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Is it possible to silver braze steel parts printed by 3D printer?

If yes, are there some special procedures to be taken, or different materials to be used as filler or flux?

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This is one of those highly specialized problems that's kind of outside of home DIY. You are dealing with powdered metal that has been semi-melted together in a process called sintering in a high temperature oven. I would check out forums dealing in machining, welding, metallurgy and sintering processes. "silver soldering brazing sintered metal parts" would be some search terms. Bicycle construction also. –  Fiasco Labs Feb 28 '13 at 16:17
Both 3D printing and brazing can be very useful in home improvement DIY when hard to find replacement parts are needed. Combining them can make it even more useful and more cost effective. –  Davorin Ruševljan Mar 2 '13 at 9:22
Their day is coming pretty soon. Are metal powders readily available to everyday end users for the process? Since furnace control is pretty important, who do you send the printed material to for final processing? –  Fiasco Labs Mar 2 '13 at 17:27
I was thinking about using 3d printing service like shapeways or imaterialize –  Davorin Ruševljan Mar 2 '13 at 23:31
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closed as off topic by Niall C., Steven, shirlock homes, Chris Cudmore, ChrisF Mar 1 '13 at 22:58


1 Answer

up vote 2 down vote accepted

I think because bronze is added into the part matrix, it will be more braze/solder-able than stainless steel alone. It should also lower the temp solder needed to get a good bond.

The trick will be to get the part hot enough to flow the solder without deforming the sintered matrix

I would use the slightly hotter MAPP gas (over propane) for the lower temp silvers. If you need the harder silver, you may have to step up to acetylene-air. here's a typical light brazing setup (minus the gas bottle, of course. That's a local ). After that, propane-oxygen and then Acetylene-ox

There are a range of silver solders with different melting termeratures. In general, the higher temps are stronger. The fluxes are matched to the solder. There are silvers with the flux bonded to the outside.

Silver solder pastes (several pastes) with the flux mixed in are nice to "reflow" solder with. You assembly the joint with a minimum of paste, heat until it reflows(melts).

Stick and wire solder involves fluxing the parts, heating until the flux flows and the (usually water) liquid boils off. Solder is immediatiatly added with heat applied until the solder flows and wicks around the parts. Immediately remove heat and let cool without disturbing the joint. Applying the solder too soon will result in a lumpy "cold" joint with little strength. Practice on scrap first.

Cleaning of the joint is usually done with mildly acidic sulfpheric solution or pickling solution

Eye Goggles, gloves, ventilation (flux smoke) and a small bottle of co2 fire extinguisher would be advisable.

None of the product references constitute an endorsement, they are listed to show a "typical".

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Thank you for providing this great answer. –  Davorin Ruševljan Mar 2 '13 at 9:23
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