Welding and Additive Manufacturing

Lecture on: Electron Beam Welding

Dr. Pankaj Biswas

Department of Mechanical Engineering
IIT Guwahati
 Electron Beam Welding
 Electron beam is generated in an electron beam gun.
 Electron beam gun provides high velocity electrons over a very small spot
size. Electron Beam welding is required to be carried out in vacuum.
 Otherwise the electrons would interact with the air molecules, thus they
would loose their energy and welding ability.
 Thus the work piece to be welded is located under the electron beam and is
kept under vacuum.
 The high-energy focused electron beam is made to impinge on the work
piece with a spot size of 10 – 100 μm.
 The kinetic energy of the high velocity electrons is converted to heat energy
as the electrons strike the work material.
 Introduction
 William Rontengen in 1800s found that beam of electron is suddenly
stopped by impact with target, then it start heating and melting the target.
 Dr. Karl Heinz (German) – Development of first practical welding machine
in 1958.
 It is fusion welding process in which a beam of high- velocity electrons is
applied to two materials to be joined.
 Free electrons in vacuum can be accelerated, with their paths controlled by
electric and magnetic fields.
 In this way narrow beams of electrons carrying high kinetic energy can be
formed, which upon collision with atoms in solids transform their kinetic
energy into heat.

Fig. Different EB process

 Principle
 Electron beams are composed of electrons (mass of an electron 9.1×10-31
kg) that are charged particles and can be accelerated in electron guns to high
velocities, giving them high kinetic energies.
 At 10 kV, electrons travel at approximately 20% of the speed of light, while
at 200 kV they travel at approximately 70% the speed of light.
 Electron beam welding process is carried out in vacuum. In this process,
electrons are emitted from the heated filament called electrode.
 These electrons are accelerated by applying high potential difference (30 kV
to 175 kV) between cathode and anode.
 The higher the potential difference, the higher would be the acceleration of
the electrons.
 The electrons get the speed in the range of 50,000 to 200,000 km/s.
 When high kinetic energy electron beam strikes the work piece, high heat is
generated resulting in melting of the work material.
 Molten metal fills into the gap between parts to be joined.
 How does the Process Work?
i. The electron beam gun has a tungsten filament which is heated, freeing
electrons.
ii. The electrons are accelerated from the source with high voltage potential
between a cathode and anode.
iii. The stream of electrons then pass through a hole in the anode.
iv. The beam is directed by magnetic forces of focusing and deflecting coils.
v. This beam is directed out of the gun column and strikes the work piece.
vi. The kinetic energy of the electrons is transferred to heat upon impact of the
work piece and cuts a perfect hole at the weld joint.
 Molten metal fills in behind the beam, creating a deep finished weld.
Steps Used in EBW process
 Joint preparation
 Cleaning of work piece
 Fixturing of work piece
 De-magnetization of work piece
 Setting up work piece in chamber
 Pump down air form chamber
 Carry welding process
 EBW Setup
 The setup of EBW consists of the following major parts:
 Electron Gun
 Power Supply unit
 Vacuum Chamber Unit
 Workpiece Handling Device
 EBW Setup
 Electron Gun:
 The electron beam is most often formed by a triode style electron gun
under high vacuum conditions.
 The triode assembly consists of a cathode, a heated source (emitter) of
electrons that is maintained at some high negative potential.
 A grid cup, a specially shaped electrode that can be negatively biased with
respect to the hot cathode emitter (filament);
 And an anode, a ground potential
electrode through which the
electron flow passes in the form
of a collimated beam.
 The hot cathode emitter
(filament) is made from a high-
emission material, usually
tantalum or tungsten, which is
usually available in wire, ribbon,
or sheet form.
 EBW Setup
 Electron Gun:
 The electron beam is most often formed by a triode style electron gun
under high vacuum conditions.
 The triode assembly consists of a cathode, a heated source (emitter) of
electrons that is maintained at some high negative potential.
 A grid cup, a specially shaped electrode that can be negatively biased with
respect to the hot cathode emitter (filament). Grid cup controls the beam.
 And an anode, a ground potential electrode through which the electron flow
passes in the form of a collimated beam.

 The hot cathode emitter (filament) is

made from a high- emission material,
usually tantalum or tungsten, which
is usually available in wire, ribbon,
or sheet form. It generates electrons
on direct or indirect heating.
 Electron Gun
 This emitter material is fabricated into the desired shape for being either
directly or indirectly heated to the required emitting temperature of
approximately 2500◦C.
 Other materials, such as lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6), have also been used
as filament material.
 Classification of electron guns: There are two type of electron guns.
i. Self accelerated: Electrons are accelerated by applying potential
difference between the cathode and anode.
ii. Work accelerated: Here
potential difference is applied
between workpiece and anode
(Diode type).
 Metal Melting Temperature of
Tungsten = 3422 ◦C Tantalum =
3020 ◦C and LaB6 = 2210 ◦C.
Fig. Diode Fig. Triode
 Electron Gun
 Emitter/Filament : It generates electrons on direct or indirect heating.
 Anode: Positively charged element near cathode across which high voltage
is applied to accelerate electrons. For high voltage equipment's potential
difference 70-150 kV and for low voltage equipment’s potential difference
is 15-30 kV.
 Grid Cup: Negative voltage with respect to cathode is applied. Grid cup
controls the beam.
 Electron Beam Focusing
 It has two parts, (a) An Electron focusing lens and (b) Deflection coil.
 (a)Electron focusing lens: It focuses the beam into work area.
 The focusing of the electrons can be carried out by deflection of beams.
 This focusing lens reduces the diameter of the electron beam and focuses
the beam down to a much smaller beam cross section in the plane of the
Work piece.
 Thus reduction of beam diameter results
into producing very small high intensity
beam spot. •
 (b)Deflection coil: It can be employed
to “bend” the beam, thus providing the
flexibility to move the focused beam
spot.
 Power Supply Unit
 It mainly consist a high power DC power supply source for gun, focusing
and deflection coil.
 It provides power supply for acceleration of the electrons.
 The potential difference for high voltage equipment ranges from 70-150 kV
and for low voltage equipment 15-30 kV.
 The current level ranges from 50-1000 mA. The amount of current depends
upon the diameter and type of the filament.
 AC or DC current is required to heat the filament for emission of electrons.
However DC current is preferred as it affects the direction of the beam.
 Vacuum Chamber
 Generally EBW performed in vacuum.
 The gun portion of an electron gun/column assembly generally is isolated
from the welding chamber through the use of valves when desired.
 Vacuum in the gun region is needed to maintain gun component cleanliness,
prevent filament oxidation, and impede high-pressure short circuiting
between the cathode and the anode.
 Maintenance of this degree of vacuum is important because of the effect
that ambient pressure has on both the beam and the weld produced.
 Based on vacuum intensity the EBW have following 3 types 1. Hard
Vacuum EBW 2. Partial Vacuum EBW and 3. Atmosphere/Non vacuum
EBW .

Fig. Influence of Level of Vacuum

in EBW Penetration
 Vacuum Chamber
 1. Hard vacuum EBW: In this method, the workpiece and the welding gun
are enclosed in the same vacuum chamber.
 The vacuum pressure is 0.133 Pa or lower (ranges from 10-6 to 10-3 torr; 1
torr = 133.322 Pa).
 Material as thick as 150 mm can be welded at a stand off distance of 0.7 m.
 2.Partial/Medium Vacuum EBW: It employs essentially the same equipment as
vacuum electron beam welding except that the working chamber is replaced by an
orifice system.
 The electron beam emerges from the gun column via a series of differentially
pumped vacuum stages which are separated by small diameter orifices.
 Vacuum pressure maintained is about 133 to 3.3 x 103 Pa (i.e. 10-3 to 25 torr)
 Maximum SOD decreases by half and the maximum material thickness reduces to
50 mm.
 3. Atmospheric welding : It performs at atmospheric pressure.
 Stand off distance = 40mm and Maximum material thickness = 50mm
 Highest production rates and lowest cost per part since the size of welding chamber
is no longer a factor. (Note: 1atm = 101325 Pa)
 Work piece Handling
 Quality and precision of the weld profile depends upon the accuracy of the
movement of work piece.
 There is also provision for the movement of the work piece to control the
welding speed.
 The movements of the work piece are easily adaptable to computer
numerical control (CNC )
•27. Process Parameters Major Process Parameters are, 1. Accelerating voltage
2. Beam current 3. Welding speed 4. Beam Focusing
•28. Accelerating Voltage • A value of electrical potential, usually expressed in
kilovolts, being utilized to accelerate and increase the energy of the electrons
being emitted by an electron beam gun. • Increase in the voltage results into
increase in the speed of electrons. • At 10 kV electrons travel at approximately
20% of the speed of light, while at 200 kV they travel at approximately 70%
the speed of light.
•29. Electron Beam Current • Close relation between electron beam current
and depth of penetration. • Beam current: measure of the quantity of usually
expressed in units of mill amperes (mA),that flow per unit time in an electron
beam
Classification of EBW Machine
 Mode of Operation
 Keyhole mode: By using this technique one can weld deep
with very narrow width weld pool.
 Only Possible with high energy density processes like
EBW, LBW & Plasma Arc Welding.
 This deep-weld effect allows now a days penetration
Fig. Keyhole vs.
depths into steel materials of up to 300 mm. Conduction
 Steps of Keyhole mode a) Impact of high energy electron beam on w/p
surface. The penetration depth into the workpiece is very low, just a few
μm. Most of the kinetic energy is released in the form of heat.
 b) The high energy density at the impact point causes the metal to evaporate
thus allowing the following electrons a deeper penetration.
 c) This finally leads to a metal vapour cavity
which is surrounded by a shell of fluid
metal, covering the entire weld depth.
 d) Capillary action results into formation of
weld.
 Process Parameters
 The main Process Parameters are as follows:
1. Accelerating voltage
2. Beam current
3. Welding speed
4. Beam Focusing
 Accelerating Voltage: A value of electrical
potential, usually expressed in kilovolts, being
utilized to accelerate and increase the energy
of the electrons being emitted by an electron
beam gun.
 Increase in the voltage results into increase in
the speed of electrons.
 At 10 kV electrons travel at approximately
20% of the speed of light, while at 200 kV
they travel at approximately 70% the speed of
light.
 Process Parameters
 Electron Beam Current: Close relation between electron beam current and
depth of penetration.
 Beam current: It is the measure of the quantity of current that flow per unit
time in an electron beam.
 It is of usually expressed in units of mill amperes (mA),

Table: Beam Current Krishnan et al.

 Process Parameters
 Welding speed: Welding speed directly affects on depth of penetration of
electron beam into work piece.
 Higher speeds results into lower depth of penetration.

Fig. Effect of Travel Speed on Penetration of

Non-vacuum Electron Beam Welds in Steel
 Advantages
 Advantage of EBW In Vacuum:
 Thin and thick plate welding (0.1 mm bis 300 mm).
 Extremely narrow seams (t:b = 50:1).
 Low overall heat input => low distortion
 High welding speed possible.
 No shielding gas required.
 High process and plant efficiency.
 Material of high melting temperature can be welded.
 Superior weld quality due to welding in vacuum i.e. welds are corrosion
free.
 Distortion is less due to less heat affected zone.
 At atmosphere:
 Very high welding velocity.
 Good gap bridging.
 No problems with reflection during energy entry into work piece.
 Disadvantages
 Disadvantage of EBW In Vacuum:
 Electrical conductivity of materials is required.
 High cooling rates => hardening => cracks.
 High precision of seam preparation.
 Vacuum is required.
 Beam may be deflected by magnetism.
 X-ray formation.
 Size of work piece limited by chamber size.
 High investment. Very high equipment cost.
 Transportation of equipment is not easy.
 At Atmosphere:
 X-ray formation.
 Limited sheet thickness (max. 10 mm).
 High investment.
 Small working distance.

 Note: 60 kV 4 kW (610 mm3) EBW machine including CNC controlled

work manipulation systems £220,000.00 i.e. 17609882.40 INR.
 Application
 Field of Application Industrial areas
• Automotive industries • Aircraft and space industries • Mechanical
engineering • Tool construction • Nuclear power industries • Power
plants • Fine mechanics and electrical • Industries • Job shop.
 High Precision Welding of electronics components.
 Welding of nuclear fuel elements.
 Special alloy components of jet engines.
 Pressure vessels for rocket.
 Joining of Dis-similar metals(e.g. Cu-steel, bronze-steel).
 Welding of Titanium medical implants.
 Material:
• Mostly used in joining of refectory materials like columbium, tungsten,
ceramics (electrically conductive). • Almost all steels. • Aluminium and
its alloys. • Magnesium alloys. • Copper and its alloys. • Titanium. •
Gold.
 References
 Text Book : “Welding Process and Technology” by Dr. R.S Parmar,
2015 edition.
 Text Book : “Welding Engineering and Technology” by Dr. R.S Parmar,
2015 edition.
 EAA Aluminium Automotive Manual – Joining, Electron Beam Welding
of Thick Copper Material Bernt von Brömssen
 Welding engineering and technology- High energy density welding
processes- Branco Baueren.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_beam_welding.
 www.weldingengineer.com
END