Brazed Assemblies

• Strong, permanent joints with minimal distortion
• High hermeticity
• Ability to join dissimilar materials (wide range of technical ceramics and bondable metals)
• Superior repeatability across production runs
• Reduced oxidation and contamination
• Improved dimensional stability compared to fusion welding
• High strength bonds
• Suitable for complex geometries and delicate components, since brazing uses capillary action to fill joints rather than melting the parent metals

Aerospace

Our brazed assemblies support demanding aerospace applications and aerospace components requiring high strength, reliability, leak-tight performance, thermal stability, and resistance to extreme operating conditions, including, heat exchangers, and:

• Propulsion components
• Fuel system assemblies
• Sensor housings
• Structural subassemblies
• Thermal management systems
• Packaging for microelectronics

Defense

Elcon manufactures high-reliability brazed components used in mission-critical defense systems, including:

• Radar assemblies
• Electronic warfare systems
• RF and microwave packages
• Ruggedized electronic enclosures
• High-voltage feedthroughs

Semiconductor/Electronics

Semiconductor manufacturing equipment demands ultra-clean, vacuum-compatible, and highly reliable assemblies. Our brazing services support:

• Vacuum chambers
• Feedthroughs
• Process equipment components
• Thermal control systems
• Leak-tight vacuum assemblies

Industrial & Energy

We produce brazed assemblies designed for challenging thermal and mechanical environments, including:

• Heat exchangers
• Power electronics
• Process equipment
• Industrial sensors
• High-performance thermal management systems

Our brazing services support a broad range of application requirements:

• Hermetic packaging for electronics and sensors
• Vacuum and pressure vessel assemblies
• Thermal management systems
• Cold plates and heat exchangers
• RF and microwave packages
• High-voltage feedthroughs
• Electrical connectors
• Ceramic-to-metal seals
• Power electronics packaging
• Traveling Wave Tube (TWT) components
• Radar amplification systems
• Communication and jamming devices

High Hermeticity

Vacuum brazing and controlled-atmosphere brazing processes produce leak-tight joints with extremely low leak rates, making them ideal for aerospace, semiconductor, and defense applications.

Robust Bond Strength

Brazed joints can achieve strength levels approaching those of the parent materials while avoiding many of the distortion and cracking risks associated with welding.

Excellent Repeatability

Controlled furnace processing and validated procedures ensure consistent performance with minimal part-to-part variation across production runs. A single furnace cycle can join hundreds of multiple joints across an entire assembly, supporting economical batch production.

Minimal Oxidation

Vacuum and controlled-atmosphere environments minimize oxidation and contamination, producing cleaner, stronger joints and improved long-term reliability without the need for flux.

Dissimilar Material Joining

Brazing enables metal-to-metal and ceramic-to-metal assemblies that are often not achievable through conventional welding methods.

Cost-Effective Manufacturing

Highly controlled furnace processing reduces scrap, rework, and variation while supporting efficient production schedules.

Elcon Precision offers a comprehensive range of in-house brazing services designed for demanding engineering applications.

Vacuum Brazing Process

Our vacuum brazing services use the vacuum brazing process in a high vacuum environment inside a vacuum furnace to deliver oxide-free joints, exceptional cleanliness, and superior hermetic performance for aerospace, defense, and semiconductor applications without the need for flux.

This automated brazing process follows five stages—loading, evacuation to 10^-3 to 10^-4 Pa, heating, holding, and cooling—for repeatable, high-quality bonds.

Benefits include:

• Clean, contamination-free joints
• Excellent hermeticity
• Minimal oxidation
• Consistent process control
• Superior metallurgical integrity when joining parent metals or ceramics without melting them

Atmosphere Brazing

Controlled gas environments are used to optimize brazing conditions for specific material combinations and performance requirements, including the use of inert gases in controlled furnace brazing conditions, with argon as one of the gases used to help protect joint quality.

Partial Pressure Brazing

Partial pressure brazing combines the cleanliness advantages of vacuum processing with enhanced flexibility for complex assemblies and specialized materials.

Active Metal Brazing

Active metal brazing enables direct bonding between ceramics and metals without requiring prior metallization, making it ideal for advanced electrical and thermal applications and for specialized high-performance applications using advanced materials such as titanium.

Metal-to-Metal and Ceramic-to-Metal Joining

We specialize in joining complex material combinations and metal components requiring precise thermal management and controlled metallurgical bonding, with controlled filler metal behavior across precise interfaces.

Maintaining critical processes under one roof allows greater control over quality, scheduling, and consistency.

Ceramic Metallization

Preparation of ceramic surfaces for reliable ceramic-to-metal bonding and hermetic sealing.

Plating and Glazing

Application-specific surface preparation and finishing processes to meet electrical, mechanical, and environmental requirements.

Fixture Machining

Custom tooling and fixtures designed to ensure proper alignment and repeatability during brazing operations.

Controlled Furnace Processing

Defined temperature profiles, process controls, and validated procedures support consistent results across production runs, backed by our expertise in controlled processing within a vacuum brazing furnace that relies on integrated subsystems for stable vacuum performance and precise thermal control. Powerful heating elements provide uniform heating and support soak control typically from 800°C to 1200°C, helping parts reach the required brazing temperature with systems available up to 1350°C as standard and 1500°C in custom configurations; the right furnace selection depends on temperature, chamber size, vacuum level, and production capacity.

Materials Processed

At Elcon Precision, we work with a broad range of metals, alloys, and technical ceramics used in demanding applications, and our vacuum brazing furnace process can handle materials in a vacuum environment including stainless steel, nickel alloys, copper, aluminum brazing applications, titanium, carbon and alloy steels, tool steels, and select carbide-based materials.

Refractory Metals

• Tungsten
• Molybdenum
• Hafnium

High-Performance Alloys

• Kovar
• Invar
• Stainless steels
• Nickel-based alloys

Copper and Copper Alloys

Used where high thermal conductivity and electrical performance are required.

Aluminum Alloys

Lightweight solutions for aerospace and thermal management applications.

Technical Ceramics

• Alumina
• Aluminum Nitride (AlN)
• Beryllia (Beryllium oxide)
• Sapphire
• Advanced engineering ceramics

Example Product Types

Vacuum brazing is widely utilized across the aerospace, defense, and thermal management industries to manufacture complex assemblies.

• Hermetic sensor housings
• RF and microwave packages
• High-voltage feedthroughs
• Heat exchanger cores
• Vacuum chamber assemblies
• Electronic packaging assemblies
• Traveling Wave Tube components
• Ceramic-to-metal seals

Successful brazed assemblies require careful engineering and process planning.

Key considerations include:

• joint design optimization
• Filler alloy selection based on the base metal
• Thermal expansion compatibility
• Surface preparation requirements, including parts that may be coated with brazing filler metal, to remove oils and prepare an atomically clean surface
• Component cleanliness, since contaminants such as oxides can disrupt molten filler metal flow and weaken joint quality
• A precise, narrow joint gap for proper bonding
• Furnace process parameters
• Inspection accessibility
• Post-braze machining requirements

Our engineering team works closely with customers to optimize designs for manufacturability, reliability, and long-term performance, especially for complex designs, complex geometry, and complex shapes where manufacturability and reliability must be balanced.

Every brazed assembly undergoes rigorous inspection and verification to meet the requirements of high-reliability industries, whether we process in-house or through a NADCAP facility that we’ve built a partnership with to support those requirements.

Helium Leak Testing

Verifies hermetic sealing performance and compliance with application-specific leak-rate requirements.

X-Ray and Radiographic Inspection

Non-destructive evaluation of internal joint quality and bond integrity.

Dye Penetrant Inspection

Surface defect detection for critical assemblies.

Visual Inspection

Verification of workmanship, cleanliness, and process compliance.

Dimensional Verification

Inspection of critical dimensions and tolerances following brazing operations.

Full Lot Traceability

Comprehensive documentation and process records support quality assurance and regulatory compliance.

Elcon Precision maintains industry-recognized quality systems, including:

• ISO 9001
• AS9100
• ITAR Registered

These certifications support the stringent requirements of aerospace, defense, semiconductor, and industrial customers.

Integrated In-House Manufacturing

Critical processes—including ceramic metallization, plating, fixture machining, brazing, and testing—are performed internally for maximum process control.

High-Reliability Focus

We support customers whose products operate in demanding environments where performance, consistency, and reliability are essential. 

Proven Process Control

Validated procedures, controlled furnace processing, including maintaining the required working vacuum, such as 7×10⁻³ Pa for many stainless steel and copper alloy applications, with higher levels recommended for more sensitive materials, and rigorous inspection protocols ensure repeatable results from prototype through production.

Multi-Industry Experience

Our team has extensive experience supporting aerospace, defense, semiconductor, industrial, and energy applications requiring advanced joining technologies.

• Photochemical Machining
• Ceramic Metallization
• Vacuum Packaging
• Precision Welding Services

Request a Quote

Need a reliable partner for precision brazing services or complex brazed assemblies?

Elcon Precision is positioned to partner on your project requirements, materials, and performance specifications.

Speak with an Engineer

Our engineering team can help evaluate joining methods, material compatibility, hermetic sealing requirements, and manufacturability considerations for your application, including when to choose vacuum brazing and the right furnace brazing approach based on materials, geometry, and performance requirements.