TAV Vacuum Furnaces produced a horizontal vacuum brazing furnace for a global manufacturer. The furnace, which has a maximum temperature of 2462°F (1350°C), was developed to braze plate heat exchangers and tailored to the company’s specific requirements. It has two loading zones, a platform on top for easy maintenance and a soundproof cabinet for vacuum pumps. Seven independently controlled heating zones, together with the wide surfaces of the heating elements, allow for fast and uniform heating ramps and shorter cycles. A graphite thermal chamber placed on supports allows for easy extraction in case of maintenance.

SECO/VACUUM, a SECO/WARWICK Group brand, sold a vacuum aluminum brazing (VAB) furnace to an international aircraft component supplier. The furnace is designed to meet tight temperature tolerances of +/-3°C and incorporates a high-vacuum system with diffusion pump. The VAB furnace is equipped with six temperature control zones and can accommodate loads with dimensions up to 36 inches wide x 28 inches high x 48 inches deep (900 x 700 x 1,200 mm). Delivery is scheduled for early 2022.

Vacuum thermal processing is vital for automotive and aerospace component manufacturers due to industry demands for the highest possible quality. Brazing and surface treatment are two process areas where vacuum technology is used.

Let’s conclude our discussion of magnesium and brazing.

Does magnesium (Mg) vaporization in a vacuum furnace only occur as a so-called “mag burst” near the brazing temperature of aluminum, or can it occur at lower temperatures?

TAV Vacuum Furnaces, together with its U.S. group company Furnacare Inc., supplied a horizontal vacuum brazing furnace to a U.S.-based engineering company that specializes in a wide range of brazing services. The furnace, which has useful dimensions of 48 inches wide x 30 inches high x 48 inches deep, offers an advanced solution for high-vacuum brazing of aluminum components. It has a maximum operating temperature of 1150°F (621°C) and a maximum gross charge of 500 pounds.

Trive Capital, a Dallas-based private-equity firm, has partnered with California Brazing of Newark, Calif. Founded in 2002, California Brazing manufactures complex, high-tolerance components for space, aircraft connectivity, specialty electronic and defense applications. The company specializes in heat treating, CNC machining and metallic and ceramic vacuum brazing for both OEM and Tier 1 defense and communication customers. 

When large industrial vacuum brazing furnaces begin to produce customer parts that show discoloration instead of a pristine stainless steel finish or joints where the brazing material has refused to flow properly, production is quickly halted. Easy-to-find-and-fix leaks can take the furnace down for a half of a day, and more downtime is likely.