Brazing Aluminum to Steel – General Topics

,

When brazing aluminum to stainless steel using:
a) NOCOLOK® Flux and Al-Si filler alloys are suitable
or
b) alternatively CsAlF-Complex flux (melting range between 420 and 480°C) and Zn-Al filler alloys.

Regarding a): Brazing of aluminum to stainless steel works both with NOCOLOK® Flux + Al-Si filler alloy and with NOCOLOK® Sil Flux. After the flux melts and the oxides are removed, there is a reaction between Al and Fe, forming a thin intermetallic layer of FeAl3. This layer forms the metallurgical bond between the Fe and Al components. FeAl3 is very brittle and thus the thickness of this layer should be minimized, otherwise the joint can easily fracture.

From a metallurgraphic point of view, there is a multi-layer system (microscopic structures). First, there is the stainless steel, then the layer of FeAl3, then the Al/Si filler metal, and finally the aluminum base material. The thickness of the brittle FeAl3 layer is a function of brazing time and temperature; – consequently the need for a short brazing cycle with fast heat-up and very short holding time at maximum temperature. Too high brazing temperatures must be strictly avoided. Only with a short brazing cycle, successful joining of aluminum to steel is possible.

Joining of Al to steel using NOCOLOK® Flux is done on large scale commercially for the production of pots and pans (stainless steel pots with aluminum ‚compensation base plates‘) – mostly in induction brazing. It is also used for the production of heating elements (steel heating plates with aluminum base plates and tubes for the electrical heating wires). Another application for aluminum to steel joining is brazing of large aluminum-plated steel tubes – up to 11 meters long – with aluminum fins for power plant cooling modules.

In the manufacturing of pots and pans where there is a large surface area between the Al base plate and the pot, a mixture of filler metal powder and flux is often used. This circumvents the use of filler metal shim stock which is said to be costly and difficult to implement. In Al tube to steel or stainless steel tube joining, conventional flame brazing techniques can be used. Filler metal wire, either pre-placed or fed into the joint must be used. In the production of power plant cooling modules (with aluminum-plated steel tubes), the filler alloy is provided by clad fin material.

3 Kommentare
  1. Velmurugan.S
    Velmurugan.S sagte:

    We require suitable flux for the following processes :

    1. SS+ALuminium+SS cladding process by Induction brazing for cookwares
    For this process ,We are using your NOCOLOK SIL Flux over 20 years, but this leaves more residue around brazed corners. Please advice to overcome such residue.
    2.We require a suitable flux material to braze a thin layer (0.5mm Thick) of SS disc at the bottom of Aluminium cookwares..Please advice for this also on material part from your product range.
    Thank You..
    Velmurugan.S
    TTK Prestige limited,
    Bangalore,India

    Antworten
  2. Hans Swidersly
    Hans Swidersly sagte:

    The usage of NOCOLOK® Sil Flux in the production of cookware by induction brazing is a well established technology. This process – because it takes place in air – requires slightly higher flux loads compared with furnace brazing under protective atmosphere. To avoid flux residue around brazed corners it would be necessary to reduce the flux load. However, this is only possible up to a certain level without affecting the overall joint quality.

    An alternative to Sil Flux is a combination of flux powder with filler alloy powder (AlSi12 – AA4047). In both cases, the flux quantity per surface area for obtaining good brazing results will be the same.

    There is a very delicate balance between sufficient flux and high quality joints in induction brazing. The recommendation therefore is to work with adequate flux loads – to minimize joining failures.

    Antworten

Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

An der Diskussion beteiligen?
Hinterlasse uns deinen Kommentar!

Schreibe einen Kommentar

Deine E-Mail-Adresse wird nicht veröffentlicht.