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What Is Vacuum Welding?

Vacuum welding occurs when atomically clean, flat metal surfaces touch in a vacuum, allowing direct metallic bonds without heat or filler. First noted during early space missions, the effect can cause mechanical parts in spacecraft to seize, prompting extensive research into mitigation. While often a hazard for orbiting hardware, the same principle is harnessed in specialized manufacturing to create ultra‑pure, stress‑free joints. The phenomenon’s relevance spans aerospace reliability and high‑vacuum industrial processes.