Johnson Manufacturing Company

Ford Motor Company Limited

Alan Edward Gickler

Tsung-Yu Pan

Nigel Frederick Clay

Frederic Hilaire LePrevost, Jr

One method of the present invention includes applying a paste-like fluxing agent to an aluminum body part; heating the fluxing agent to deoxidize the surface of the aluminum body part; applying a solder filler to the aluminum body part; and heating the solder filler to bond the solder filler to the aluminum body part. The melting point of the solder filler is at least 100 degrees C. lower than the melting point of the aluminum body part. Another method includes forming a filler/flux mixture; applying the filler/flux mixture; and heating the filler/flux mixture to bond the solder filler to the aluminum body part. The disclosed solder fillers include tin-based alloys as follows: (1) 12-22% copper, 3-5% zinc and 75-85% tin; and (2) 3-5% copper, iron, cobalt, or nickel, 12-40% zinc and 55-85% tin and zinc-based solder filler alloys composed of 78-98% zinc and 2-22% aluminum.

Tin-and zinc-based solder fillers for aluminum body parts and methods of applying the same

A lead-free solder pursuant to the invention consists essentially of, in weight %, about 0.75% to about 2% antimony, about 0.05% to about 0.6% copper, about 0.05% to about 0.6% silver, about 0.05% to about 0.6% nickel and balance essentially tin. An even more preferred solder consists essentially of, in weight %, about 0.8% to about 1.8% antimony, about 0.05% to about 0.15% copper, about 0.05% to about 0.15% silver, about 0.05% to about 0.15% nickel and balance essentially tin.

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Clinton, IA, United States of America

Alan Edward Gickler