Patent ID: 7775414

Claim:
A method of transient liquid phase bonding using a consumable insert, the method comprising: forming a consumable insert comprising a metal-comprising material and melting point depressant material, the melting point depressant material having a melting point depressant concentration that is greater proximate a center region of the insert than proximate an exterior surface region of the insert; capturing the consumable insert between two work pieces to be joined by transient liquid phase bonding; heating the work pieces and the consumable insert to a temperature sufficiently high to melt the consumable insert; and maintaining the temperature sufficiently high for the melting point depressant to diffuse into the work pieces to an extent sufficient for the consumable insert to solidify to form a joint between the work pieces, wherein forming the consumable insert further comprises: depositing particles of the melting point depressant into a hollow center of a tube of sheath material; and flattening the tube into a ribbon shape having the particles of the melting point depressant in the center region and having the sheath material in the exterior surface region.