Brazing is a metal-joining technique that has been in use for over 5,000 years. Brazing is a metal-joining process that is often used in welding operations and is popular for its strength and versatility.
In fact, brazing is estimated to make up a quarter of all welding applications, totaling around $25 billion in worldwide sales. So, what is brazing in welding? In this article, we’ll uncover the basics of brazing and discuss its important applications and benefits.
What Is Brazing in Welding?
Brazing is a process of joining two pieces of metal with a third, melted filler material.The filler material, also known as the brazing alloy, is usually composed of a blend of silver, copper, and/or other metals. In some cases, the melted filler material acts as more than just an adhesive to hold the pieces of metal together. It can also provide electrical or thermal conductivity, strength, and other desired properties.
Why Is Brazing Used?
Brazing is used to join two pieces of metal together without melting the base metal, which is the metal that forms the components to be joined. This is a great advantage of brazing because the joining process is relatively simple, relatively low in cost and able to retain the strength and integrity of the base metal.The brazing also takes a lot less time compared to welding and requires much less energy and fewer process steps.
Advantages of Brazing
- Brazing is a great choice of joining when the pieces that need to be joined are too difficult or hard to be welded.
- Since no melting of base metal is needed when joining, brazing provides superior heat control compared to welding.
- Brazing is also an efficient process and often produces a much cleaner joint than welding.
- Brazing can be done on a wide range of materials, including stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, brass, and copper.
Disadvantages of Brazing
- Brazing does not lend itself well to thicker materials, as the heat conducted by the filler material is limited.
- In some cases, the brazed joint may be weaker than the base material being joined together.
- Brazing techniques require more set-up time than welding.
- The presence of the filler material can make it difficult to create a tightly sealed joint.