Systems and methods for moving a substrate to a vision system using a robot; using the vision system to determine where a braze material is to be applied to the substrate; moving the substrate to a braze dispenser using the robot; applying a braze material to the substrate using the braze dispenser based on the determination from the vision system; and using the vison system to determine whether to apply additional braze to the substrate, including for the substrate of a component for gas turbine engine, such as configured for use in an aircraft.

Aspects include supplying a plurality of nickel-enriched braze powder particles to a cold spray system through a particle supply inlet. The nickel-enriched braze powder particles are accelerated through a transfer tube and out an exit in the transfer tube towards a substrate to produce a braze cold-sprayed substrate. A component surface is positioned proximate to the braze cold-sprayed substrate. The braze cold-sprayed substrate is heated to bond the braze cold-sprayed substrate to the component surface.

A method for filling a through hole with solder includes mounting a substrate having a through hole formed therein on a permeable barrier layer having pores that enable gas to flow through the permeable barrier. A solder source is positioned over the through hole. Molten solder is delivered in the through hole with a positive pressure from the solder source such that gas in the through holes passes the permeable barrier while the molten solder remains in the through hole.

A flux transfer tool includes a flux tray, a baseplate, a flux transfer head and a flexible member. The baseplate is disposed on the flux tray. The baseplate has a plurality of holes formed thereon. The flux transfer head is arranged corresponding to the flux tray and configured to move with respect to the flux tray. The flexible member is disposed on the flux transfer head. The flexible member faces the baseplate when the flux transfer head is located above the flux tray. When the holes are filled with a flux, the flux transfer head moves towards the flux tray, such that the flexible member adsorbs the flux from the holes.

The disclosure describes techniques for joining a first part including a ceramic or a CMC and a second part including a ceramic or a CMC using brazing. A technique may include positioning a filler material in a joint region between the first and second parts and a metal or alloy on a bulk surface of the filler material. The metal or alloy may be locally heated to melt the metal or alloy, which may infiltrate the filler material. A constituent of the molten metal or alloy may react with a constituent of the filler material to join the first and second parts. Another technique may include depositing a powder that includes the filler material and the metal or alloy in the joint region. Substantially simultaneously with depositing the powder, the powder may be locally heated. A constituent of the molten metal or alloy may react with a constituent of the filler material to join the first and second parts.

A method for filling a through hole with solder includes mounting a substrate having a through hole formed therein on a permeable barrier layer having pores that enable gas to flow through the permeable barrier. A solder source is positioned over the through hole. Molten solder is delivered in the through hole with a positive pressure from the solder source such that gas in the through holes passes the permeable barrier while the molten solder remains in the through hole.

Gerber data for a substrate includes coordinates for physical features on the substrate. The coordinates are relative to a substrate origin point on the substrate. The gerber data allows a user to specify any of the physical features as soldering targets of a soldering apparatus that includes a motor for moving a soldering iron according to coordinates relative to a system origin point of the soldering apparatus. When the substrate is placed on the soldering apparatus, its substrate origin point differs from the system origin point of the soldering apparatus. The user may input coordinates for the substrate origin point, which are used by the soldering apparatus to derive coordinates, usable by soldering apparatus, from coordinates in the gerber data. In this way, it is possible to reduce the workload of the user when programming the soldering apparatus to perform a soldering process.

The robot apparatus includes a solder pot having a nozzle from which solder flows out, a flux ejection tool for ejecting flux, and a support tool for supporting the solder pot. The robot apparatus includes a table for supporting a workpiece, and a placement member on which the operation tools and the solder pot can be placed. The controller performs a flux application control for coupling the flux ejection tool to the robot and applying flux to the workpiece, a preheating control for coupling the support tool to the robot and arranging the solder pot below the workpiece so as to heat the workpiece, and a supply control for moving the nozzle of the solder pot closer to the workpiece and supplying the solder.

The disclosure describes techniques for joining a first part including a ceramic or a CMC and a second part including a ceramic or a CMC using brazing. A technique may include positioning a filler material in a joint region between the first and second parts and a metal or alloy on a bulk surface of the filler material. The metal or alloy may be locally heated to melt the metal or alloy, which may infiltrate the filler material. A constituent of the molten metal or alloy may react with a constituent of the filler material to join the first and second parts. Another technique may include depositing a powder that includes the filler material and the metal or alloy in the joint region. Substantially simultaneously with depositing the powder, the powder may be locally heated. A constituent of the molten metal or alloy may react with a constituent of the filler material to join the first and second parts.

A soldering apparatus comprises a soldering mechanism and a management unit. The management unit converts operation history of the soldering mechanism into a numerical value, compares the numerical value to a predetermined threshold value, and generates a notifying signal if the numerical value exceeds the predetermined threshold value. The notifying signal may result in cessation of operation of the soldering mechanism. The notifying signal may result in a visual and/or audio reminder to the operator to inspect or replace a part of the soldering mechanism. With the management unit, the operator need not guess or rely on personal experience to determine when to perform an inspection or replacement. Reliance on personal experience can be error prone and lead to inefficiency. The management unit may reduce the possibility of soldering with a degraded soldering tip or other part, which may have an adverse effect on soldering quality.