Method for producing metal components and metal component produced in this way

A method for producing a metal component which comprises a copper alloy that comprises the following alloy components in wt. %:

• 3.0 wt. %<Sn<8 wt. %;
• 1.3 wt. %<Zn<6 wt. %;
• 0.1 wt. %<S<0.7 wt. %;
• no more than 0.2 wt. % phosphorus;
• no more than 0.1 wt. % antimony;
• and
• iron, zirconium and/or boron alone or in a combination of two or more of said elements no more than 0.3 wt. %;
• and unavoidable impurities, and copper for the remainder;
• wherein the method comprises the following steps:
• (a) melting the copper alloy;
• (b) producing press blanks from the copper alloy;
• and
• (c) pressing the press blanks at a suitable pressing temperature in a range of from 750° C. to 900° C. to form the metal component, and
• wherein the pressing step reduces an average grain size of a structure of the copper alloy in the metal component from greater than 100 μm to less than 100 μm in a region up to 200 μm below the surface of the metal component, while leaving an average grain size of the structure as greater than 100 μm in another region more than 200 μm below the surface of the metal component.