Seven bronze compositions against one published alloy band.
Makin publishes a single irregular bronze family spanning Sn 10 to 40%. We publish seven discrete compositions from 90/10 to 62/38, including zinc-modified variants, at a single fine cut.
The bronze range is in service in self-lubricating bearings, wear components, PTFE fillers and diamond tool segments, produced under an ISO 9001:2015 system.
Side by side
| Attribute | Represented by UnstratBronze powders | Makin Metal Powders (UK) LtdIrregular Bronze Powder124United Kingdom | Nippon Atomized Metal Powders CorporationBronze powder (L89, KTS, S91, S8515, S8020, S6733, S5050)5Japan | Pometon S.p.A.Bronze CuSn range6Italy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Published compositions1256 | Seven: 90/10, 90/10 Z, 85/15, 85/15 Z, 80/20, 70/30, 62/38 (Sn 9 to 11% through Sn 37 to 39%) | One irregular family stated as Sn 10 to 40%; grade datasheet gives Cu 58 to 95%, Sn 5 to 42% | Seven named grades: 89/11, 91/9 (KTS and S91), 85/15, 80/20, 67/33, 50/50, plus PBC-2A 90/10 with 0.3% P | CuSn10, CuSn15, CuSn20, CuSn10Zn2, CuSn4, CuSn40, CuSn9 and U 10/20 |
| Zinc-modified variants36 | 90/10 Z and 85/15 Z for adjusted sintering behaviour | Zinc bronze range published separately: Cu 88% min, Zn 1.5 to 2.5%, Sn balance | Not published in the bronze range | CuSn10 Zn2 |
| Particle size1256 | -325 mesh (45 µm) across the range | Less than 500 µm, less than 150 µm and less than 45 µm; datasheet cuts -100#, -300#, -350#, 100/350# and 60/240# | -120# and -325# cuts published per grade, with full sieve distribution | Wide particle size range stated; no figures published |
| Apparent density125 | Not published | 2.6 to 3.6 g/cc on the product page; datasheet gives 3.1 to 3.5 g/cc (-100#), 2.7 to 3.1 g/cc (-300#), 2.7 to 3.3 g/cc (-350#) | 2.10 to 2.42 g/cm³ (L89), 3.20 to 3.50 (S91 -325#), 2.80 to 3.25 (S8515 -325#) | Not published |
| Oxygen limit25 | Not published for the bronze range | 0.2% max oxygen, others 0.5% max | Oxygen published for the super-fine grades only (0.1 mass% on SF-BR9010) | Not published |
| Morphology1456 | Irregular | Irregular (water atomised); a separate spherical bronze range at around 5.0 g/cc apparent density | Water atomised; grade-dependent | Irregular, water atomised |
| Flow rate published5 | Not published | Not published | Less than 20 to less than 30 s/50 g by grade | Not published |
| Applications named156 | Self-lubricating bearings, wear components, PTFE filler material, P/M parts, diamond tools, aesthetics | Pressed and sintered components, bearings and bushes, friction parts, bronze filled PTFE for hydraulic seals, decorative and architectural finishes, welding and brazing, diamond tooling | Sintered oil-impregnated bearings (L89, PBC-2A), sintered machine parts (KTS, S91), metal bond materials for diamond tools (S8515, S8020, S6733, S5050) | Sintering, friction, diamond tools, resin and plastic fillers, welding and brazing |
| Quality system4 | ISO 9001:2015 | ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 | Not published on the product page | Not published on the product page |
Competitor values are quoted from the vendor documents listed under Sources, as published on the date shown. Configurations vary, so treat every row as a starting point for the evaluation rather than a like-for-like test result.
What the table means
A composition ladder beats a composition range
Makin's published irregular bronze is one family covering Sn 10 to 40%, with the grade sheet widening that to Cu 58 to 95% and Sn 5 to 42%. That is a manufacturing envelope, not a menu. A bearing designer choosing between 85/15 and 80/20 needs the two as separate, repeatable grades. We publish seven, plus two zinc-modified variants where sintering behaviour needs adjusting. Nippon Atomized publishes a comparable ladder and adds sieve and flow data we do not.
Where the published data runs out on our side
Apparent density and flow rate are missing from our bronze sheet. Nippon Atomized publishes both per grade, down to 2.10 to 2.42 g/cm³ on L89 and flow under 30 s/50 g. Those two numbers determine fill and press cycle time. Until we publish them, a buyer has to ask, and we would rather they asked than guessed.
Single-cut simplicity, and its cost
Everything in our bronze range is -325 mesh. That suits PTFE compounding, diamond segments and fine P/M work, and it removes a variable from the qualification. It also means a customer wanting a -100 mesh bearing bronze is looking at the PTFE filler line instead, or at Makin and Pometon, both of which publish coarse cuts up to 500 µm. Say so at enquiry stage rather than after the trial.
Questions buyers ask
What is the best bronze powder for self-lubricating bearings if I want an alternative to Makin or Pometon?
For classic oil-impregnated bearing work the 90/10 composition is the standard, and we publish it at Sn 9 to 11% with a zinc-modified variant for adjusted sintering. Our whole range is -325 mesh, so if your press is set up for a coarser bearing grade Makin and Pometon publish cuts up to 500 µm and we do not. Where we are stronger is the composition ladder above 20% tin, where 70/30 and 62/38 are published as discrete grades rather than as one wide alloy band.
How does your bronze compare with Nippon Atomized Metal Powders on published data?
Nippon Atomized publishes apparent density, flow rate and a full sieve distribution per grade, including 3.20 to 3.50 g/cm³ on S91 at -325 mesh. We publish composition, mesh and morphology, and not apparent density or flow. On grade breadth the two ranges are comparable, and both cover diamond tool bond duty. On published process data theirs is deeper today.
Why choose a non-aligned supplier for something as ordinary as bronze powder?
Because bearing and segment production stops just as hard for a missing commodity powder as for a missing exotic one, and commodity suppliers consolidate. Makin's own brochure records that it sits inside a group whose Chinese sister company holds the largest copper powder production base in China. If your programme is meant to be independent, buying its feedstock from inside another bloc's supply chain undoes the point.
Can you match a specific tin content that is not in your published range?
The published ladder runs from Sn 9 to 11% up to Sn 37 to 39%, with zinc-modified variants at 90/10 and 85/15. Custom powder development to programme specification is part of the line, so an intermediate composition is a conversation, not a catalogue lookup. What we will not do is claim a grade exists before it has been made and measured.
Sources
- 1. Makin Metal Powders (UK) Ltd, Irregular Bronze PowderRetrieved: 2026-07-30
- 2. Makin Metal Powders (UK) Ltd, Product Data Sheet: Irregular Bronze Powder (copy held on this site)Retrieved: 2026-07-30 · Makin-branded product data sheet, published by its Swiss distributor Haeberlin & Co.
- 3. Makin Metal Powders (UK) Ltd, Product Data Sheet: Zinc Bronze Powder (copy held on this site)Retrieved: 2026-07-30 · Makin-branded product data sheet, published by its Swiss distributor Haeberlin & Co.
- 4. Makin Metal Powders (UK) Ltd, Copper and Copper Alloy Powders (company brochure) (copy held on this site)Retrieved: 2026-07-30
- 5. Nippon Atomized Metal Powders Corporation, Bronze powder (Product Information)Retrieved: 2026-07-30
- 6. Pometon S.p.A., Copper and copper alloyed powders, zinc and tin powdersRetrieved: 2026-07-30