MANUFACTURING PROCESSES
Soldering & Brazing
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Soldering & Brazing
• In brazing and soldering, the surfaces to be
joined are first cleaned, the components
assembled or fixtured, and a low-melting-point
nonferrous metal [Aluminum-silicon, Copper,
Copper-silver, Copper-zinc (brass), Copper-tin
(bronze), Gold-silver] is then melted, drawn into
the space between the two solids by capillary
action, and allowed to solidify.
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Brazing
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Source: [Link]
Brazing
• Brazing is the permanent joining of similar or
dissimilar metals or ceramics (or composites
based on those two materials) through the use of
heat and a filler metal whose melting
temperature (actually, liquidus temperature) is
above 450°C but below the melting point (or
solidus temperature) of the materials being
joined.
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Brazing Advantages
1. A wide range of metallic and non-metallic
materials can be brazed. The process is ideally
suited for joining dissimilar materials, such as
ferrous metal to nonferrous metal, cast metal
to wrought metal, metals with widely different
melting points, or even metal to ceramic.
2. Since less heating is required than for welding,
the process can be performed quickly and
economically.
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Brazing Advantages
3. The lower temperatures reduce problems
associated with heat-affected zones (or other
material property alteration), warping, and
distortion.
4. Assembly tolerances are closer than for most
welding processes, and joint appearance is
usually quite neat.
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Brazing Advantages
5. Brazing is highly adaptable to automation and
performs well when mass-producing complex or
delicate assemblies. Complex products can also
be brazed in several steps using filler metals
with progressively lower melting temperatures.
6. A strong permanent joint is formed.
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Brazing Disadvantages
• Joint strength is generally less than that of a
welded joint;
• Although strength of a good brazed joint is
greater than that of the filler metal, it is likely to
be less than that of the base metals;
• High service temperatures may weaken a brazed
joint; and
• The colour of the metal in the brazed joint may
not match the colour of the base metal parts, a
possible aesthetic disadvantage.
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Brazing Applications
• Brazing as a production process is widely used in a
variety of industries, including
– automotive (e.g., joining tubes and pipes),
– electrical equipment (e.g., joining wires and cables),
– cutting tools (e.g., brazing cemented carbide inserts to
shanks), and
– Jewellry making.
• In addition, the chemical processing industry and
plumbing and heating contractors join metal pipes
and tubes by brazing.
• The process is used extensively for repair and
maintenance work in nearly all industries
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Brazing FILLER METALS
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Brazing FILLER METALS
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SOLDERING
Image source: [Link]
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SOLDERING
• Soldering is a brazing-type operation where the filler
metal has a melting temperature (or liquidus
temperature if the alloy has a freezing range) below
450°C.
• It is typically used for joining thin metals, connecting
electronic components, joining metals while
avoiding exposure to high elevated temperatures,
and filling surface flaws and defects.
• Details of soldering are similar to those of brazing,
and many of the heating methods are the same.
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SOLDERING
• Surfaces to be soldered must be pre-cleaned so
they are free of oxides, oils, and so on.
• An appropriate flux must be applied to the faying
surfaces, and the surfaces are heated.
• Filler metal, called solder, is added to the joint,
which distributes itself between the closely
fitting parts.
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SOLDERING
• As an industrial process, soldering is most closely
associated with electronics assembly.
• It is also used for mechanical joints, but not for
joints subjected to elevated stresses or
temperatures.
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ADVANTAGES
• Advantages attributed to soldering include
– (1) low energy input relative to brazing and fusion
welding,
– (2) variety of heating methods available,
– (3) good electrical and thermal conductivity in the
joint,
– (4) capability to make air-tight and liquid-tight seams
for containers, and
– (5) easy to repair and rework.
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DISADVANTAGES
• The biggest disadvantages of soldering are
– (1) low joint strength unless reinforced by
mechanically means and
– (2) possible weakening or melting of the joint in
elevated temperature service.
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ELECTRONICS APPLICATIONS
• Principal function of the soldered joint is to provide
an electrically conductive path between two parts
being joined.
• Other design considerations include heat generation
(from the electrical resistance of the joint) and
vibration.
• Mechanical strength in a soldered electrical
connection is often achieved by deforming one or
both of the metal parts to accomplish a mechanical
joint between them,
• or By making the surface area larger to provide
maximum support by the solder.
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COMMONLY USED SOLDERING ALLOY
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