Production engineering/Joining

Joining Processes in Production/Manufacturing Engineering
Most final products are produced from an assembly of individual parts. These parts are held together by a number of processes including:

Mechanical assembly - nuts, bolts, screws, pins and rivets being the more common methods. Heat fusion - welding is the general term when the parts to be joined are heated and fused together. The process applies to metals and non metals. Heat adhesion - soldering and brazing are the most common metal joining process. Fusion in the welding sense does not take place, but metals are held together by another metal bonding under heat with the parts being joined. Chemical adhesion - generally known as gluing can be carried out, depending on the process, with or without heat. The process is used for the manufacture of secondary materials, such as fibre reinforced plastics as well as holding metal and non metal parts together. Unlike heat processes this process is suitable for joining different materials together.