The practice and process of stainless steel brazing in the production of parts and components has long been seen as the most cost and time effective option. Stainless steel is often a very difficult alloy to work with, and not all brazing services are going to be able to provide top quality final products.
However, with the right equipment, knowledge of the process and experienced staff stainless steel brazing can be done in a way that produced consistently bright, shiny and very durable components for any industry. Finding the right company to complete this aspect of fabrication and production will be important, but so is working with a company that understands the importance of reducing waste, keeping production costs low, and being able to deliver the components on time each and every order.
There are several different steps in stainless steel brazing that have to be carefully followed to ensure a top quality final product. Skipping or altering these steps may save time, but it will always produce an inferior component, and will ultimately end up costing more in the long run.
Design
Unlike with some other alloys, with stainless steel brazing the actual design of the joint to braze is going to be critical. With experienced engineers on staff to evaluate the configuration and the design, there is less waste on the first pass and also less likelihood that the design will need to be altered or adjusted.
Preparation of the Component
Another very real problem with stainless steel brazing is the natural oxidation of the material at the brazing temperatures. This means that all foreign materials have to be off of the stainless when it goes into the furnace. With advanced cleaning processes this can be eliminated, ensuring a top braze and parts that are free from surface stains and the risk of damage to some or all of the braze and ultimately component joint failure.
This cleanliness extends to the actual placement of the component in the system, and the consistency to which all assembly is completed pre-brazing.
Heat and Atmospheres
With stainless steel brazing it will be critical for there to be consistent control over the atmosphere, typically hydrogen, as well as the furnace temperature and the cooling processes.
Variations in any factor can lead to stainless steel with limited natural corrosion resistance, parts that are more likely to crack and fail, and parts that are stained, discolored or simply not acceptable. The attention to detail certainly makes stainless steel brazing more challenging than other alloys, but top companies can produce amazing results.
