Electron beam welding: Material diversity, narrow and deep welds
Highly focused electrons strike the metal with high speed and generate the heat required for a deep and narrow weld seam. Inside the beam, the electrons can easily be focused and controlled which makes electron beam welding an interesting process for complex components. Since the process is carried out in a vacuum, reproducibly clean weld seams are produced. Moreover, electron beam welding requires much less power than laser beam welding.
However, it requires some effort to benefit from these advantages: The components have to be precisely prepared and demagnetized. A vacuum chamber is required, the evacuation of this chamber is time-consuming and energy expenditure is high.
No accurate predictions possible
Moreover, as is all too often the case, it is not possible to exactly predict the required welding parameters on a theoretical basis. Interactions between electron beam and metal have, so far, not been fully researched.
Any combination of geometry and material requires individual process control. Even with highly sophisticated simulation models, empirical tests are, therefore, a rule and not the exception.
Determination of individual process control
In the field of electron beam welding, we resort, in cooperation with our research partner ISF, to a comprehensive wealth of experience and also to latest scientific findings in theory and practice. This combination of practical experience and comprehension of the processes with regard to the used materials helps us to find solutions also for unusual and difficult tasks in a fast and reliable way.
Ensuring highest quality
With constant beam quality in electron beam welding, the welding results are easy to reproduce. However, many influential factors have an effect on the electron beam – with corresponding effects on the quality of the welds.
Our research partner ISF has developed a measuring system which allows us to diagnose the beam characteristic and make thus reliable statements about the quality of the weld seam. The use of this system enables us to assess the weld seam quality before the actual welding process is started and also during the running welding process.
Best conditions for weld tests
For carrying out the tests required for electron beam welding, we have access to the joining laboratory of our research partner ISF. The full range of typical machine technology for electron beam welding is at our disposal. And also for the evaluation and testing of the trials we resort to start-of-the-art test facilities and measuring devices.