Copper Assembly Braze Fixture

The requirements for this project were to design a replacement braze jig for a subassembly that must:
- Leave clearance for braze operators to heat the subassembly braze joints

 - Accommodate assembly nitrogen purging

 - Prevent misorientation of components 

 - Must be under 20lb to not mandate a team lift

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The biggest advantage that this fixture had over the previous version was the integrated nitrogen purging. This allowed the operator to purge the entire assembly and prep it for brazing by just placing it on the fixture without having to move anything. This was done by having a feed block in the bottom of the fixture that runs up a post and into a hairpin, where it is then distributed across the assembly. As nitrogen is roughly the same density as oxygen, it would flush out the oxygen from the inside outwards, allowing operators to start brazing quicker than previously.

Another major improvement was the fixture sizing and tolerances, such that parts with a required orientation could not be placed into the fixture otherwise. This was achieved by leveraging the use of a swage down on the hairpin such that the larger end could not fit. Additionally, this also served as a go/no-go gauge for parts as the tight tolerances squared up the parts in relation to the rest of the assembly.

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​​​​The most significant hurdle tackled within this project was creating the compound angle needed for the mounting bracket in such a way that it could not only be machined accurately, but also without great difficulty. This was done by splitting it into two blocks to create the compound angle, which were held in place with steel pins before being tack welded in place. These pins not only kept tolerance during the welding process but also ensured that it could not shift or slide over time.​​​​