Etching Silver Solder Alloys

Silver solder alloys, sometimes referred to as braze alloys, are commonly wires or strips of material that are used in the soldering process. Solder alloys are available in a range of materials such as tin, lead, copper, antimony and silver, which is the most common material used. The alloys are formed as part of a brazing process that sees two or more metals melted down and introduced to a filler metal with a lower melting point. What are Solder Alloys? Whereas photo chemical etching can be used to create components that are used directly in the manufacturing process, making up the final product, solder alloys serve a slightly different purpose. The alloys are melted down in the soldering process, commonly for electronics, plumbing and sheet metal. Silver solder alloys have a melting point ranging between 90 and 450°C, making the material perfect for low-temperature applications. The alloys are available with varying percentages of silver, with metals including zinc, copper and cadmium also present in the substance. Through the photo chemical etching process, alloys are available as wires, strips and other shapes and forms dependent on the requirement of the user. Where are they Used? Solder alloys are used mainly in the electrical and plumbing sectors on low-temperature applications. Electrical companies solder components together to form circuit boards – the filler material is used to fuse wires together, forming a complete circuit which makes the application work. For plumbing, the solder alloys are used to form permanent, although reversible, connections between copper piping. Other applications that have been soldered include tin cans – the joints are soldered together and keep the substance, such as soup and vegetables, in an airtight package which keeps it fresh for as long as possible. Photo Chemical Etching Silver solder alloys are just one of the many materials that are compatible with photo chemical etching, meaning that producing large amounts of the material suitable for soldering is quick and simple. Silver solder alloys are produced for the electrical and plumbing sectors, as well as other industries which also make use of solder alloys, such as the aerospace and automotive industries. Other methods such as laser cutting cause more stress to the material, potentially lowering its quality while taking longer and costing much more money. To find out more about the photo chemical etching process for silver solder alloys, or for a range of other metals for your business, please call our experienced team on 01354 658787.

For more information on Etching Silver Solder Alloys talk to Qualitetch Components Ltd