| Brasses | (english) Copper base alloys in which zinc is the principal alloying element. Brass is harder and mechanically stronger than either of its alloying elements copper or zinc. It is formable and ductile; develops high tensile strength with cold-working and is not heat treatable. |
| Brazing | (english) Joining metals by fusion of nonferrous alloys that have melting points above 800 F (425C), but lower than those of the metals being joined. May be accomplished by a torch. Filler metal is ordinarily in rod form in torch brazing; whereas in furnace and dip brazing the work material is first assembled and the filler metal may then be applied as wire, washers, clips, bands, or may be bonded, as in brazing sheet. |
| Break Test (for tempered steel) | (english) A method of testing hardened and tempered high carbon spring steel strip wherein the specimen is held and bent across the grain in a vice-like calibrated testing machine. Pressure is applied until the metal fractures at which point a reading is taken and compared with a standard chart of brake limitations for various thickness ranges. |
| Breaker | (english) Uncoiler rolls through which the strip passes; composed of a mandrel and leveling rolls which unwind the strip prior to processing through the Pickler. Breaker rolls assist in breaking up the Hot Mill surface scale. |
| Breakout | (english) An accident caused by the failure of the walls of the hearth of the furnace resulting in liquid iron or slag (or both) flowing uncontrolled out of the blast furnace. |
| BREATHER | (english) A device which permits air to move in and out of a container or component to maintain atmospheric pressure. |
| Bridle Unit | (english) A three-roll cluster used to control line tension at strategic locations on the line. |
| Bridling | (english) The cold working of dead soft annealed strip metal immediately prior to a forming, bending, or drawing operation. A process designed to prevent the formulation of Luder's lines. Caution-Bridled metal should be used promptly and not permitted to (of itself) return to its pre-bridled condition. |
| Bright Annealed Wire | (english) Steel wire bright drawn and annealed in controlled non-oxidizing atmosphere so that surface oxidation is reduced to a minimum and the surface remains relatively bright. |
| Bright Annealing | (english) A process carried out usually in a controlled furnace atmosphere, so surface does not oxidize, remaining bright. |