Busbar weight, resistance and current
Calculate mass, metal cost, resistance and voltage drop for flat, round, tube and laminated busbars.
1. Geometry
Section and material
2. Developed length
Length and bends
Bends
No bends. The flat length equals the entered length.
3. Removed material
Holes and cut-outs
No holes or cut-outs. Removed area is zero.
4. Cost and electrical
Price and current
Price basis: Indicative starting price — replace with your contract price, as of 2026-11-01. Change the value to use your own contract price.
Calculated live
Results
Mass per piece
0.427 kg
2.134 kg per metre
Net section
240 mm²
40 × 6 mm sharp edge
Flat length
200 mm
Bend allowance 0 mm
Metal cost per piece
US$6.04
US$60.40 per order
Mass
Electrical
Cost sensitivity
−10%
US$5.44
Current
US$6.04
+10%
US$6.64
Equal-resistance comparison
Copper equivalence
Replacing Cu-ETP with Al 1350 at the same resistance needs 393.44 mm². Mass ratio 0.499 and area ratio 1.639.
Share or continue
Save and hand off
Use this mass in the landed cost calculator
Ask Qumek to review this part
Sends the specification and calculated result. Nothing is uploaded until you press the button.
How this is calculated
Mass
Volume is net conductor area × flat length. Mass = volume × density. Holes and cut-outs are removed from the gross section before volume is calculated. Flat length is either entered directly or built from straight legs plus bend allowance using BA = θ × (R + Kt).
Resistance and voltage drop
R = ρ₂₀ × (1 + α × (T − 20)) × L / A. Voltage drop is I × R at the operating temperature; power loss is I²R. The temperature coefficient and resistivity come from the material register, not a generic constant.
Material and price data
Density, resistivity, conductivity and temper data are from the Copper Development Association, EN 13601, EN 573 and ASM Handbook values in the Qumek material register. Market metal prices are indicative and shown with their source and date; override them with your contract price before quoting.
Assumptions
The model uses a uniform section along the developed length, ignores plating and insulation mass, and treats bends as ideal arc allowances. It is a sizing tool, not a substitute for a mill certificate, thermal analysis or a short-circuit study.
Does the calculator use the developed length or the finished length?+
You can enter either. Finished flat length is used directly. Developed mode sums the straight legs and adds the bend allowance for each bend, so the mass reflects the material needed before forming.
Why does the result differ from a CAD model?+
A CAD model may use a different K-factor, corner relief, bend deduction or density. Check the K-factor and material record, and use your own measured density and resistivity for certified work.
Can I use my own metal price?+
Yes. The market price is only a starting point. Override the price per kilogram with your contract or mill price, choose the currency and the result is recalculated immediately.
Is the copper-aluminium comparison a like-for-like substitution?+
It is an equal-resistance comparison at the same length and temperature. It does not account for terminal plating, galvanic corrosion, short-circuit withstand, stiffness, bending radii or installation space. Use it as a first sizing check.
Is my data uploaded?+
No. The calculation runs in your browser and inputs are stored in the page URL. Nothing is sent to Qumek unless you press the send button.
Need the drawing checked?
Send it. We come back with DFM notes, a line-by-line costing and a development timeline.
Related tools