It is amazing how much of the nation’s food and beverage production relies on stainless steel pipes and assemblies to handle the food or liquid at different stages of production. Obviously with food or beverage productions steel brazing becomes a natural choice for joints since it is strong, durable and much smoother and easier to clean and maintain than a welded joint.
Just was with any type of steel brazing, stainless steel requires careful design of the joints as well as complete cleaning and consistently of brazing throughout the entire system. Keep in mind that in the food and beverage production industries the stainless steel may be exposed to extreme processing heat as well as very cold temperatures, so joint strength, durability and uniformity is essential.
Why Steel Brazing is Best
Heating to join steel, as would be done with traditional types of welding, actually creates the potential to cause microscopic cracks as the heated steel changes form when it melts from the crystalline structure to the liquid and then cools again. This creates the possibility of increased risk of contamination as these tiny cracks and even pits in the surface can hold bacteria.
On the other hand, with steel brazing, the liquid filler metal flows over the two metals and in between, drawn into the joint by capillary action. This prevents any melting or changing of the original crystalline structure of the steel and also creates a complete seal throughout the entire joint provided the joint is correctly designed and the correct filler material is selected.
Ability to Join Different Metals
Another important consideration in using hi-temp steel brazing in the food service industry, as well as in many other types of production lines or parts, is the ability to use brazing to join metals of different types.
You can literally find a metal filler that will have a lower melting point than either of your metal parts, providing the opportunity to create a seamless joint without the concern of having one metal melt, or expand, in a way that would impact the overall effectiveness of the joint.
Using steel brazing techniques in the food service industry is just one of the many specialized uses for this process. It is efficient, effective and provides the type of joint that meets industry standards for food handling safety.
