This chapter presents the following groupings of metals and alloys that are soldered together: steel and iron-base alloys, aluminum and aluminum alloys, and copper and copper alloys. It also presents the ancillary materials and process methods that assist the solder filler metal in completing the solder joint through induction heating. The chapter focuses on the selection of fluxes and the use of inert gases or even vacuum to realize an oxide-free base material surface both before and during the soldering process.

Brazing and soldering processes use a molten filler metal to wet the mating surfaces of a joint, with or without the aid of a fluxing agent, leading to the formation of a metallurgical bond between the filler and the respective components. This chapter discusses the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of brazing and soldering. The first part focuses on the fundamentals of the brazing process and provides information on filler metals and specific brazing methods. The soldering portion of the chapters provides information on solder alloys used, selection criteria for base metal, the processes involved in precleaning and surface preparation, types of fluxes used, solder joint design, and solder heating methods.

Materials used in joining, whether solders, fluxes, or atmospheres, are becoming increasingly subjected to restrictions on the grounds of health, safety, and pollution concerns. These regulations can limit the choice of materials and processes that are deemed acceptable for industrial use. The chapter addresses this issue with a focus on soldering fluxes. The chapter also describes factors related to soldering under a protective atmosphere, provides information on chemical fluxes for soldering of various metals, and discusses the processes involved in fluxless soldering processes.