsuitable.
Terminal areas should provide:
- Adequate contact surface
- Correct hole size
- Sufficient edge distance
- Stable mechanical fastening
- Compatible surface treatment
- Protection from excessive corrosion
When the strap connects to aluminum, galvanized steel or another metal, the complete joint design should address material compatibility.
Perforated Copper Straps
A perforated copper strap contains multiple holes or slots distributed along part or all of its length.
The similar phrase copper perforated strap refers to the same general product type.
Perforated designs may be used for:
- Adjustable grounding connections
- Lightning-system connection sections
- Electrical panel grounding
- Telecom installations
- Equipment bonding
- Multi-point mounting
- Terminal distribution
- Field-adjustable installation
Possible hole arrangements include:
- Repeated round holes
- Elongated slots
- Alternating hole sizes
- Large terminal holes at each end
- Small mounting holes along the center
- Customer-defined perforation patterns
Perforated copper can simplify installation when several connection positions are required.
However, every hole removes conductive material. The minimum remaining copper width and effective cross-section must therefore be considered when the component is designed.
A heavily perforated strap should not automatically be treated as electrically equivalent to an unperforated strip with the same external width and thickness.
Custom Perforation and Terminal Patterns
Carsai can manufacture perforated straps with:
- Uniform hole spacing
- Different hole sizes
- Metric or imperial hole patterns
- Round and slotted holes
- Threaded terminal holes
- Wider terminal ends
- Bent mounting sections
- Tin-plated surfaces
- Part numbers or position markings
For quotation, provide:
- Strap width and thickness
- Overall length
- Hole diameter
- Hole pitch
- Edge distance
- End-terminal dimensions
- Straight or formed geometry
- Copper grade
- Surface finish
- Required quantity
A dimensioned drawing is strongly recommended because a small error in hole pitch can prevent the strap from aligning with existing equipment.
Copper Thermal Straps
A copper thermal strap is a conductive link designed to transfer heat between two components.
The reversed phrase thermal copper strap describes the same general product family.
Thermal straps are often used where a rigid thermal connection could transfer unwanted mechanical forces between a heat source and heat sink. NASA describes thermal straps as flexible, thermally conductive links, traditionally made from copper or aluminum, installed between a heat source and a sink.
Possible applications include:
- Power-electronic modules
- Scientific instruments
- Cooling assemblies
- Vacuum equipment
- Low-temperature equipment
- Optical systems
- Industrial electronics
- Battery thermal-management systems
- Laboratory equipment
A thermal strap may be manufactured from:
- Copper braid
- Stacked copper foils
- Thin copper laminations
- Flexible copper wire bundles
- Solid copper terminal blocks joined by a flexible conductor
Copper Braid Thermal Straps
A copper braid thermal strap combines many fine copper wires into a flexible heat-transfer link.
The braid can accommodate:
- Vibration
- Installation tolerances
- Thermal expansion and contraction
- Movement between assemblies
- Differences in alignment
- Mechanical isolation between components
A typical assembly may include:
- A flexible copper braid section
- Solid copper terminal plates
- Mounting holes
- Flat contact surfaces
- Optional plating
- Customer-defined overall length
The terminal areas are especially important because the complete thermal path includes both the braid and the interfaces between the strap, heat source and heat sink.
NASA technical material notes that thermal-strap end fittings commonly use thermally conductive metals such as copper or aluminum, with flexible wires or foils attached through processes including brazing, welding, clamping and diffusion bonding.
Thermal Strap Design Considerations
Thermal performance depends on more than the visible strap width.
Important inputs include:
- Copper grade
- Copper purity when specified
- Actual conductor cross-section
- Braid or foil construction
- Flexible length
- Operating-temperature range
- Required heat-transfer performance
- Terminal contact area
- Terminal thickness
- Surface flatness
- Mounting pressure
- Required movement
- Vacuum or cleanliness requirements
A short, thick strap generally behaves differently from a long, highly flexible strap.
Increasing the conductor cross-section may improve the available thermal path but can also increase stiffness. The final design must balance heat transfer with mechanical flexibility.
Carsai manufactures according to the customer-approved thermal and mechanical design. Where measured thermal conductance is required, the testing method and acceptance criteria should be stated before quotation.
Solid and Flexible Thermal Straps
Solid copper thermal straps
A solid strap may be suitable when:
- Both components remain fixed
- High rigidity is acceptable
- The connection is short
- Mechanical loading is not a concern
- A formed copper link can fit the installation
Solid thermal straps can be manufactured with bends, mounting holes and plated contact areas.
Flexible thermal straps
Flexible braid or laminated foil may be preferred when:
- Components move relative to one another
- Vibration isolation is required
- Thermal contraction must be accommodated
- The installation contains alignment variation
- Structural loads must be reduced
The selected flexible construction should match the required movement direction and frequency.
Solenoid Copper Straps
A solenoid copper strap is a custom electrical connector used in solenoid, coil or electromagnetic equipment.
It may connect:
- A coil winding to an external terminal
- A solenoid to a contactor
- A power input to an electromagnetic assembly
- Internal conductors to mounting studs
- A moving terminal to a fixed connection point
Depending on the equipment design, the strap may be:
- Solid copper
- Thin formed copper
- Multilayer copper foil
- Flexible copper braid
- Tinned copper
- Insulated over selected sections
Custom geometry may include:
- Narrow conductor sections
- Wider terminal pads
- 90-degree bends
- Offset terminals
- One-hole or two-hole ends
- Slotted mounting holes
- Formed tabs
- Partial insulation
The RFQ should include continuous or intermittent current, duty cycle, operating temperature, movement and available installation space.
MS 4352 Copper Strap Requirements
Some procurement lists or drawings may use the phrase MS 4352 copper strap.
Because a shortened standard or internal material reference can be ambiguous, the inquiry should include the complete document title, revision, required dimensions and technical clauses.
Carsai should not assume from the keyword alone whether “MS 4352” refers to:
- A material specification
- A customer drawing number
- An internal product code
- A regional standard
- A dimensional requirement
Please send the exact standard copy or drawing used by your project so the copper grade, dimensions, tolerances, testing and finish can be reviewed accurately.
Material and Surface Options
Copper strap material options may include:
- C11000 copper
- Cu-ETP copper
- T2 copper
- Oxygen-free copper for specified applications
- Customer-defined copper grades
Available finishes may include:
Bare copper
Suitable for many protected indoor applications and projects where the drawing specifies an untreated conductor.
Tin plating
Frequently selected for corrosion protection and compatible electrical contact surfaces.
Nickel plating
May be specified for elevated-temperature or specialized environmental conditions.
Silver plating
Can be applied to selected contact surfaces where required by the equipment specification.
For thermal products, plating should be selected according to the terminal design and operating conditions rather than appearance alone.
Insulation Options
Specialty straps can be supplied bare or insulated.
Available insulation may include:
- Heat-shrink tubing
- PVC sleeves
- Epoxy coating
- Flexible protective coverings
- Partial terminal-transition protection
Insulation is normally used for electrical straps rather than the primary heat-transfer section of a thermal strap, where it may influence thermal performance.
The drawing should identify:
- Covered areas
- Exposed terminals
- Insulation material
- Required thickness
- Operating voltage
- Operating temperature
- Color or marking requirements
Manufacturing and Inspection
A typical custom project may include:
- Reviewing the application and drawing
- Confirming copper grade
- Cutting solid strip or preparing braid
- Punching or machining holes
- Producing perforation patterns
- Deburring and rounding edges
- Forming bends and offsets
- Attaching terminal plates when required
- Applying plating
- Adding insulation
- Inspecting dimensions and surfaces
- Protecting the parts for shipment
Inspection may include:
- Width and thickness
- Overall length
- Hole size and pitch
- Effective conductor width
- Bend position
- Terminal flatness
- Plating coverage
- Braid or foil condition
- Insulation placement
- Surface cleanliness
- Part identification
Information Needed for a Quotation
Please provide:
- Lightning, thermal, solenoid or another application
- Applicable project standard
- Copper grade
- Strap width and thickness
- Copper cross-section
- Overall length
- Hole or perforation pattern
- Bend and offset dimensions
- Terminal design
- Operating or fault current
- Operating-temperature range
- Thermal requirement when applicable
- Bare or plated finish
- Insulation requirement
- Prototype quantity
- Production quantity
- Annual demand
- Installation drawing
Frequently Asked Questions
Can copper strips be used as lightning conductors?
They can be manufactured for use in customer-designed lightning-protection systems. The system designer must specify the required standard, conductor dimensions and installation method.
Can you manufacture perforated copper straps?
Yes. Hole diameter, pitch, edge distance, effective copper section and quantity should be shown on the drawing.
Are copper thermal straps always braided?
No. They may use copper braid, stacked foils, laminations or solid formed conductors depending on the required flexibility and thermal design.
Can thermal straps have solid mounting terminals?
Yes. Flexible braid or foil sections can be joined to solid copper terminal blocks or plates with custom mounting holes.
Can you manufacture solenoid connection straps?
Yes. Send the current, duty cycle, dimensions, terminal arrangement, material and insulation requirements.
What information is needed for an MS 4352 inquiry?
Please provide the complete standard title or document, revision, drawing, dimensions, material and required tests rather than only the abbreviated keyword.
Can specialty straps be plated?
Yes. Tin, nickel or silver finishes can be applied fully or selectively according to the drawing.
Request a Specialty Copper Strap Quotation
Carsai manufactures custom copper lightning straps, perforated conductors, braided thermal straps and solenoid copper connections for industrial and specialized equipment.
Send your application standard, conductor dimensions, hole pattern, terminal design, finish, installation drawing and required quantity.
