SOFT AND

HARD
SOLDERING
+BRAZING

WHAT IS SOFT SOLDERING?

Soft soldering is a quick method of joining

most metals such as copper, brass, tinplate

and steel. An exception is aluminium.
The process is best confined to light fabrication
where joints are not subjected to heat and
vibration and so do not need to be very strong.
Soft solder is an alloy made from varying
proportions of tin and lead with antimony.

SOFT SOLDERING
The melting point varies according to

composition, ranging from 183 to 250 degrees

Centigrade.
The solder used for electronics contains more
tin than lead, making it flow more easily at a
lower temperature.
The solder for tinplate or plumbing copper
water pipes contains more lead than tin. It
melts at a higher temperature and sets harder.

SOFT SOLDERING FLUXES

Fluxes, available as liquids, powders or pastes, have been specially

developed to protect the cleaned surfaces from oxidation during heating;

solders only stick to clean metal. The flux also helps the molten solder to
flow freely by breaking down surface tension.

Active fluxes (e.g. bakers flux) contain zinc chloride which chemically

clean the surfaces. However, it is highly corrosive and must be washed off
immediately upon completion.

Passive flux are non-corrosive, but they only protect and do not actually

clean. an example is the multi-core solder used in electronics, which has

cores of resin flux running throughout its length.

JOINING PROCESS
In preparation for soldering the joint surfaces must be

clean. Use a suitable abrasive (e.g. emery cloth or steel

wool) and avoid touching the area. In the joining process
close-fitting joints are essential to ensure that the
capillary action unites the surfaces.

A good solder joint depends on

A clean surface,
the correct flux
appropriate heat

JOINING PROCESS
There are several ways of applying the necessary heat and solder.
An electric soldering iron is cleaned, while hot, using a wet sponge and

then tinned with a thin film of solder. Or the joint is sweated, by tinning
both parts of the joint first.

WHAT IS HARD SOLDERING?

Hard soldering is much stronger than soft soldering

and requires higher temperatures.

Soft solders melt at around 200 degrees C, whereas

the lowest melting point of hard solder is 625 degrees

C.

The principle of local alloying and using a flux

remains the same.

The extra heat requirement is supplied by using a

gas/air torch.

SILVER SOLDERING

Silver soldering is so called because hard

solder contains silver alloyed with copper

and zinc, giving melting points ranging
from 625 to 800 degrees Centigrade.

It enables work to be joined in several

stages,

first using solder with a high melting point,

working through lower melting points
to finally the lowest, called easy-flo. This

avoids the risk of earlier joints coming

apart when applying heat for the later
ones.

JOINT PREPARATION
Proper joint preparation is

important and thorough cleaning

is necessary with the application
of an active flux cramping the
work with soft binding wire.

A special easy-flo flux is used

for the lowest melting silver

solder, whilst medium and hard
grade solders use a borax flux
(Tenacity).

SOLDERING THE JOINT

Pre-heat the joint with a gentle flame, then concentrate to a small hot

flame to achieve a dull red heat. Solder flows to the hottest part, following
the flame along the line of the joint.

WHAT IS BRAZING?
Brazing is a metal-joining process whereby

a filler metal is heated above melting

point and distributed between two or more
close-fitting parts by capillary action. The
filler metal is brought slightly above its
melting (liquidus) temperature while
protected by a suitable atmosphere,
usually a flux.

 Brazing is a technique similar to

BRAZINGsoldering, except that considerably

An air blown
(brazing) gas torch
is needed to
maintain a hot
flame.
This does create a
limiting factor,
making it too hot to
use with brass
and copper, but it
is ideal for mild
steel.

higher temperatures are needed.

Brazing spelter is an alloy of copper

and zinc (brass) and melts in the range

870880 degrees Centigrade. This
results in a much stronger joint, since
brass is stronger

 Joints do benefit from

interlocking, but they should

JOINT PREPARATION
all be wired or held securely

to allow for expansion during

heating. Use a flux with borax
or a proprietary brand like
Sift bronze.

HINTS FOR HARD

SOLDERING
The joint area must be thoroughly clean and fluxed.

Allow time for spelter or solder to flow, melting on the

hot metal (not in the flame).

Pre-heat gently, avoid too fierce a flame which might

blow away flux and spelter or solder.

Surround with fire-bricks to reflect all possible applied

heat.

Heavy sections will require the most heat, at least to dull

red.

Maintain the heat on the join, until the spelter or solder

flows throughout the joint.

ADVANTAGES OF BRAZING
It is cost-effective. There is very little braze alloy

required to produce a brazed joint. With properly

designed joints, this kind of brazing will compare
favorably with any other metal joining method.

The joints produced are strong. Engineers and

designers frequently request strength data of brazing

filler metals, making the assumption the brazed joint
will only be as strong as the brazing filler metal itself.
Surprisingly, depending on the base material,
properly made brazed joints will exhibit tensile
strengths far greater than the filler metal.

ADVANTAGES OF BRAZING
The joints produced are ductile, able to withstand

considerable shock and vibration.

The joints are generally produced easily and quickly.

It can join dissimilar metals well. You can easily join

metals with widely different melting points.

It can join metals with vastly different cross sections.

For example, joining 0.005-in.-thick copper foil to a 1in.-thick steel plate would be a challenge to weld, but
relatively easy to braze.

ADVANTAGES OF BRAZING
Joints have excellent stress distribution and heat transfer. The

braze fillet formed is ideally shaped to resist fatigue. It is

highly adaptable to automation. Typical automation methods
include torch, furnace, induction and resistance heating.

It is essentially a one-operation process. There is seldom any

need for grinding, filing or mechanical finishing after the joint

is completed. This is particularly beneficial for assemblies to
be plated.

The joints virtually make themselves by capillary action, so

complex geometries are as easy to join as simple geometries.

REFLECTION
Brazing with silver-containing filler metal is an

effective means of creating strong, leaktight

joints on a diverse group of base metals. By
clearly understanding the process, its
fundamentals and how to apply them, it can be
a cost-effective and reliable method of
manufacturing metal-to-metal joints.

THANK YOU
FOR LISTENING

HAVE A NICE AFTERNOON!!!

QUIZ N0. 7
INSTRUCTION: Identification

1. A soldering method wherein the melting point varies

according to composition, ranging from 183 to 250

degrees Centigrade.
2. These are available as liquids, powders or pastes, have

been specially developed to protect the cleaned

surfaces from oxidisation during heating; solders only
stick to clean metal. These also helps the molten
solder to flow freely by breaking down surface tension.

3. This flux (e.g. bakers flux) contain zinc

chloride which chemically clean the
surfaces. However, it is highly corrosive
and must be washed off immediately
upon completion.
4. This flux are non-corrosive, but they
only protect and do not actually clean. an
example is the multi-core solder used in
electronics, which has cores of resin flux

5. In the joining process close-fitting joints

are essential to ensure that the __________
action unites the surfaces.
6. What type of soldering is much stronger
than soft soldering and requires higher
temperatures?

7. What is the lowest melting point of hard

solder in degrees C?
8. What is the lowest melting point of soft
soldering in degree C?

9. Is so called because hard solder

contains silver alloyed with copper and
zinc.
10. What is a metal-joining process whereby
a filler metal is heated above melting
point and distributed between two or
more close-fitting parts by capillary
action. The filler metal is brought slightly
above its melting (liquidus) temperature
while
protected
by
a
suitable

9. This is important and thorough cleaning is

necessary with the application of an active flux
cramping the work with soft binding wire.
10. What is a metal-joining process whereby a filler
metal is heated above melting point and distributed
between two or more close-fitting parts by capillary
action. The filler metal is brought slightly above its
melting (liquidus) temperature while protected by a
suitable atmosphere, usually a flux?

11. Is so called because hard solder contains silver

alloyed with copper and zinc.

12. The __________ for a particular application is

chosen based on its ability to: wet the base

metals, withstand the service conditions
required, and melt at a lower temperature than
the base metals or at a very specific
temperature.

13-15. Give three advantages of brazing?