A welding system includes a welding torch that welds a workpiece by using a wire, a suction device that sucks shielding gas, and a sucked shielding gas supply path for allowing the sucked shielding gas to flow, wherein the welding torch includes a contact chip that guides the wire, a shielding gas supply nozzle that supplies the shielding gas to a weld zone, and a suction nozzle that surrounds a periphery of the wire protruding from the contact chip, and is opened toward a tip of the wire to suck the shielding gas.

A method for manufacturing a metal-ceramic substrate (1) includes providing a ceramic layer (10), a metal layer (20) and a solder layer (30) coating the ceramic layer (10) and/or the metal layer (20) and/or the solder layer (30) with an active metal layer (40), arranging the solder layer (30) between the ceramic layer (10) and the metal layer (20) along a stacking direction (S), forming a solder system (35) comprising the solder layer and the active metal layer (40), wherein a solder material of the solder layer (30) is free of a melting point lowering material and bonding the metal layer (20) to the ceramic layer (10) via the solder system (35) by means of an active solder process.

A method for manufacturing a metal-ceramic substrate (1) includes providing a ceramic layer (10), a metal layer (20) and a solder layer (30) coating the ceramic layer (10) and/or the metal layer (20) and/or the solder layer (30) with an active metal layer (40), arranging the solder layer (30) between the ceramic layer (10) and the metal layer (20) along a stacking direction (S), forming a solder system (35) comprising the solder layer and the active metal layer (40), wherein a solder material of the solder layer (30) is free of a melting point lowering material and bonding the metal layer (20) to the ceramic layer (10) via the solder system (35) by means of an active solder process.

A flux-cored wire comprising a flux which is a core and a hoop which is an outer skin or sheath is described. The flux includes a strong deoxidizing metal element containing Mg and Al, and a fluoride powder. At least 60 mass % of a strong deoxidizing metal powder related to the strong deoxidizing metal element has a grain size of at most 150 μm. At least 60 mass % of the fluoride powder has a grain size of at most 75 μm. The flux is present at a concentration of 10-30 mass % relative to a total mass of the flux-cored wire. The flux-cored wire also requires a specific composition of elements.

Undercooled liquid metallic core-shell particles, whose core is stable against solidification at ambient conditions, i.e. under near ambient temperature and pressure conditions, are used to join or repair metallic non-particulate components. The undercooled-shell particles in the form of nano-size or micro-size particles comprise an undercooled stable liquid metallic core encapsulated inside an outer shell, which can comprise an oxide or other stabilizer shell typically formed in-situ on the undercooled liquid metallic core. The shell is ruptured to release the liquid phase core material to join or repair a component(s).

A lead-free solder material is provided. In one example, the solder material may include solder particles including at least 30 wt % nickel, and an activator including or consisting of at least one of a group of activator materials, the group including an organic acid or salt thereof, and an amine or salt thereof.

An iodine-containing cyclic compound including no carboxy group and including one ring skeleton or a plurality of ring skeletons forming a fused ring in one molecule, is provided. The ring of the ring skeleton includes only a carbon atom, or a carbon atom, and a nitrogen atom and/or an oxygen atom, and an iodine atom is bonded to at least one of the atoms constituting the ring of the ring skeleton.

Provided is a flux that allows soldering to be performed without requiring a step of removing a Cu-OSP film even with a Cu-OSP processed substrate. This flux containing rosin, an organic acid, a benzimidazole-based compound, and a solvent is characterized in that 30% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less of the rosin, 1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less of the organic acid, 0.2% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less of the benzimidazole-based compound, and 20% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less of the solvent, wherein the benzimidazole-based compound is composed of at least one of 2-alkylbenzimidazole and a salt of 2-alkylbenzimidazole hydrohalide.

Provided are a solder alloy which has excellent temperature cycle characteristics and in which yellowish discoloration is suppressed, excellent wettability is maintained, and an increase in viscosity of a solder paste over time can be suppressed, and a solder paste, a solder ball, and a solder joint in which the solder alloy is used. The solder alloy consists of, by mass %, 1.0% to 5.0% of Ag, 0.5% to 3.0% of Cu, 0.5% to 7.0% of Sb, 0.0040% to 0.025% of As, and a balance of Sn.

Provided are a solder alloy which has excellent temperature cycle characteristics and in which yellowish discoloration is suppressed, excellent wettability is maintained, and an increase in viscosity of a solder paste over time can be suppressed, and a solder paste, a solder ball, and a solder joint in which the solder alloy is used. The solder alloy consists of, by mass %, 1.0% to 5.0% of Ag, 0.5% to 3.0% of Cu, 0.5% to 7.0% of Sb, 0.0040% to 0.025% of As, and a balance of Sn.