Vacuum Brazed H13 Tool Steel and Tungsten Carbide Assembly

The components shown above are H13 tool steel and tungsten carbide assemblies processed in a Normantherm vacuum brazing furnace. This material combination is commonly used in punching tools, wear parts, forming dies, and cutting applications where both toughness and wear resistance are required.

Before brazing, the carbide and H13 sections are machined separately and assembled with a precisely controlled brazing alloy. During the vacuum brazing cycle, the joint is heated under high vacuum conditions, allowing the filler metal to flow uniformly through the interface without oxidation or surface contamination.

The brazed joint shown in the image exhibits good alloy distribution and continuous bonding around the circumference of the component. Vacuum processing eliminates the need for flux, resulting in a clean surface finish and reducing the risk of inclusions that may affect joint reliability. In addition, the controlled heating and cooling rates help minimize thermal stresses generated by the different expansion characteristics of H13 steel and tungsten carbide. For manufacturers of tooling and wear-resistant components, vacuum brazing offers an effective method for combining the hardness of tungsten carbide with the toughness of H13 steel, producing assemblies capable of operating under severe mechanical and thermal loading conditions.

This sample demonstrates Normantherm's capability in high-quality carbide-to-steel vacuum brazing applications requiring repeatable joint quality, dimensional stability, and long service life.