Silencers 101
How a Suppressor is Made – A Look Inside the BANISH Build Process
A BANISH silencer starts out as an idea, followed by research and development into size, caliber ratings, materials, and use. You don’t get to be the producer of one of the finest suppressors on the market without doing the homework. That work doesn’t stop when it comes to the production line. Every part of the build process for each BANISH silencer is carefully examined by skilled professionals to ensure you have a suppressor that will last a lifetime and beyond.
Understanding Suppressor Welding Techniques
Welding, when done right, is an art form. Not all welds are created equal, which is why we take special care in not only designing our process, but who we have do the actual weld. It’s all part of quality, and we believe in quality.
There are several different techniques that are commonly used in welding processes, but not all of them are applicable when it comes to the construction of a BANISH silencer. Here are the two types we commonly use:
- Laser Welding - This is what we use on BANISH and what the industry is moving towards. It provides a much more consistent and repeatable welding process which aids in precision and accuracy reducing quality issues such as voids or cold weld which can lead to potential failure. Laser welding also produces less chance of metallurgical distortion after welding, which can happen in other forms of welds. It is 5-10 times faster and is less hands-on, reducing the risk of error
- TIG Welding - TIG Welding is Tungsten Inert Gas welding and many manufacturers use this type of welding because of it not needing filler rods or material. Using gas adds a safeguard to contaminating the weld point, which is an issue that is becoming less frequent thanks to TIG becoming more widely used
Material Selection and Impact on Weld Quality
When it comes to suppressors and welding, it all comes down to the types of metals being used in the construction process. The harder a metal is, usually measured on the Rockwell scale, determines how a metal is going to be welded and the technique that best suits the project. Harder metals, like titanium and Inconel, require different techniques that soften metals like stainless steel.
- Titanium - Titanium makes up the bulk of BANISH silencer bodies and is known for being lightweight and incredibly durable. It also has a reputation as being hard to work with, but our expert team is well versed in working with titanium. It has a higher melting point and requires a proper environment for welding to avoid contamination, which is likely where its reputation stems from. Titanium welds very well, though, and provides an exceptionally strong bond when done at the right temperature.
- Stainless steel - Stainless steel is a common metal and is used for several parts within your BANISH silencer, as well as some outer parts on select models. Stainless steel is made by combining iron with chromium. The amount of chromium in the alloy is what makes welding with stainless a bit tricky depending upon the welder. The same elements that give stainless steel its anti-corrosion properties also tend to make it a little softer metal, which makes welding stainless steel a little tricky. The temperature of the welds is critical for good adhesion and to avoid voids in the weld, but since we know exactly what form of stainless we use, this isn’t an issue with BANISH silencers, especially when looking at a product like the Buck 30 by BANISH.
- Nickel Alloy - The nickel alloys are usually some combination of iron, nickel and chromium. There are several types in use in silencer construction, most often for the blast baffle and/or chamber. One of the more commonly used alloys for main construction is Inconel, which is the main alloy used for making the BANISH Speed K silencer. Inconel is an alloy that is incredibly strong thanks to a specific blend of iron, chromium and nickel that combine for a higher molecular density than stainless steel, making it a very hard metal with a higher melting point. That can make it harder to work with and weld.
- Aluminum - While aluminum has its place in select products, it is not as commonly used in silencers, especially welded silencers like BANISH. Aluminum is lighter than steel and retains less heat that steel. It is also more forgiving than steel and absorbs more vibration. Due to the makeup of aluminum, to get the same strength as steel, you generally have to use more of it. The reason you rarely find aluminum used in silencers is mostly due to heat. Aluminum retains less heat than steel, but how it reacts to heat is a different story. It cannot take rapid fire, as it has a tendency to warp. You get roughly ten shots before you need to let an aluminum suppressor cool down, otherwise you risk a catastrophic failure.
Multiple Materials in Same Silencer
While some may use a single material for the entire construction of the suppressor, BANISH silencers are not made that way. We use whatever material is best for the overall performance of the silencer. Our engineers are highly skilled at ensuring our materials all work in unison to perfect the process of suppressing your firearm. We have a rigorous testing process that ensures this. What this means for you is some peace of mind in knowing that every material that is used in your BANISH silencer is there because it is the best performing option for that model.
Engineering Durable BANISH Suppressors
It all starts with a concept that serves as an answer to a question - What do we want the silencer to do? It can be a simple answer, such as we want a silencer to lower the decibel rating below the threshold for hearing damage, and have it work for any firearm in the .30-caliber range and below. From there, we design the can to meet those basic criteria, and meet other standards we set for weight, materials, durability and maintenance. We then create samples which are put through rigorous testing before our customers ever see the product.
There are also factors that come from silencer models that are made for a specific use. For example, the BANISH Backcountry silencer was designed for hunters looking for a silencer that is lighter and compact for reduce weight while hiking into deep country hunting situations. It had to be extremely durable because of the terrain, too. The Banish Backcountry utilizes six baffles that drop the decibel level down to 135 dB, yet it only weighs 7.8oz and is rated to handle up to a .300 Remington Ultra Magnum cartridge.
Another example is the BANISH Speed K, which was designed in partnership with Federal Premium Ammunition as a lightweight, ultra-compact silencer for law enforcement duty rifles. It is just four inches long and is made from durable Inconel. The goal here was a silencer that won't interfere with fast movements in tactical situations, yet allow hearing protection for officers when they need it most. These are two examples of use-specific silencers that required extreme testing and development to ensure functionality in the most extreme environments. What Silencer Central is proud of is the fact that every product we make meets these same standards.
Why are BANISH Welds Less Likely to Fail?
We take our construction process very seriously. When you buy a BANISH silencer, you can feel good about the purchase because we do sweat every detail of the construction process. What makes BANISH welds less likely to fail? Our quality control team uses strict adherence to metrology, which is the science of measurement, embracing both experimental and theoretical determinations at any level of uncertainty in any field of science and technology. This includes pulling apart units, weld testing and metallurgy tests for exact standards.
- Highest quality materials from the start
- Full weld penetration for durability
- Repeatability from the automated laser welding process ensures each meets the standard
- Cut apart weld testing on random production units
- Metallurgical analysis on every batch of 500 units
- Lifetime warranty - We stand behind our product
How are Welded BANISH Suppressors Engineered to Make Them so Durable?
Have you ever heard the tale of the welding shop that put out a sign saying “Help Wanted - Welders. Pay $15 an hour.” A guy goes into the shop to apply and is asked to do a welding test. He completes two different welds. The first is a decent weld. Everything holds, and the piece would pass inspection. The second weld is flawless almost to the point of being artistic. The shop owners looked at the welds and were ecstatic about the second example. They ask the welder why he did two samples. “The first one,” he said, “is a $15 an hour weld. The second one is $30 an hour.”
This is a story about several virtues, one being knowing what you and your product are worth, what it means to do work that meets your highest standard, and knowing quality when you see it. When it comes to a suppressor, you want the best design, materials, welds, and process you can get, and that is what we provide through the entire BANISH line. We design our products to the highest standard of quality, and then use skilled workers and the best equipment to produce the silencer to meet that standard every single time. And we back that up with a lifetime warranty against failures caused by design and construction.
Suppressor Weld Testing and Quality Control
It is one thing to say that our welds are superior, but we back it up and test it repeatedly to prove it. Our welds don't pass by being "good enough." They pass by being perfect.
The BANISH Weld Testing Process
Every BANISH silencer is fully inspected before it leave the factory. We also do metallurgical test on every production run for quality.
- The silencer is cut in half and the weld locations are then micro-etched. Three different weld locations are examined in the unetched and etched conditions under 17x magnification according to Class A per AWS D17.1/D17.1M:2017
- metallurgical analysis is done to ensure the weld hasn't weakened the materials.
- Quality control steps ensure we are shipping out silencers with strong welds.
- Every batch of 500 suppressors is checked per the above process. This ensures that no weld settings changed and that each batch is verified.
Compliance with ISO9001 Standards
ISO 9001 is the globally-recognized standard for quality assurance management. It is the standard every BANISH silencer meets to demonstrate our commitment to quality. By implementing ISO 9001, BANISH and Silencer Central has put in place effective processes and trained staff to deliver flawless BANISH silencers time after time.
ISO9001 and its significance in engineering and weld testing
If you pull up the standards for welding and weld testing under ISO9001, the regulations are many and are considered as a special process under the requirements. What does that mean for how BANISH silencers are engineered and tested? Because of what a silencer is and what it is used for, the strictest guideline applies, meaning the testing individuals are trained in ISO9001 standards, and that the products have to withstand the scrutiny of independent review.
How BANISH Complies with IS09001
Not only do we have our testers trained in specific requirements, we document every test for review. This ensures that every BANISH silencer passes every level for weld quality, metallurgical quality, and assurance testing. The ISO9001 standard uses a Plan - Do - Check - Act methodology for ensuring the processes and documentation are aligned. In other words, we make sure to check and recheck everything along the way and keep complete records to back up the results for every BANISH product.
We follow a strict protocol as a ISO9001-certified manufacturer where we undergo repeated audits, both internally and independently, to ensure we are in complete compliance with all requirements of the ISO 9001 certification. It is a commitment to quality that we adhere to because of a simple ideal - Part of our pledge to simplify the silencer buying experience for our customers must include an assurance that our BANISH products are everything we say they are when they leave the warehouse.
BANISH - Standing Above the Competition
By now, you've read about how we have engineered our BANISH silencer to be the best. We back it up, too. Let's take a look at our warranty. We guarantee the quality and craftsmanship of your BANISH suppressor. We are confident in the quality, and will make sure that in the rarest of occasions, something not meet that standard, we will make it right.
Avoiding Recalls and Common Issues
If you start out with the highest standards, and work diligently to ensure that those standards are met every time, you don't have to worry as much about issues that would cause a product failure, or worse, multiple product line failures that cause the need for a recall.
What are some common issues or challenges faced by competitors? In terms of weld quality, testing procedures, and quality control standards, this is widely unknown as there is very little published information. It could be caused from a variety of factors - contamination on parts during the welding process, incorrect power/temp settings for the proper weld, cold weld, voids, not full penetration, etc. There could be product line testing issues, too, where a company is not cutting its product apart to test the welds or doing MET analysis. With BANISH, we take every possible step to avoid every single one of these issues.
High Standards for Welding, Testing, and Quality Control Processes
- Quality inspection on every batch of welded suppressors
- State of the art laser welder ensures repeatability between every weld on every suppressor. 100% automated process removes any human error. 100% visual weld inspection along with every 500pc having metrology analysis.
