Transport system for transporting soldering material through a soldering apparatus and soldering apparatus, having two transport tracks running parallel to one another and extending in a transport direction, wherein each of the transport tracks includes two transport rails, and wherein at least one of the two transport rails of the respective transport track is adjustable in the transverse direction running transversely to the transport direction for a width adjustment of the respective transport track. A plurality of guide elements are provided at least on the adjustable transport rails, wherein the guide elements interact with transverse rods extending in the transverse direction, wherein guide elements adjacent in the transverse direction of transport rails adjustable in the transverse direction are each guided displaceably on the same transverse rod toward one another and away from one another, and wherein the guide elements each have at least one recess and/or at least one projection extending in the transverse direction in such a way that a projection of the respective one guide element engages in a recess of the respective other guide element when adjacent guide rail are displaced toward one another.

A soldering apparatus, in particular a reflow soldering apparatus, for continuous soldering of printed circuit boards along a transport direction, having a process channel that includes a preheating zone, a soldering zone and a cooling zone, having a base body and a cover hood movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein nozzle plates, fan units with fan motors, air channels carrying the process gas, filter elements and/or cooling elements are provided in the base body. At least one fan unit is arranged in or on the base body laterally next to the process channel in the transport direction, and air channels are arranged and provided in such a manner that process gas is blown into the process channel during operation of the at least one fan unit, with the process gas directed through a filter element provided in a filter region after passing through the process channel, and the filtered process gas drawn in by the at least one fan unit.

Solder joints comprising two different solder materials having different melting points, an outer solder material extending over an inner solder material bonded to a conductive pad, the inner solder material having a lower melting point than a melting point of the outer solder material and being in a solid state at substantially ambient temperature. A metal material having a higher melting point than a melting point of either solder material may coat at least a portion of the inner solder material. Microelectronic components, assemblies and electronic systems incorporating the solder joints, as well as processes for forming and repairing the solder joints are also disclosed.

An aluminum alloy bare material for a member to be brazed by flux-free brazing to a brazing sheet including a brazing material formed of an aluminum alloy that includes 3.00 to 13.00 mass % of Si and 0.10 to 2.00 mass % of Mg with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities, in which the aluminum alloy bare material for the member to be brazed is formed of an aluminum alloy including 0.004 to 6.00 mass % of Zn and 0.004 to 3.00 mass % of Mg with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities. According to the present invention, aluminum alloy materials can be provided for members to be well brazed to the brazing sheet with the brazing material including Mg when an aluminum material is brazed by flux-free brazing.

A hybrid diffusion-brazing process and hybrid diffusion-brazed article are disclosed. The hybrid diffusion-brazing process includes providing a component having a temperature-tolerant region and a temperature-sensitive region, brazing a braze material to the temperature-tolerant region during a localized brazing cycle, then heating the component in a furnace during a diffusion cycle. The brazing and the heating diffusion-braze the braze material to the component, and the localized brazing cycle is performed independent of the diffusion cycle in the hybrid diffusion-brazing process. The hybrid diffusion-brazed article includes a component, and a braze material diffusion-brazed to the component with a filler material. The filler material has a melting temperature that is above a tolerance temperature of the component.

A hybrid diffusion-brazing process and hybrid diffusion-brazed article are disclosed. The hybrid diffusion-brazing process includes providing a component having a temperature-tolerant region and a temperature-sensitive region, brazing a braze material to the temperature-tolerant region during a localized brazing cycle, then heating the component in a furnace during a diffusion cycle. The brazing and the heating diffusion-braze the braze material to the component, and the localized brazing cycle is performed independent of the diffusion cycle in the hybrid diffusion-brazing process. The hybrid diffusion-brazed article includes a component, and a braze material diffusion-brazed to the component with a filler material. The filler material has a melting temperature that is above a tolerance temperature of the component.

A method of manufacturing a hollow aerofoil component 100 for a gas turbine engine 10 comprises joining a first panel 200 to a second panel 300 using bonding, and hot forming the panels into shape. The bonding step and the hot forming step are performed in the same rig, thereby optimizing process time and component quality.

A vacuum pressure furnace and/or a cooling plate for a vacuum pressure furnace is described, having a cooling channel or tube that selectively circulates a liquid coolant at a reduced temperature. The cooling channel “snakes” back and forth through a target plate assembly to conduct heat from the target plate assembly and back to the coolant. The target plate assembly includes a plurality of clamp members that are screwed over portions of the cooling channel and to a bottom of a plate member of the assembly, enclosing portions of the cooling channel. Thermal sheets or foil are wrapped around the cooling channel, thereby bridging any gaps between the components that may occur during temperature changes due to thermal expansion/contraction.

A solder preform in the shape of a solder tube or washer includes: a cylindrically shaped solder alloy body including an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end, a second end, a first opening located at the first end, and a second opening located at the second end, the second end interlocking with the first end, and the first opening and the second opening cut along an entire height of the solder alloy body; and a flux core embedded in the solder alloy body between the inner surface and the outer surface, the flux core including a thermochromic indicator. During reflow soldering, the flux core including the thermochromic indicator flows out of the first opening of the first end and the second opening of the second end to coat the inner surface of the solder alloy body and the outer surface of the solder alloy body.

A bond head for a thermocompression bonder is provided. The bond head includes a tool configured to hold a workpiece to be bonded, a heater configured to heat the workpiece to be bonded, and a chamber proximate the heater. The chamber is configured to receive a cooling fluid for cooling the heater.