How
can you weld a .049" wall tube to a .250" plate
without melting the pipe?
Does the IFM process really produce a
stronger joint?
What
exactly is in your welding filler rod and how does
it work?
Why don't you use a silver/copper blend?
Is
this process available for tube reattachment?
What
if the cooling tubes get damaged in service after your process?
Do
you warranty your work?
What
about tube blockage?
Q.
How
can you weld a .049" wall tube to a .250" plate
without melting the pipe?
A.
. The
conventional wisdom regarding a process like this one is that
it can't be done reliably and cost effectively. Well, our
motto here at IFM is "Yes, We Can Weld It." There
are many variables involved in producing a weld like this
process creates, and each had to be dealt with individually.
This process is currently Patent Pending. As such, we can't
really go into great detail without distributing trade secrets.
What we can say is that the welds we produce on busbars are
reliable and repeatable without burn throughs or damage
to the pipe.
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Q.
Does the IFM process really produce a stronger
joint?
A.
Absolutely.
The average tensile strength at the joint of typical solders
is about 15,000 psi. if applied under ideal circumstances.
The copper alloy used at IFM has an average tensile strength
at the joint of about 90,000 psi. (Based on technical data
supplied by the manufacturer, a major national supplier).
So, our process produces results approximately 5 to 6 times
stronger than soldering. Plus, the "footprint"
of the weld is larger, further increasing the total strength
of the joint.
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Q.
What
exactly is in your welding filler rod and how does
it work?
A.
The
filler material we use is over 90% copper, with the rest of
the content being a fluxing agent. The fluxing agent not only
"fluxes" the weld, it improves the flow of the liquid metal
and prevents "air pockets" inside the weld. This is extremely
important when welding a pipe to a plate, due to the actual
shape of the joint. The manufacturer of our filler rods uses
a patented process to ensure the proper content of all materials
to within .1% (a standard five times more accurate than the
industry standard). This insures that the melting point of
the filler material is consistent to within 6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Atomically,
the fluxing agent is much smaller than copper. It blends with
the copper during the welding process, giving the finished
weld a silvery color. A secondary benefit of the fluxing agent
is that since the atom is so much smaller it actually fills
in the gaps naturally present in pure copper on a molecular
level. This actually enhances the strength and density of
the weld.
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Q.
Why
don't you use a silver/copper blend?
A.
While
solders used on busbars are generally silver-bearing, a sliver/copper
blend turned out to be the wrong choice for this application
due to several factors. A silver/copper blend in a welding
application does not flow as well as copper, and maximum
fluidity is essential to the quality of the final product.
The manufacturer's fluidity rating on the material we use
is 5 (the highest rating), while the silver/copper blends
are all rated around 3.
Also,
the copper/silver blends are outstandingly more expensive,
a cost which we would have to pass on to the customer. Silver
is also a weaker material than copper, so the tensile strength
of the joint would be reduced by as much as 5%. In the end,
a silver blend is more expensive and doesn't work as well.
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Q.
Is
this process available for tube reattachment?
A.
No,
and for very good reason. We are able to perform this process
for tube reattachments, and have done so in the past. In fact,
our first field testing on this process was the result of
a reattachment. However, the cleaning and preparation process
is more involved; and the cooling tubes must be acid flushed
to remove the deposits and debris present from the previous
use of the busbar. In the end, we find it to be a more cost
effective process with tubing replacement. In addition, we
don't have to be concerned with the quality of the soldered
tube joints left over from the original tube installation.
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Q.
What
if the cooling tubes get damaged in service after your process?
A.
The
easy answer is, "anything we can put together, we can
take apart." While we confidently give a lifetime warranty
on our welds, we understand that occasionally circumstances
beyond anyone's control will cause a piece we've worked on
to become physically damaged in service (i.e. crushed tubes).
Rest assured that in such a situation we will be able to repair
the damaged section(s) of pipe, as long as the physical structure
of the busbar is not beyond repair.
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Q.
Do
you warranty your work?
A.
Absolutely,
positively, certainly, YES.
For
more information, please visit our Lifetime
Warranty information page.
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Q.
What
about tube blockage?
A.
While
IFM's Lifetime Warranty protects against leaks and tube separation,
the cooling system connected to the busbar must be maintained
properly. Periodic maintenance and acid flushing will ensure
a long, useful service life.
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