For many centuries, the craft of joining two or more pieces of metal together has been an important element in the creation of jewelry that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. The commonly used techniques of soldering, brazing and welding depend upon at least one liquid-phase component. In certain situations, bonding may also be accomplished using heat and pressure alone, without any melting or use of filler metals. In this case, the components must be heated and held tightly together for a period of time long enough to allow sufficient diffusion across the bond interface. It is possible to significantly shorten the necessary bonding time if the components are also plastically deformed while being subjected to heat and pressure. This paper will explore some of the techniques available for creating useful products by bonding together multiple constituents using the simultaneous application of heat, high pressure and plastic deformation.

Author(s): Paul W. Nordt