Vacuum Brazing Aluminum - Features and Advantages

June 28, 2019 | Technical Articles

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What is Vacuum Brazing?

The process of vacuum brazing is used extensively as a method of joining for aluminum and other alloys. Some of the benefits that are provided by means of vacuum brazing aluminum services include the joining of materials that have different forms and shapes, including those with different natures. At Bluewater Thermal Solutions, we provide a wide array of brazing capabilities to help fulfill your need for joining materials.

Beyond welding, brazing serves to join materials in a manufacturing process that is highly economical.

Vacuum Brazing Features

The process of vacuum brazing does not remove the aluminum oxide. As the oxide layers are heated, they crackup, allowing only the liquid brazing cowboy to move through the cracks and reached the base metal. This occurs due to the fact that aluminum’s coefficient of expansion is three times higher than aluminum oxides coefficient of expansion.

Advantages of Aluminum Vacuum Brazing

Brazing provides some important benefits not found with other methods of metal joining. The joint base metal is not melted in the brazing aluminum process. This allows for a clean joint to be produced as well as more accurate tolerance control. As a result, no other finishing methods need to be employed on the surfaces. The filler material produces a meniscus shape in the brazed joint which enhances fatigue resistance and keeps stress concentrations to a minimum.

The applications that are able to benefit from the process of aluminum brazing include:

  • Joining dissimilar metals together (i.e., stainless steel and copper)
  • Joining exceptionally thick or exceptionally thin cross-sectional parts together
  • Handling assemblies containing a large number of joints (benefits result from the even heating and cooling process)
  • Compacted or closely positioned components with multiple junctions that require sealing

Significant benefits accrue to materials that are oxidation sensitive through the vacuum brazing aluminum process. The process does not utilize flocks and also eliminates flux residue. In addition, parts having gone through the process may receive a matte gray finish without any need to perform additional cleaning.

Tell Us How We Can Help

Bluewater Thermal Solutions specializes in all types of heat treating processes, including brazing, nitriding, boronizing, carbonitriding & carburizing, and more. We offer a wide array of heat treating and boronizing processes at 11 different locations. To find out how we can serve your induction hardening needs, call us today at 877.990.0050 or request a quote on our website for services.


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