This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Industrial Heating logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Industrial Heating logo
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Digital Edition
    • Archives
  • News
  • Featured
    • IH Daily
    • IH MagEzine
    • Web Exclusives
    • IH Economic Indicators
    • The History of Industrial Heating
    • Heat Treatment Processes
    • Top 10 Heat-Treated Holiday Gifts
  • Topics
    • Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing
    • Ceramics & Refractories / Insulation
    • Combustion & Burners
    • Heat Treating
    • Heat & Corrosion Resistant Materials / Composites
    • Induction Heat Treating
    • Industrial Gases & Atmospheres
    • Materials Characterization & Testing
    • Melting / Forming / Joining
    • Process Control & Instrumentation
    • Sintering / Powder Metallurgy
    • Vacuum / Surface Treatments
  • Columns
    • Editorial
    • The Heat Treat Doctor
    • Federal Triangle
    • MTI Profile
    • Academic Pulse
    • Heat Treat 5.0
    • International – Brazil
    • Next-Gen Leaders
  • Directories
    • Equipment Buyers Guide
    • Commercial Heat Treat Capabilities Directory
    • Aftermarket Parts & Services Directory
    • Materials Characterization & Testing Equipment Directory
    • Take a Tour
  • More
    • Classifieds
    • White Papers
    • Industrial Heating Bookstore
    • Organizations
    • Market Research
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FORGE Magazine
  • Multimedia
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • Image Gallery
    • Mobile App
    • eBooks
  • Events
    • Meetings & Trade Shows
    • FNA
    • Heat Treat Show
  • Blog
    • Dan Herring - Heat Treatment
    • David Pye - Metallurgy
    • Dan Kay - Brazing
    • Debbie Aliya - Failure Analysis
    • Thomas Joseph - Intellectual Property
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
    • Print & Digital Edition Subscriptions
    • eNewsletter
    • Online Registration
    • Customer Service
Home » Blogs » Industrial Heating Experts Speak Blog » Brazing Paste Q&A
Dan-kay-200px

Dan Kay operates his own brazing consulting practice in Connecticut (since 1996) and has been involved in brazing for almost 45 years. He received his BS in Metallurgical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1966 and his MBA from Michigan State University in 1982.

Brazing Paste Q&A

May 2, 2011
Dan Kay
No Comments
Reprints

Question:
We have a question relative to extending the expiration date on braze paste. Do you know of an industry standard that we could reference? Is there a particular rule of thumb that you would recommend about handling shelf-life/expiration dates?

Answer:
There is no "industry standard" that I am aware of that you could reference that would give any guidelines about extending the expiration date on brazing pastes. Each manufacturer uses different criterion for setting their own shelf life or expiration dates for brazing filler metal (BFM) pastes. A number of manufacturers have now even stopped showing an expiration date on their paste containers but, instead, merely show a manufacturing date. They used to print an expected shelf life on the containers, but because of rejections of good BFM paste (merely because of date on the container) some manufacturers have stopped doing that.

Here are two things to do:

1. Call the manufacturer and get their specific thoughts regarding the expiration dates of their paste. Ask them what they suggest for paste that exceeds those dates. If you can, get a note in writing from them showing the maximum shelf life they would allow/guarantee for their pastes.

2. Test the "creaminess" of your BFM pastes that appear to be getting near their expiration dates. I used to do this by extruding a tiny amount of paste out of the end of the paste-cartridge, and as long as the paste was still extrudable and creamy, I would use it in our brazing shops. Obviously, for special aero-projects requiring complete traceability of all materials I would not do that since no "expired" material should ever be used no matter how good it is. With today's traceability needs, any use of BFM paste that had officially "expired" or gone beyond its printed shelf-life could cause the brazing shop to put themselves in a position where end users would have an opportunity to point their blame finger at that brazing shop should something go wrong with the brazement in service, even if there was nothing wrong with the BFM paste.

Having said that, I have had no problem using BFM paste in a variety of noncritical commercial work as long as the BFM paste is still creamy and extrudable. The filler metal in the brazing paste does not suddenly decide to go "bad" after the expiration date. In fact, even if it is older than the printed shelf life on the container, it can still be used until it is all gone. It's not like food, where expiration dates should be carefully followed for health reasons.

Here's another important point about BFM paste whether it's somewhat new or is past its so-called expiration date. Should the paste seem to be drying out – the plastic cartridge that is holding the paste does "breathe" to some extent allowing some minor amount of air-exchange (through the walls, around the end piston, etc.), which can cause paste to dry out – it can usually be reconstituted by mixing in some extra "binder" that can be purchased as a separate item from several different BFM suppliers (don't just add water).

Blog Topics

Dan Herring - Heat Treatment

David Pye - Metallurgy

Dan Kay - Brazing

Debbie Aliya - Failure Analysis

George Vander Voort - Metallography

Thomas Joseph - Intellectual Property

Recent Comments

business

Dew Point Meter

kindly share your expertise on deformation control....

relationship between retort size and volume of entire air and gas for produce endothermic gas

[No title]

Dan-kay-200px

Dan Kay operates his own brazing consulting practice in Connecticut (since 1996) and has been involved in brazing for almost 45 years. He received his BS in Metallurgical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1966 and his MBA from Michigan State University in 1982.

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • Print & Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

ih1119-ht-fig1-900

The Overlooked Efficiency Opportunity: Intelligent Process Cooling

110719-Sian

Most Powerful Car Ever Produced

ih1119-htdr-fig1-900

Vacuum Maintenance (part 1)

Editorial 2019: Reed Miller

Noel Nuggets

Industrial Heating Web Exclusives

Steel Mill Powered by Wind

IH Ipsen 360x184customcontent

Events

December 11, 2019

Linear and Non-Linear Furnace Leak Rates: What’s the Difference?

Determining whether your furnace has a linear or non-linear leak can mean the difference between being back in production in two hours, or two days. It’s important to know the proper steps in determining your true leak rate to decrease unplanned down time as much as possible. 

January 1, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.
View All Submit An Event

Poll

Additive Manufacturing

Has additive manufacturing had any impact on your business?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Vacuum Heat Treatment Volume I

Vacuum Heat Treatment Volume I

See More Products

The History of Industrial Heating 1000 BC - Present Day


Industrial Heating Employment Marketplace

Industrial Heating

1219IH-cover144x192

2019 December

Check out the December 2019 issue of Industrial Heating, featuring "Metal Additive Manufacturing without Melting", "Furnaces with Tungsten Heating Elements Make High Product Quality Possible", and much more.

View More Create Account
  • Resources
    • List Rental
    • eNewsletter
    • Manufacturing Group
    • News
    • Want More?
    • Featured
    • Product / Event
    • Industry Links
    • Connect
    • Privacy Policy
    • Survey And Sample

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing