Brazing is a metal-joining process that involves heating a filler metal above its melting point and distributing it between two or more close-fitting parts through capillary action. The filler metal, which has a lower melting point than the materials being joined, is heated to a temperature where it melts and flows into the joint. Upon cooling, the filler metal solidifies, creating a strong bond between the parts.
The brazing process can be carried out in different types of furnaces, depending on the materials being brazed. For example, in furnace brazing, the entire assembly is heated to a temperature where the braze alloy melts and flows into the joint. This method is commonly used for making many thousands of joints simultaneously.
Almost any metal or ceramic can be brazed as long as the braze alloy properly wets the surfaces to be joined. Wetting refers to the ability of the braze alloy to spread and adhere to the surfaces. To achieve wetting, the surfaces must be free of oxide layers. In air brazing, a flux is used to remove the oxide layers. In furnace brazing, the oxide layers are usually removed by the atmosphere, with hydrogen being the most common reducing agent. However, in vacuum brazing, the vacuum itself decomposes the oxide layers.
Brazing can be done with various materials, including mild steel, stainless steel, cast iron, nickel, aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, ceramics, magnesium, and titanium. It has a wide range of applications, such as joining metal housings, electromechanical components, pipe fittings, automotive engine components, and HVAC system components.
When brazing, it is important to consider the design of the joint and the mass of the assembly. Factors like the composition of the base metal and braze alloy also influence the brazing cycle. To ensure high-quality brazing, controlled atmosphere brazing is often used. This process prevents overheating, damage to the base metal, and oxidation by carrying out the brazing in a controlled atmosphere, either in a vacuum chamber or a continuous-belt furnace.
In summary, brazing is a joining technique that uses a lower-melting-point metal to create a strong bond between two or more close-fitting parts. It can be carried out in various types of furnaces and is applicable to a wide range of materials. Controlled atmosphere brazing is often used to achieve high-quality joints without the need for flux.
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