Manufacturing Process
(Brazing & Soldering)
Dr. Muammer Din Arif
Introduction: Brazing & Soldering
Brazing and Soldering are two joining processes similar to welding in
certain respects.
Both use filler metals to join and bond two (or more) metal parts to
provide a permanent joint.
It is difficult, although not impossible, to disassemble the parts after a
brazed or soldered joint has been made.
Therefore, brazing and soldering lie between fusion welding and solid-
state welding.
That is: a filler metal is added in brazing and soldering as in most fusion-
welding operations; however, no melting of the base metals occurs,
which is similar to solid-state welding.
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Advantages of Brazing & Soldering
Brazing and soldering are attractive compared to welding under certain
circumstances:
(1) The metals have poor weldability
(2) Dissimilar metals are to be joined
(3) The intense heat of welding may damage the parts being joined
(4) The geometry of the joint is unsuitable for welding methods
(5) High strength is not a requirement
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Brazing
Brazing is a joining process in which a filler metal is melted and
distributed by capillary action between the faying surfaces of the metal
parts being joined.
No melting of the base metals occurs in brazing; only the filler melts.
In brazing the filler metal (also called the brazing metal), has a melting
point above 450°C but below the melting point of the base metals.
If the joint is properly designed and the brazing operation has been
properly performed, the brazed joint will be stronger than the filler metal
out of which it has been formed upon solidification.
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Brazing
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Brazing
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Applications of Brazing
Brazing as a production process is widely used in a variety of industries:
1) Automotive (e.g. joining tubes and pipes)
2) Electrical equipment (e.g. joining wires and cables)
3) Cutting tools (e.g. brazing cemented carbide inserts to shanks)
4) Jewelry making
5) Chemical processing industry, and plumbing and heating contractors join
metal pipes and tubes by brazing.
6) It is used extensively for repair and maintenance work in nearly all
industries.
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Disadvantages of Brazing
Disadvantages and limitations of brazing include:
1) Joint strength is generally less than that of a welded joint.
2) 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.
3) High service temperatures may weaken a brazed joint.
4) The color of the metal in the brazed joint may not match the color of the
base metal parts, a possible aesthetic disadvantage.
5) Cleanliness of the joint surfaces prior to brazing is also important.
Surfaces must be free of oxides, oils, and other contaminants in order to
promote wetting and capillary attraction during the process, as well as
bonding across the entire interface.
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Types of Brazed Joints
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Types of Brazed Joints
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Soldering
Soldering is similar to brazing and can be defined as a joining process in which a
filler metal with melting point not exceeding 450°C is melted and distributed by
capillary action between the faying surfaces of the metal parts being joined.
As in brazing, no melting of the base metals occurs, but the filler metal wets and
combines with the base metal to form a metallurgical bond.
Details of soldering are similar to those of brazing, and many of the heating
methods are the same.
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.
In some applications, the solder is pre-coated onto one or both of the surfaces—a
process called tinning.
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Soldering of Printed Circuit Boards
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Applications of Soldering
As an industrial process, soldering is most closely associated with
electronics assembly (as in the wave soldering of printed circuits shown
in the previous slide).
It is also used for mechanical joints, but not for joints subjected to
elevated stresses or temperatures.
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Disadvantages of Soldering
Low joint strength unless reinforced by mechanical means.
Possible weakening or melting of the joint in elevated temperature
service conditions.
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Soldering: Joint Types
As in brazing, soldered joints are limited to lap and butt types, although
butt joints should not be used in load-bearing applications.
Some of the brazing adaptations of these joints also apply to soldering,
and soldering technology has added a few more variations; especially in
electrical connections and applications.
In soldered mechanical joints of sheet-metal parts, the edges of the
sheets are often bent over and interlocked before soldering (as shown in
the figure on the next slide) to increase joint strength.
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Soldering: Joint Types
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Soldering: Joints in Electronics
For electronics applications, the principal function of the soldered joint is
to provide an electrically conductive path between two parts being joined.
Other design considerations in these types of soldered joints include heat
generation (from 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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Soldering: Joints in Electronics
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Questions?
• Thank you
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