Introduction

A Guide To Electron Beam Welding & The Technologies Used

A Guide To Electron Beam Welding & The Technologies Used

Electron Beam Welding takes the concept of welding to an entirely new level thanks to amazing new technological developments. This incredibly complex and fascinating process involves manipulating electrons within a vacuum or Braun tube to achieve the desired effect. Voltage is applied to the electrons in order to accelerate them around an electromagnetic coil which creates heated energy output on contact with the material being used. 

The resulting heat produces the welding effect without distorting the material and causing potential damage or distress. Adjusting this heat allows the Electron Beam Welder to penetrate more deeply into the material if so required. This is advantageous given the variety of material thicknesses being used in today’s projects. One of the greatest advantages of this process is the fact that it maintains up to 95% of the strength of the original materials being used, which is paramount for demanding industries with particular requirements, such as Aerospace. Another advantage is the lack of impurities normally generated by other processes (such as Laser Welding) due to the vacuum environment. 

Electron Beam Welding is similar in many respects to Laser Welding, but the key difference between the two lies in power output. Laser technologies have still not been refined enough at the consumer level to allow for the kind of cutting power offered by Electron Beam systems. This means that lasers are largely ineffective at cutting thicker materials, or those with higher reflective properties. This is due to the focusing apparatus and technologies inherent in most laser machines. As such, Electron Beam Welders are more versatile, but the process is quite precise. 

Practical applications for Electron Beam Welding machines include ships, bridges, electronic components and aircraft parts. B.C Industries utilizes a state of the art CNC Electron Beam Welder with a 12 x 12 x 12 chamber and steel penetration from .025mm to 18.0mm. The machine is fully computerized with straightforward controls and the ability to trace each welded component via report logs.

Electron Beam Welding is a common technique used by engineers working on projects that require incredible precision and material strength. As always, we strive to keep customer costs low by identifying them at the beginning of a project and factoring them into the timeline. The result is a highly beneficial, cost-efficient design-for-manufacturing project cycle that we have perfected over the last decade.

For more information on Electron Beam Welding, our techniques, and the industries we have served, feel free to get in touch with us today.

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