KEVOS® MAKEOS · Fabrication
Brazed Sleeve Joint Plan (Overlap, Joint and Tube Capacity, Clearance, Filler)
For a tube brazed or soldered into a sleeve, how much overlap do I need, does the joint carry my load, is the clearance right and how much filler does it take?
Plan of a brazed or soldered sleeve (socket) joint on a tube: the overlap that makes the joint as strong as the tube wall with a safety factor (as the lap joint length tool, with the joint width taken as the tube circumference), the joint and tube capacities against your load, the diametral clearance against the filler’s range, and the volume and mass of filler to fill the gap.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Tube outside diameter | mm | Outside diameter of the tube going into the sleeve. |
| Tube wall thickness | mm | Wall thickness of the tube. |
| Tube material tensile strength | MPa | Tensile strength of the tube material (annealed by brazing). |
| Shear strength of the filler joint | MPa | Shear strength of the brazed or soldered joint, from the filler supplier. |
| Safety factor on the overlap | Factor on the overlap over the length that just matches the tube wall. | |
| Overlap (socket depth) | mm | Overlap of the tube in the sleeve. |
| Axial load on the joint (0 = none) | N | Axial pull or push on the joint. |
| Clearance and filler | ||
| Diametral clearance | mm | Diametral clearance between tube and sleeve bore. |
| Smallest clearance for the filler | mm | Smallest clearance the filler supplier gives for capillary flow. |
| Largest clearance for the filler | mm | Largest clearance the filler supplier gives. |
| Filler density | g/cm³ | Density of the filler metal. |
Method and formulas
- Overlap needed = factor × t × S_tube ÷ τ_joint (as the lap joint length tool).
- Joint capacity = π OD × L × τ_joint; tube capacity = π (OD − t) t × S_tube.
- Filler volume = π OD × L × clearance ÷ 2 (the annular gap).
- Example: 5.625 mm overlap is needed; at 10 mm the joint carries 54.978 kN and takes 0.35343 g of filler.
Limitations
- Uniform shear along the overlap; very long overlaps do not gain in proportion.
- Strengths are for a sound, fully filled joint; voids and flux pockets cut capacity.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- Size the socket depth for a brazed tube joint
- Check a soldered copper joint under load
- Estimate filler rings or wire per joint
Who it is for
- Fabrication engineers
- Design engineers
- Brazing technicians
What you get
- Overlap needed
- Joint and tube capacity against the load
- Clearance and filler quantity
Interpreting the result
- A joint whose overlap is about three wall thicknesses or more is usually stronger than the annealed tube beside it.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 1423–1430. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
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Open the Brazed Sleeve Joint Plan (Overlap, Joint and Tube Capacity, Clearance, Filler) calculator
