Laser brazing for high performance hermetic seal of aluminum products

Summo Steel Corp.探索激光加工技术的可行性，该技术可能为加拿大使用的空调（AC）应用提供高性能铝（Al）基气密密封。铝作为钢部件的替代品提供了低重量，有利于降低车辆的燃料消耗。激光技术的潜在使用将为典型的现有手动钎焊技术的竞争力提供以下优点：（1）具有潜在自动化的快速和有效的接合形成;（2）与传统手动钎焊相比，最小化焊剂污染;（3）潜在自动化以提高工艺一致性和质量;（4）最小化加工期间部件的热变形;以及（5） 在激光加工过程中使用保护气体使高温下的Al氧化最小化，因此减少了接合时的过热。 激光钎焊被认为是Summo Steel Corp.下一代产品的一种有前途的替代方案。Summo正在积极寻求与滑铁卢大学N.Zhou教授的先进连接方法中心（CAMJ）进行研究合作，研究激光钎焊工艺的可行性，以便以最少的焊剂使用量形成高质量的Al/Al合金接头。拟议项目将探索激光钎焊工艺参数，并根据Summo定义和提供的铝合金试样和钎焊填料/焊剂（作为初始可行性研究）评估连接密封件的机械性能。

Summo Steel Corp. explore the feasibility of laser processing technology that potentially provide high performance aluminum (Al) based hermetic seal for air condition (AC) application used in Canada. The Al provide low weight as alternative to the steel components with benefit of reduce the fuel consumption of the vehicle. The potential usage of a laser technique will provide following advantages to the competitiveness of typical existing manual brazing technology: (1) fast and effective of join formation with potential automation; (2) minimum flux contamination compare to the traditional manual brazing; (3) potential automation to improve process consistency and quality; (4) minimize heat distortion of the parts during processing and (5) minimize Al oxidation at high temperature using shielding gas during laser processing, therefore, reduce excessive heat upon joining. The laser brazing has been suggested as a promising alternative for next generation of product for Summo Steel Corp. Summo is actively seeking to engage in research collaboration with Prof. N.Zhou's Center for Advance Methods Joining (CAMJ) at the University of Waterloo to study the feasibility of laser brazing process, in order to form high quality Al/Al alloy joint with minimum use of flux. The proposed project will explore the laser brazing process parameters, mechanical properties of the joining seal will be evaluated based on the Al alloy coupons and brazing filler/flux to be defined and provided by Summo as initial feasibility study.