An inspection system is configured to inspect the condition of a braze joint formed within a structure, wherein the braze joint is formed from a braze filler material having a tracer material disposed therein. The inspection system includes an energy source for directing energy towards the structure, an energy detector for detecting information regarding the structure following interaction with the energy directed from the energy source, and a data analysis system for analyzing the information detected by the energy detector. The data analysis system is configured to distinguish the tracer material from the remaining materials forming the structure in order to determine a suitability of the braze joint.

An aluminum alloy material comprises: Si: less than 0.2 mass %, Fe: 0.1 to 0.3 mass %, Cu: 1.0 to 2.5 mass %, Mn: 1.0 to 1.6 mass %, and Mg: 0.1 to 1.0 mass %, the balance being Al and incidental impurities. A number density of Al—Mn compound having a circle equivalent diameter of not less than 0.1 μm is not less than 1.0×10.sup.5 mm.sup.−2, and a number density of Al.sub.2Cu having a circle equivalent diameter of not less than 0.1 μm is not more than 1.0×10.sup.5 mm.sup.−2.

The invention concerns a method for the manufacturing of a clad sheet product comprising a core layer (6) and at least one cladding layer, the method comprising rolling an assembly of a core layer and at least one cladding layer and reducing the thickness to a desired gauge, the core layer being made of an aluminium alloy, the at least one cladding layer comprising a centre section (2) and at least two edge sections (4, 5) positioned at opposite sides of the centre section (2) along the edges of the at least one cladding layer, the centre section being made of a material being an aluminium alloy or a composite material comprising a matrix of aluminium or an aluminium alloy, the edge sections along (4, 5) the edges being made of a material different from the material of the centre section, wherein the edge sections (4, 5) are cut off during or after the rolling. The invention further concerns a cladding plate useful in the method.

A method for joining heat transfer plates, comprising: applying a melting depressant composition on individual application areas of a first metal sheet, each application area comprising a mid-section and two end-sections; pressing ridges and grooves in the metal sheet, the ridges extending in a direction that extends between the end-sections of the application areas, such that the application areas are located on top of the ridges; bringing the metal sheet into contact with a second, pressed metal sheet, such that contact points are formed where the mid-sections of the application areas re located; heating the sheets until melted metal is formed at the application areas where the melting depressant composition is applied; and allowing the melted metal to solidify such that a joint is obtained at the contact points.

A lead-free, antimony-free tin solder which is reliable at high temperatures and comprises up to 10 wt % Ag, up to 10 wt % Bi, up to 3 wt % Cu, other optional additives, balance tin, and unavoidable impurities.

A method of braze repair for a superalloy material component. Following a brazing operation on the superalloy material, the component is subjected to an isostatic solution treatment, followed by a rapid cool down to ambient temperature under pressure The conditions of the isostatic solution treatment combined with the cool down at pressure function to both reduce porosity in the component and to solution treat the superalloy material, thereby optimizing superalloy properties without reintroducing porosity in the braze.

A method for joining heat transfer plates, comprising: applying a melting depressant composition on individual application areas of a first metal sheet, each application area comprising a mid-section and two end-sections; pressing ridges and grooves in the metal sheet, the ridges extending in a direction that extends between the end-sections of the application areas, such that the application areas are located on top of the ridges; bringing the metal sheet into contact with a second, pressed metal sheet, such that contact points are formed where the mid-sections of the application areas relocated; heating the sheets until melted metal is formed at the application areas where the melting depressant composition is applied; and allowing the melted metal to solidify such that a joint is obtained at the contact points.

A wire comprising a wire core with a surface, the wire core having a coating layer superimposed on its surface, wherein the wire core itself consists of: (a) pure silver consisting of (a1) silver in an amount in the range of from 99.99 to 100 wt.-% and (a2) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm or (b) doped silver consisting of (b1) silver in an amount in the range of from >99.49 to 99.997 wt.-%, (b2) at least one doping element selected from the group consisting of calcium, nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount of from 30 to <5000 wt.-ppm and (b3) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm, or (c) a silver alloy consisting of (c1) silver in an amount in the range of from 89.99 to 99.5 wt.-%, (c2) at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount in the range of from 0.5 to 10 wt.-% and (c3) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm, or (d) a doped silver alloy consisting of (d1) silver in an amount in the range of from >89.49 to 99.497 wt.-%, (d2) at least one doping element selected from the group consisting of calcium, nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount of from 30 to <5000 wt.-ppm, (d3) at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount in the range of from 0.5 to 10 wt.-% and (d4) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm, wherein the at least one doping element (d2) is other than the at least one alloying element (d3), wherein the individual amount of any further component is less than 30 wt.-ppm, wherein the individual amount of any doping element is at least 30 wt.-ppm, wherein all amounts in wt.-% and wt.-ppm are based on the total weight of the core, and wherein the coating layer is a double-layer comprised of a 1 to 1000 nm inner layer of gold and an adjacent 0.5 to 100 nm thick outer layer of palladium or a double-layer comprised of a 0.5 to 100 nm thick inner layer of palladium and an adjacent >200 to 1000 nm thick outer layer of gold.

A manufactured article is comprised of an additively manufactured component having sequentially joined layers of metallic powder. A braze material is disposed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the component. The braze material is located in expected crack locations in the outer surface. At least one crack formed in the outer surface, during a heat treatment, is filled with the braze material. The additively manufactured component comprises a metallic material from a precipitation hardened nickel-based superalloy, which forms a γ′ phase.

The invention concerns a brazing sheet comprising a core layer (5) and a braze cladding, said core layer (5) being aluminium or an aluminium alloy, said braze cladding comprising (a) a flux composite layer (2), which flux composite layer comprises a matrix of aluminium or an aluminium alloy, said matrix containing flux particles; (b) at least one filler alloy layer (1) not containing flux particles; and, (c) an aluminium or aluminium alloy layer (3) not containing flux particles, said layer forming the outermost surface of at least one side of the brazing sheet, wherein the flux composite layer (a) is positioned between said filler alloy layer (b) and said aluminium or aluminium alloy layer (c). The invention further concerns a method for its manufacturing, a cladding plate, use of the brazing sheet and a brazed heat exchanger.