Soldering

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Soldering is a joining process that uses a filler metal to
join parent materials that remain solid
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Solder is a fusible metal alloy with a melting point or
range) of 90 to 450 °C
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Metallic surfaces have higher melting temperatures so
that they remain solid when the solder is melted
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Alloys that melt between 180 and 190 °C are the most
commonly used
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Solder can contain lead and/or flux, but in many
applications, solder is now lead-free

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Soldering
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By convention, soldering uses filler alloys with melting
temperatures below 450 °C
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Soldering may or may not use a fluxing agent
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Fluxing agents, also called fluxes,
fluxes are used to help in
cleaning the interface but may leave a residue
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Local heating of the joint can be done with a torch, a
soldering iron (local resistance heating), induction
heating, a laser, or a hot air gun.
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Assemblies can also be heated in an oven.

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Soldering - Process Description
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In soldering, heat is applied to the parts to be joined,
causing solder to melt and bond to workpieces in an
alloying process called wetting.
wetting
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In soldering of stranded wire, solder is drawn up into
wire by capillary action in a process called wicking.
wicking
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Capillary action also takes place when workpieces are
touching or very close together.
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Joint strength is dependent on filler metal used.
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Soldered joint has electrical conductivity and is water-
and gastight

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Soldering - Fluxes
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Fluxes are chemicals (liquid, solid, or gaseous materials)
that remove oxide layers from base metal and solder.
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When heated, fluxes either promote or accelerate
wetting of metals by solder
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Major role of flux is removal of thin tarnish layers during
the initial stages of the soldering process
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This permits molten solder to react with the substrate
and to spread

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Soldering - Method

http://www.yoctopuce.com/EN/article/soldering-tutorial

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Soldering - Method

1) Put a drop of flux on the contacts.

2) Wet very lightly the soldering tip with some tin
3) Touches the tip simultaneously on both contacts to be
soldered
4) Bring the tin wire closer until it touches one of the
contacts, or even both if possible.
5) Soldering melts and spreads itself between the
contacts.
6) Immediately remove the tin wire and then the iron.

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Soldering - Fluxes

Courtesy: Soldering: Understanding the Basics (2014); ASM International, USA

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Brazing
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If alloys with melting points above 450 °C are used, the
process is no longer called soldering but brazing.
brazing
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Group of joining processes that produce coalescence of
materials by heating them to brazing temp in presence of a
brazing filler metal that has a melting point above 450°C
and below melting point of base materials
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Brazing filler metal is distributed between the closely fitted
faying surfaces of the joint by capillary action
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Brazing temp refers to temp to which material is heated to
enable brazing filler metal to spread & adhere to, or wet, the
base metal and form brazed joint

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Brazing

Courtesy: Brazing Handbook, 5th ed. (2007), American Welding

Society (AWS) C3 Committee on Brazing and Soldering, Florida, USA http://www.technologystudent.com/equip_flsh/acet6.html

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Brazing
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Two pieces of steel must first be cleaned using
abrasives or suitable materials. Borax flux is
mixed with water to produce a paste which is
brushed along the joint. Flux prevents
oxidation taking place on the metal surfaces
as oxidation would prevent successful brazing
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Gas is fed through the nozzle and this is ignited
by a pilot light on the nozzle or by a match
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The length of the flame can be adjusted with
the control until the desired type of flame is
achieved. The blue section of flame that
appears near the nozzle is the hottest part of
the flame

http://www.technologystudent.com/joints/braz2.htm

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Brazing
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The flame is then moved forward with blue tip of
the flame nearly touching the steel. Focus of heat
should now be on the joint, as the flame is slowly
moved backwards and forwards along it. The joint
will eventually become so hot that it becomes red
in colour
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A brazing rod (copper-zinc alloy)
alloy is then pushed
gently against the joint and if the temperature is
right the end of the rod will melt and begin to run
along the joint. The rod is fed into the joint until a
brazed joint is complete. The steel is allowed to
cool slowly. If cooled quickly, such as quenching in
water, the joint can crack or become distorted.
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The diagram opposite shows how the copper-zinc
alloy (brazing rod) forms a joint between the two
pieces of steel sheet.
http://www.technologystudent.com/joints/braz2.htm

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Refrences
1) Soldering: Understanding the Basics (2014); ASM International, USA

2) Brazing Handbook, 5th ed. (2007), American Welding Society (AWS) C3

Committee on Brazing and Soldering, Florida, USA

3) http://www.technologystudent.com/joints/braz2.htm

4) http://www.technologystudent.com/equip_flsh/acet6.html

5) http://www.yoctopuce.com/EN/article/soldering-tutorial

http://www.technologystudent.com/joints/braz2.htm

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