The word "brazed" is pronounced /breɪzd/, with two syllables. The "br" at the beginning of the word is pronounced as a bilabial consonant blend, with both lips coming together to make the "b" sound. The "a" in the first syllable is pronounced as a long vowel sound, represented by the symbol /eɪ/. The "z" at the end of the word is pronounced as a voiced alveolar fricative, with the tongue pressing against the alveolar ridge to create the "z" sound. Overall, the spelling of "brazed" accurately reflects its pronunciation.
Brazed is a verb that refers to the process of joining or connecting two or more metal parts together by melting and flowing a filler metal into the joint. This technique involves heating the metal parts to a specific temperature range, typically above 840 degrees Fahrenheit (450 degrees Celsius), at which the filler metal or alloy is introduced. The filler metal has a lower melting point than the metal parts to be joined and is often a brass or bronze alloy. It is drawn into the joint by capillary action, forming a strong and reliable bond between the metal pieces as it solidifies upon cooling.
Brazing is commonly used in various industries, including manufacturing, automotive, plumbing, and construction, to create durable and leak-proof connections between metal components. It provides several advantages over other joining methods, such as welding, as it allows for joining dissimilar metals, requires less heat input, and minimizes distortion or damage to the base materials.
The resulting joint formed by brazing is known as a braze joint, and it exhibits high mechanical strength, good electrical conductivity, and excellent resistance to corrosion. Since brazing does not melt the base metals, it is particularly useful when joining materials with significantly different melting points or those susceptible to deformation or warping under high temperatures.
Overall, brazing is a versatile and widely-used process for creating strong, permanent connections between metal parts, offering a balance between ease of application, robustness, and cost-effectiveness in various industrial applications.
The word "brazed" has its etymology in the Old French verb "braser", which means "to burn" or "to solder with brass". "Braser" is derived from the Old High German word "brasôn", which also means "to burn". In the context of metalworking, brazing refers to the process of joining two metals together by melting a filler metal and using it to bond the workpieces. This method typically involves using a brass alloy as the filler metal, hence the association with the word "brass" in the etymology.