Behind every air-conditioner evaporator and condenser coil is a long, uniform copper tube that has been straightened, cut and bent into hairpins at high speed. For these automated lines, loose loops of tube or small pancake coils are inefficient. Manufacturers instead buy copper level wound coils (LWC), also called layer wound coils: very long, continuous lengths wound in neat parallel layers on a spool. This guide explains the product, how a copper level wound coils manufacturer produces it and what to verify before placing an order.
A level wound coil is soft annealed seamless copper tube wound onto a flanged spool or drum with a traversing guide, so each turn lies tightly beside the previous one and each layer sits level over the layer below. The result is a heavy, stable package that holds hundreds of metres, often several hundred kilograms of tube, without crossovers or tangles. The tube pays off smoothly into straighteners, hairpin benders and cutting machines at line speed.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Alloy | C12200 Cu-DHP (C10200 on request) |
| Temper | O60 soft annealed |
| Standards | ASTM B280, ASTM B68, EN 12735-2 and customer specifications |
| OD range | Commonly 5 mm to 15.88 mm (for example 5, 7, 7.94, 9.52, 12.7 mm) |
| Wall thickness | Per OEM drawing (typically 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm class for heat-exchanger duty) |
| Supply form | Spool, drum or reel with specified flange size and arbor |
| Cleanliness | Low residual oil, dry bore, ends sealed |
Tubes for OEM coil lines are specified against a drawing, so tolerances on OD, wall and ovality are usually tighter than general plumbing tube. Share your drawing and spool dimensions and we will confirm feasibility.
Level wound coils shine on automated lines; pancake coils are best for hand installation, and plain coils suit short plumbing runs. For a full comparison of all formats, see our copper coils overview.
Melta Alloys manufactures copper tube from billet to finished coil at Umbergaon, Gujarat, and exports to 20+ countries. For OEM and coil-line customers we agree drawings, OD and wall tolerances, spool dimensions, temper and cleanliness in advance, then supply each lot with a mill test certificate. Browse the copper tubes range or send your drawing for a feasibility check and quotation.
LWC stands for level wound coil, a long length of annealed copper tube wound in parallel layers on a spool. It is used mainly by air-conditioner and heat-exchanger manufacturers on automated lines.
Lengths vary with OD and spool size, and can reach several hundred metres per spool. Share your decoiler capacity and we will propose a suitable length and weight.
They are soft annealed (O60) so the tube can be straightened, cut and bent into hairpins without cracking or wrinkling.
Yes. We work from OEM drawings for OD, wall thickness, temper, cleanliness and packing, and confirm feasibility before quoting.
Send your grade, size, standard and quantity — our team replies with pricing, lead time and mill test certificate details.
