Ultrasonic soldering bonds glass, titanium, stainless steel, ceramics, tungsten, nichrome...

Technical details and how to build an ultrasonic soldering iron. This technique can bond difficult-to-solder metals such as titanium as well as glass and ceramics.

[colincampbell]

I'm starting to lose track of how many times I've seen something on this channel that I would have thought was flat out unrealistic for anyone to be able to pull off in a home lab/shop. genuinely amazed

[Nighthawkinlight]

Really interesting stuff. I'm surprised your ultrasonic iron worked so easily just bolting stuff to the front of the transducer. When I've played with them they seemed really finicky about tuning and I think I burnt out two of those ebay driver boards. I guess being so overpowered means they don't have to be performing optimally to get the job done.

[otm]

I worked for the company which developed much of this ultrasonic joining technology, not requiring solder, which was then taken over by EWI.
If you'd like to pursue this further and have specific technical questions feel free to reach out.

[Dennis-mqor]

50 years ago a friend gave me a small tube of a special solder that was also a special alloy that did pretty much the same thing the ultrasonically applied solder does, but 'wetted' and reflowed well using a conventional Weller 60 watt soldering Iron.
It was about the thickness and consistency of standard spooled 60/40 resin core tin lead solder and left no visible flux residue.
It was coiled up in a plastic tube similar to the 'free' solder sample you often get when you purchase a new soldering iron.
I didn't have much use for it at the time, but over the years I used it to solder things I would not normally have been able to solder; such as Nichrome wire (but not the part that could glow red hot), Aluminum, Stainless,
My biggest use for it was repairing solar cells (which were extremely expensive back then, and were always round)
It was the ONLY way for me to successfully reconnect broken tabs to the metalized glass on the back, . or to bridge over surface cracks in the tiny treelike pickup paths on the front surface of a cell.
I never tried soldering to plain window glass.
I never asked my friend for more of it because I still had some, and he passed away long ago.
There was a name on the plastic container but I am in my mid 70's and can't remember that name now.
I only mention this because you may be able to do some research to find who made it and what was in it now that you know that it did at one point in history...

[kryptoniterazor]

You know you're a real engineer when you fire up the homemade vacuum induction furnace to avoid sending an email

[HuygensOptics]

Awesome video as usual. You asked for suggestions for applications, I might have one: would it be possible to make an hermetically sealed metal feed through in glass or ceramics in this way? For example by applying the ultrasonic energy to a copper tube from one side while inside a hole in a glass plate and at the same time heating it from the other end and applying the solder? Metal seals are known to be completely hermetic to moisture / gasses and this technique would be very useful in vacuum systems for making a quick hermetic feed-through.

[AlternativeAdventureAthlete]

Chemical supply house: "wont sell to hobbists"

Hobbyists: "Hold my vacuum induction furnace"

[alec]

I freaking love this channel. The kinds of stuff that has been done on here is amazing and the fact it's being done in a garage is encouraging.

[Duffman-znku]

"An alloy that I made myself" -best channel on YouTube

[Mosblinker]

If I remember correctly, while researching how to desolder surface mount components, I found an article that stated that soldering iron tips will degrade over time in continuous use, and it's important to replace the tip every few months. Perhaps if you had converted a much better soldering iron, you may have been able to retain the tip being replaceable, thought I'm certain that would have made the conversion 10 times more difficult.

[notanimposter]

@ 3:30 ish. it might be helpful also to mention that this principle applies to iron/steel as well. A black iron oxide finish is often used to keep forged pieces from rusting, and a blued (oxide) finish is often used to protect firearms and other mechanical parts where a thicker oxide coating is not desired. These protective oxide coatings just typically don't form on their own like they do in copper.

[m.dreist]

I think it could be interesting to test this procedure on bone and stones. They mostly consist of metal cations from the first two groups of the periodic table and the anions are different to those that you have already tested.

[ElementalMaker]

As always, an absolutely awesome video. I need to make myself an ultrasonic soldering iron now. Looking forward to the video making the active solder alloy

[elitearbor]

Outstanding video with zero fluff, as usual. You brought attention to many people, myself included, of a technology of which there was near-zero awareness!

[trentspencer]

Any chance of being able to make a vacuum tight connection on glass? For instance making various tubes or apparatus?

[brocktechnology]

You raise the DIY bar for all of us Ben, thank you so much. I want to be you when I grow up (I'am 46 so don't hold your breath or anything).

[killrb]

Ben: Easy do it yourself project! All you need is a small fusion reactor, 2 oz. of anti-mater and a sprinkle of Einstein Bose condensate. Now the condensate may be hard to find so we'll make that ourselves. Lol! Love you Ben :)

[ryangriggs]

I find this technique extremely interesting. Two things: 1. would love to see more on your process of making the solder, and 2. would like to see tests bonding aluminum foils to copper wires, as that could be handy in thin circuit prototypes. Great video! Thanks!

[laharlk]

weld a glass box. like a fish tank sealed with silicone but a glass one soldered with that.

[aivkara]

Unbelievable! You're a magician, on every single video of yours that I've watched. And I've watched most of them. Thanks Ben!