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Vacuum Furnace Brazing

Our vacuum furnace brazing capabilities provide precision metal joining for mission-critical aerospace components and other applications.

High-Integrity Metal Joining that Manufacturers Rely On

Prime and tiered suppliers in the aerospace and defense market throughout North America rely on the vacuum brazing operations in our Cleveland Division to ensure their high performance components meet strict specs. As a Nadcap Merit heat treater, Paulo maintains the advanced systems and documentation that customers in the aerospace market (and beyond) require to perform highly complex vacuum brazing jobs.

What is Brazing?

Brazing is the joining of closely-fitted steel parts using a filler metal with a lower melting point than the parts being joined. The molten filler metal flows into the gap between the parts by capillary action. Upon cooling, the filler metal solidifies, forming a very strong bond between the joined parts.

The process differs from welding in that workpieces are joined without being melted. It’s similar to soldering, but the temperatures are much higher and the engineered gaps between parts being joined is much tighter.

Benefits of Vacuum Brazing

The flexibility that brazing offers makes it the preferred treatment for aerospace customers. That’s because critical engine components are made of complex superalloys to withstand high heat during service. To perform as designed, the parts must retain their tight tolerances. The risk of distortion during other metal joining operations is too high.

Additionally, corrosion of the base and filler metals is prevented during brazing because the lack of oxygen in the furnace prevents oxide formation. Corrosion due to oxide formation results in significant weakening of parts.

Why Choose Paulo for Vacuum Furnace Brazing?

Getting the braze right the first time and ensuring consistent brazing is crucial to keeping projects moving smoothly, avoiding delays, and added expenses due to rework. And for critical hot-section aerospace turbine components and measurement equipment, massive costs and human lives are at stake: If these parts fail, hundred million-dollar jets fall from the sky. Here’s how we ensure your parts are joined properly, every time.

We Ensure Proper Brazing Preparation

A successful braze depends on proper preparation prior to treatment. That’s why Paulo employs skilled staff to complete brazing preparation. We also take on additional responsibility by completing part assembly when needed.

Our technicians understand what it takes to meet demanding specifications, and they are experts at the proper assembly of parts and application of braze alloys in joints.

Advanced Process Controls

Vacuum furnace brazing offers flexibility and repeatability in ways conventional brazing or human torch brazing do not. That translates to more efficient processes that result in better part quality.

The ability to reach higher treatment temperatures in our vacuum furnaces (up to 2,450˚F) supports treatments that require complex nickel, gold, silver and copper braze filler alloys. Also, vacuum furnaces can more easily control how fast or slow the target treatment temperature is reached, how long a precise temperature is held and how fast or slow the furnace cools.

Software we’ve integrated with our vacuum furnaces allows us to develop complex treatment cycles that reduce the risk of human error and ensure repeatability on jobs across the industrial spectrum.  Enhanced process control allows us to braze at higher temperatures without melting base materials or negatively impacting braze alloys in joints.

Your Requirements Are Our Commitment

We stake our reputation on the quality and accuracy of results when it comes to your vacuum brazed components. We’ll ensure that your specifications will be met, no matter how complex the part or material. We can help you troubleshoot part failures, and we support your research and development efforts in developing next-generation components by providing vacuum furnace capacity and data during your testing phase.

Vacuum Furnace Brazing Applications

We’ve completed vacuum brazing on a wide variety of parts, including:

  • Hot-section aerospace engine components
  • Sensitive measurement equipment
  • Fuel cells for the power generation market 
  • Fuel injection nozzles for a variety of applications
  • Meat grinders for food processing equipment

Vacuum Furnace Brazing Process Details

Our vacuum furnace brazing equipment has the following features:

  • Maximum Working Area: 60” L x 42” W x 42” H
  • Maximum Weight: 8,000 lbs

Looking for a specific certification or approval?

We maintain Nadcap Merit status and hold a wide variety of approvals from many Prime and tiered suppliers in the aerospace and automotive markets. To browse our complete list and download materials, visit our certifications and approvals library.

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Trust Your Parts to Paulo

Do you need high-integrity results from your next vacuum furnace brazing project? Paulo can help. Tell us a little about your project to get connected with a Paulo expert.

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