PLATINUM SOLDER CORE WIRE - DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRIAL IMPLICATIONS

Jewelry neck chain is joined by age-old techniques, the most popular b eing the rather involved solder powder method, The solder core method of chain manufacture is a simpler process and offers the possibility o f higher productivity. Neat narrow joints are formed, and a color matc h between the solder and parent alloy may be approached. This is parti cularly important in the case of platinum alloys that have a high melt ing point, necessitating the use of solders with compositions substant ially different from those of the parent alloy. The solder core method also lends itself to the possibility of higher levels of automation.