Luminescent braze preforms
A braze preform includes a filler metal, a flux in communication with the filler metal, and a luminescent material covering at least a portion of the filler metal. The luminescent material is equal to or less than 0.15% total weight of the braze ring. Further, the luminescent material includes at least one of a luminescent ink, a solvent, and a binder. The solvent may be one of a bromide-based solvent or a non-chlorine-based solvent. The binder may be an acrylic resin.
1. A braze preform comprising:
a filler metal;
a flux core disposed within a cavity of the filler metal;
a luminescent material that covers at least a portion of an exterior of the filler metal; and
wherein the luminescent material is equal to or less than 0.15% total weight of the braze preform.
2. The braze preform of claim 1 wherein the luminescent material is burned off at or below a melting temperature of the filler metal.
3. The braze preform of claim 1 wherein the luminescent material is applied to the braze preform as a wet coating and then cured;
wherein the wet coating of the luminescent material comprises at least one of luminescent ink, a solvent, and a binder.
4. The braze preform of claim 3 wherein the wet coating luminescent ink is less than 50% of the weight of the luminescent material; and
wherein the solvent is greater than 50% of the weight of the luminescent material.
5. The braze preform of claim 3 wherein the binder is an acrylic resin.
6. The braze preform of claim 1 wherein the luminescent material comprises a luminescent ink and a binder, wherein the luminescent ink is less than 50% of the weight of the luminescent material.
7. The braze preform of claim 1 wherein the luminescent material covers 90%±10% of the braze preform.
8. A braze preform comprising
a filler metal;
a flux core at least partially surrounded by the filler metal; and
a luminescent coating that covers at least a portion of the filler metal, the luminescent material comprising a luminescent ink less than 50% of the weight of the luminescent material, the luminescent material being equal to or less than 0.15% total weight of the braze preform.
9. The braze preform of claim 8 wherein the luminescent coating further includes a binder and a solvent, the solvent greater than 50% of the weight of the luminescent material.
10. The braze preform of claim 9 wherein the solvent is one of bromide based or non-chlorine based.
11. The braze preform of claim 8 wherein the luminescent coating covers 90%±10% of the braze preform; and
wherein a surface layer thickness of the luminescent coating is approximately the same thickness, plus or minus 10%, as an ink layer from a permanent marker.
12. A braze ring comprising:
a filler metal;
a flux disposed within with the filler metal; and
a luminescent material disposed on an exterior of the filler metal and covering at least a portion of the filler metal, the luminescent material being equal to or less than 0.15% total weight of the braze ring.
13. The braze ring of claim 12 wherein the luminescent material covers 90%±10% of the braze ring.
14. The braze ring of claim 12 wherein the luminescent material includes a luminescent ink, a solvent, and a binder;
wherein the luminescent ink is less than 50% of the weight of the luminescent material; and
wherein the solvent is greater than 50% of the weight of the luminescent material.
15. The braze preform of claim 1 wherein the luminescent material is applied to the braze preform without flux.
16. The braze preform of claim 1 wherein the luminescent material is disposed at least one discrete location on the exterior of the filler metal.
17. The braze preform of claim 8 wherein the luminescent coating has a burn off temperature below a melting temperature of the filler metal.
18. The braze preform of claim 8 wherein the luminescent coating is
a) detectable by a light source that is an ultraviolet light;
b) automatically detected to determine the presence of the braze preform; and
c) disposed at at least one discrete location on the exterior of the filler metal.