Electron beam machining

Type of technology

Abrasive jet machining

Development phase

initial

Level of innovation

national level

Scale of production

batch

Technology readiness level TRL

Description of the technology

Purpose of use

high-precision machining of very difficult-to-machine materials (e.g. stainless steels, nickel and cobalt alloys, titanium alloys) in various shapes, subtractive manufacturing of holes, cut-outs and profiles, possibility of machining miniature components, welding of components

Use in industry

aviation industry, automotive industry, mould and die production, precision mechanics

General characteristics

Electron beam machining is a machining process that uses the vapourisation of workpiece material by a stream of electrons emitted from a suitably heated electrode-cathode under vacuum conditions. In the case of welding, the contact area of the workpieces to be joined is molten by the heat generated by bombarding them in a vacuum with a concentrated beam of high-energy electrons.

Alternative technologies
  • laser beam machining
  • plasma arc machining
  • micromachining
  • bonding/welding
  • welding

Visualisation

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

  • possibility of more efficient machining of hard and brittle materials (compared to conventional machining)
  • possibility of machining small holes with high dimensional accuracy (compared to conventional machining)
  • little change in the mechanical properties and structure of the machined material (compared to plasma arc machining)
  • possibility of obtaining low surface roughness and high dimensional accuracy of the machined parts (compared to conventional machining and plasma arc machining)
  • welding process is performed without the use of a binder

Disadvantages

  • relatively high investment and tooling costs
  • need for highly skilled operators to operate the machining station
  • inability to machine large workpieces
  • relatively low volumetric efficiency of material removal (compared to alternative techniques)
  • high power consumption

Workpiece material types

  • stainless steel
  • nickel alloys
  • cobalt alloys
  • titanium alloys

Examples of products

  • aircraft engine components
  • turbine blades
  • specialized details for flight control systems
  • details for the production of aircraft seats
  • details for the production of shock absorbers
  • brake booster components
  • components for advanced measuring instruments
  • injection mold details for the production of plastic components

Implementation of technology

Required resources

  • electron beam machine
  • tooling
  • vacuum pump

Required competences

  • training in erosion machining and abrasive blasting
  • training in CNC machine programming
  • extensive practical experience in subtractive manufacturing

Environmental aspects

Water consumption

Energy consumption

Waste generated

Expert evaluation

Competitiveness

Usability

Environmental impact

Development centers

  • Warsaw University of Technology

Legal conditions

  • none

Companies using technology

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