Why Controlled Atmosphere Brazing Requires The Best Equipment

Controlled Atmosphere Brazing (CAB) is a specialized process used in the automotive industry to manufacture heat exchangers and other critical components. This process involves precisely heating and joining metal parts in a controlled environment. While various factors contribute to the success of this method, the type and quality of equipment play a critical role.

In this post, we will cover the CAB process and the importance of equipment quality in achieving optimal results, and the advantages it provides.

The Controlled Atmosphere Brazing Process

Intran uses Controlled Atmosphere Brazing to combine carbon steel or stainless steel components. The steps in this process include the following:

1. First, the metal components are cleaned and prepared for brazing. Surface contaminants like oils, oxides, and dirt are removed to ensure a clean bonding surface.
2. Then the prepared components are stacked or assembled, forming the desired structure. Brazing filler material, often in the form of a flux-coated preform or wire, is placed at specific locations between the components to facilitate bonding.
3. The assembled components are loaded into a continuous belt brazing furnace. The furnace maintains a controlled environment to prevent oxidation and ensure a clean and reliable bond.
4. The belt brazing furnace is heated to the appropriate temperature, above the melting point of the brazing filler material but below the melting point of the base metal. The heat causes the brazing filler material to melt and flow, forming a strong bond between the metal components.
5. As the temperature increases, the molten filler material flows through capillary action into the gaps between the components, reacting with the clean metal surface to form a metallurgical bond upon cooling.
6. After the desired bonding time, the furnace is gradually cooled to allow the molten filler material to solidify. This controlled cooling process avoids creating thermal stresses and distortion in the assembled components.
7. Once the brazed assembly has cooled sufficiently, it is unloaded from the furnace. Excess filler material, flux residues, and other post-brazing contaminants are cleaned off the components.

Controlled Atmosphere Brazing Requires High-Quality Equipment 

Intran uses highly engineered, top-quality equipment for controlled atmosphere brazing, which provides the following benefits:

1. Consistency and Reliability: Maintaining consistent and reliable conditions throughout the process is crucial. High-quality equipment, such as belt brazing furnaces, ensures precise temperature control, uniform heating, and controlled atmosphere maintenance. This consistency minimizes the risk of defects, such as incomplete brazing or joint weakness, ensuring reliable and repeatable results.
2. Enhanced Heat Transfer Efficiency: Quality equipment designed specifically for controlled atmosphere brazing enhances heat transfer efficiency. Optimized designs, advanced heat exchange surfaces, and proper flow distribution within the equipment contribute to faster and more effective heat transfer. This results in shorter cycle times, increased productivity, and reduced energy consumption, leading to cost savings in the long run.
3. Improved Process Control: High-quality equipment offers advanced control systems, such as precise temperature sensors and feedback mechanisms. These features allow for real-time monitoring and adjustment of critical parameters, ensuring the brazing process remains within the desired range, minimizing the risk of defects and costly rework, and enhancing overall productivity.
4. Minimized Contamination: Oxidation and other surface impurities can negatively impact brazing. Quality equipment is designed with features to minimize contamination risks, including efficient gas circulation systems and appropriate sealing mechanisms to maintain an oxygen-free and clean environment. This helps prevent surface oxidation, preserves material integrity, and ensures the formation of strong and durable joints.
5. Safety and Compliance: High-quality equipment is built to comply with industry safety standards and regulations, incorporating safety features such as temperature controls, gas leak detection systems, and emergency shutdown mechanisms. These features offer protection and prevent accidents while maintaining compliance with safety guidelines.

Intran Provides High-Quality Products Using Controlled Atmosphere Brazing

Contact us if you would like to know more about our controlled atmosphere brazing methods or have additional questions about our manufacturing processes and the solutions we provide. We offer a variety of manufacturing capabilities and services and have nearly 50 years of experience manufacturing products for automotive OEMs and aftermarket manufacturers.