The difference between brazing and soldering has been one of the most asked questions among engineering pupil in our world today. The two joining process has some great similarities, but many metallurgical differences.
These processes are used to join metals together and create a bond between the metal being joined. However, they use different techniques to achieve their objectives.
Today we will be going deep and clarifying the difference between “brazing and soldering”.
Brazing vs soldering
Soldering is a joining process that uses solder to join two metal parts together. It uses much lower temperatures than brazing, typically 300-500-degree Fahrenheit range. Although some types of soldering are bit higher, whereas brazing typically prevails at 1200-2300-degree Fahrenheit. In soldering the filler metals melts completely below 450C while in brazing it melts above.
These two processes distribute the molten metal using capillary action between the base metals to be joined. These metals are expected to be completely free from oil, dirt, etc.
Brazing vs soldering in the metallurgical aspects; the higher temperatures required in brazing may lead to different joint properties in service. Brazing often results in extensive interaction between the filler metal and the workpieces. In soldering, the lower temperatures allow only minimal inter-alloying of the filler metal with the workpieces being joined.
Differences between the two processes may also occur when putting to service, in at least two ways;
Joint strength: the base metal that contains solder joints will typically be stronger than solder. However, failure typically occurs in solder joints if they experience stress in service.
A higher temperature is required in brazing, making it prior to failure and if there is any, it occurs in the base metal. Due to the higher temperature brazing uses, metallurgical reaction and alloying are very intense than those that occur in soldering. In brazing joints, the joint exceed or approach the strengths of the base metals joined.
Fatigue resistance: a good brazed joint will be capable of handling the fatigue and stresses placed on the joint. The stresses may be by thermal cycling or mechanical shock. On the other hand, solder joints in similar conditions would fail, due to the low degree of alloying.
Having to know the difference between brazing and soldering processes. You should have in mind that there are numbers of similarities between them. And the temperature differences between the two results to different behaviour when put to service.
See my recommendation on brazing
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