3. Heating systems

Many different heating methods are available for brazing and soldering. They are selected primarily on the basis of the brazing alloy (melting temperature, chemical composition, shape), but also on the basis of the substrates to be joined (size, joint configuration, grade), the brazing atmosphere (air, vacuum, neutral or reducing), and finally the added value of the joint (price, deformation).

What's important in brazing is to be able to precisely control the temperature to be reached, which is usually higher than the melting temperature of the brazing alloy (up to 100°C above liquidus). This makes it possible to overcome the chemical heterogeneities associated with the manufacture of the filler metal, as well as to integrate a heat treatment (quenching, annealing, etc.) into the brazing cycle.

The thermal brazing cycle (figure