Composite metal products employing a bonded surface layer or core of brazing material incorporated into manufacturing feedstock such as plate, strip and wire provide many flexible applications for high productivity manufacturing with precious metals. Clad brazing strip, commonly known in the trade as solder flush sheet, utilizes a karat gold layer of low melting temperature solder diffusion bonded or roll welded to a wrought karat gold substrate of the same hallmark standard. The bimetal product exhibits all the formability characteristics of the regular karat gold substrate while providing a complete layer of preplaced material for hand torch soldering or furnace brazing assembly. Similarly, a solder-cored round or tape wire possesses formability for chainmaking, repair or findings manufacture with the solder necessary to complete the assembly operation already present. Correct design of the solder chemistry and composite percentage affords maximum flexibility in manufacture, recycling and end usage. In the correct application, composite materials afford numerous advantages to enhance product quality, weight reproducibility and manufacturing productivity.

Author: Greg Normandeau