Cost-effective manufacturing of piping components with consistent quality through continuous furnace brazing

India is witnessing an incessant expansion in the establishment of manufacturing plants for the production of engineering components by local and foreign players. Adoption of innovative and advanced manufacturing methods improve components’ quality, meet international standards, increase export potential, and achieve “Make in India”. In the pressure vessel and compressor domain, development of suitable brazing technologies for joining piping components will result in properties (joint strength, fatigue strength, wear resistance, corrosion resistance) superior to conventionally welded piping components. For high-volume production, the most common equipment used for brazing is a continuous-type atmosphere-controlled furnace. The cost reduction realized is significant, as this technology is based on the continuous production line. Other advantages include consistency in quality and possibility of automation. This will secure a position for Indian Engineering Component Manufacturers at par with North American, European and Japanese counterparts. In this work, pipe components that are conventionally joined by welding process and amenable for brazing, are identified in terms of design and material (mainly steel based). Steel pipe components are joined by furnace brazing (continuous type) using copper alloy based filler material. The optimum brazing process parameters are established based on the obtained joint strength, corrosion resistance, and leak tightness.