Vacuum brazing is a commonly used method for joining materials together, such as aluminum and other types of alloys. Some of the benefits that are provided through vacuum brazing services include the ability to join materials of different forms and shapes and dissimilar nature’s together. Along with welding, these brazing services function as an economically manufactured process in connecting disparate materials.
Vacuum Brazing Process
The unique feature of this process is its inability to eliminate aluminum oxide. As oxide layers are heated, they crack’s space up, while allowing the liquid brazing alloy exclusively to move through the cracks in the base metal. The reason this occurs is because aluminum’s coefficient of expansion is about three times greater than aluminum oxide’s coefficient of expansion.
Aluminum Vacuum Brazing Benefits
Brazing provides some distinct benefits compared with other types of metal joining processes. Vacuum brazing services for aluminum did not melt the joint base metal. This allows for clean joint as well as greater tolerance control accuracy without the need to apply other finishing services. The filler material produces a meniscus shape inside the brazed joint, which promotes enhanced fatigue resistance in the reduction of stress concentrations.
Aluminum brazing services are applicable for various applications, including:
- Joining disparate metals together, i.e., stainless steel and copper
- Joining very thicker very thin cross-sectional parts
- Assemblies having large numbers of joints (in particular aluminum vacuum brazing which keeps to a minimum the potential distortion of the part due to an even heating and cooling process
- closely compacted or positioned parts with multiple junctions that require sealing – as an example, deep joints with difficult or limited access and situations involving heat exchangers
Vacuum brazing services for aluminum offers excellent benefits for oxidation sensitive materials. As a flux free process, it removes flux residue. In addition, a matte gray finish may be applied to clean the parts that have been subjected to this process without the requirement for additional cleaning.
Contact a seasoned heat treating company today to find out more about your options when it comes to vacuum brazing and how it can be used to fulfill your project requirements.