Brazing Overview

TSI Group, Inc is well known in the industry for our innovative thermal management solutions. We have years of experience in all aspects of thermal management, and brazing is our specialty. For more information on our brazing technologies, check out:

• Vacuum brazing capabilities
• Dip brazing capabilities

A Brazing Primer

Joining metals at temperatures under 800ºF are known as "soldering", while "brazing" occurs at temperatures above 800ºF. Brazing utilizes the inter-atomic attraction between two pieces of metal to form a bond that approaches parent metal strength. This is accomplished by “wetting” the metals to be joined with molten metal which, upon cooling, forms the joint. Welding differs from brazing in that the base metals to be joined are molten at the moment of joining.
 


Aluminum filler metals are used to braze aluminum base metals using various methods, the most common being a salt dip bath, vacuum, or flux (either torch or furnace.)

Brazing allows fabrication of flexible assemblies and high performance allows cold plate designs to be achieved at optimum cost, as well as allowing for:


• Use of folded fin stock for increased thermal effectiveness

• Optimum weight construction

   - Minimum wall thickness and corner radii

   - Thick to thin wall transitions superior to castings

• Maintenance of extremely close tolerances during the brazing process

   - Uniform heating limits part distortion and movement

   - Minimizes the need for secondary machining operations
 
   - Minimizes tooling costs and lead times

   - Allows cost effective, rapid introduction of engineering changes

• Formation of high strength and leak tight joints

   - Use in high stress environment
 
   - Hermetically sealed applications

• Assurance of uniform thermal and electrical conductivity
   - Superior EMI protection versus bonded or mechanically fastened approaches