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Brazing uses the principle of capillary action to distribute molten filler metal between the surfaces of base metals being joined. Therefore, during the brazing operation, take care to maintain a proper clearance between the base metals to allow capillary action to work effectively. In most cases, ...

Step brazing defined: The brazing of successive joints on a given part with filler metals of successively lower brazing temperatures so as to accomplish the joining without disturbing the joints brazed previously. A similar result can be achieved at a single brazing temperature if the remelt ...

Copper-Phosphorous Alloys for Copper Brazing The alloys copper-phosphorous and silver-copper-phosphorous were patented in the U.S. in 1914 and gained popularity when new refrigerants were developed to replace ammonia. These refrigerants enabled the use of copper to facilitate the increased demand ...

Lucas-Milhaupt Materials Calculators Materials questions? We can help. When ordering alloys, you may have the dimensions or length of a braze joint, but many products are sold by weight. How much should you order? Or, conversely, you may know the mass/weight, but need the length. Our calculators ...

Torch Brazing Stainless Steel Stainless steels encompass a variety of iron-based alloys, having more than 10% chromium, which offer corrosion resistance through a transparent chromium oxide layer. The AWS Handbook lists five categories of stainless steels: Austenitic (nonhardenable) steels (i.e. ...

Radiographic Examination - Discontinuity Images on Film Examining finished joints may be the final step in the brazing process, but inspection procedures should be incorporated into the design stage. Your methodology will depend on the application, service and end-user requirements plus regulatory ...

Aluminum-Copper HVAC Protection The HVAC/Refrigeration industry is converting many components from copper to aluminum. The reasons? Aluminum is less expensive by weight, is more corrosion resistant, weighs less, and maintains similar heat-transfer rates to copper. These aluminum parts are joined to ...

Solders for Potable Water The U.S. Federal Clean Drinking Water Act limited the amount of lead (Pb) in solder to less than 0.2% for potable water systems. Shortly afterward, a new solder alloy was introduced to the plumbing industry for joining copper (Cu) potable-water lines. The alloy, which is ...

Liquidus vs. Solidus Simply put, liquidus is the lowest temperature at which an alloy is completely liquid; solidus is the highest temperature at which an alloy is completely solid. Pure metals are fluid, and they melt at a single temperature. For example, silver melts at 1761°F (961°C), and copper ...

Liquid Metal Embrittlement Liquid Metal Embrittlement (LME) may occur in a brazing operation involving high-strength materials such as stainless steels, nickel alloys or age-hardened alloys, when the materials are stressed and come into contact with molten brazing filler metal. Many cases have been ...