Development of a new investment for high-frequency induction soldering

This study developed a new investment for induction soldering using high frequency induction heating. Ninety-five mass% magnesia clinker and 5 mass% dental stone were selected for the main constituents. The magnesia investment itself was scarcely affected by induction heating, so the addition of metal powders such as Fe, Ni, Co were investigated. Among these three powders, the addition of 10 mass% cobalt powder was most effective. This investment needed only 40 seconds of high frequency induction heating to go from room temperature to 900 degrees C without preheating. Thermal expansion of this investment in a vacuum atmosphere was 1.25% at 1000 degrees C. Dimensional changes during induction soldering were measured using German-silver and silver solder. When the new magnesia investment containing 10 mass% Co powder was used, the dimensional change was -0.2%. This contraction was less than when a magnesia investment without metal additives was used.