Electron beam machining

D.PALANI KUMAR,
Assistant Prof. / Mech. Engg.,
Kamaraj College of Engg. & Tech.
Virudhunagar.
 ELECTRON BEAM MACHINING
(EBM)
• Invented in Germany in 1952 by Dr. K. H. Steiger wald.
• EBM is a High-Energy-Beam Machining process
• Electrical energy is used to generate high-energy electrons
• The mechanism of material removal is primarily by melting and
rapid vaporization due to intense heating by the electrons.

An electron beam
EBM (LINE DIAGRAM)
 EBM – PROCESS
• Electron beam (negatively charged
particles) is generated in an
electron beam gun.
• Electron beam gun provides high
velocity electrons over a very
small spot size.
• Due to pattern of electrostatic field
produced by grid cup, electrons
are focused and made to flow in
the form of a converging beam
through anode.
 EBM – PROCESS (cont.)
• The electrons are accelerated while passing through the anode by
applying high voltage at anode.
• A magnetic deflection coil is used to make electron beam circular
and to focus electron beam at a point (localized heating).
• The workpiece to be machined is located under the electron beam
and is kept under vacuum.
• The high-energy focused electron beam is made to impinge on the
workpiece with a spot size of 10 – 100 μm
• The kinetic energy of the electrons, upon striking the workpiece,
changes to heat, which melts and vaporizes minute amounts of the
material.
 EBM – PROCESS (cont.)

Localized heating by focused Gradual formation of hole

electron beam

• The “melt – vaporization” front gradually progresses

• Finally the molten material, if any at the top of the front, is expelled
from the cutting zone by the high vapour pressure at the lower part.
 EBM – PROCESS (cont.)

Penetration till the auxiliary support Removal due to high vapour pressure

• The whole process is carried out in a vacuum chamber

• The gun in EBM is used in pulsed mode. Holes can be drilled in thin
sheets using a single pulse. For thicker plates, multiple pulses would
be required.
 WHY VACUUM CHAMBER ?
• The entire process occurs in a vacuum chamber because a collision
between an electron and an air molecule causes the electrons to
scatter and thus loose their energy and cutting ability .
 EBM – EQUIPMENTS
• Electron Beam Gun
• Electron beam gun is the heart of EBM.
• The basic functions of any electron beam gun are to generate free
electrons at the cathode, accelerate them to a sufficiently high
velocity and to focus them over a small spot size.
• Cathode is generally made of tungsten or tantalum. Such cathode
filaments are heated, often inductively, to a temperature of around
25000C. Heating leads to thermo-ionic emission of electrons.
• A combination of repelling forces from the negative cathode and the
attracting forces from the positive anode causes the free electrons to
be accelerated and directed toward the work piece.
• One of the major requirements of EBM operation of electron beam
gun is maintenance of desired vacuum.
• vacuum is achieved and maintained using a combination of rotary
pump and diffusion pump. Diffusion pump is attached to the
diffusion pump port of the electron beam gun
• Diffusion pump is essentially an
oil heater. As the oil is heated
the oil vapour rushes upward.
• Nozzles change the direction of
motion of the oil vapour and
the oil vapour starts moving
downward at a high velocity.
• Such high velocity jets of oil
vapour entrain any air molecule
present within the gun. This oil
is evacuated by a rotary pump
via the backing line.
• Power Supply
– The high-voltage power supply used for EBM systems generates
voltages of up to 150 kv to accelerate the electrons.
– The most powerful electron beam machining systems are
capable of delivering enough power to operate guns at average
power levels of up to 12 kw.
– Individual pulse energy can reach 120 joules/pulse.
– To avoid the possibility of arcing and short circuits, the high-
voltage sections of the power supply are submerged in an
insulating dielectric oil.
EBM PROCESS – PARAMETERS
Process parameters which directly affect the machining characteristics
in EBM are:
• The accelerating voltage
– electrons get accelerated at high voltage.
• The beam current
– related to the number of electrons emitted by the cathode or
available in the beam. Beam current can be as low as 200 μamp
to 1 amp.
• Pulse duration
– pulse duration can be as low as 50 μs to as long as 15 ms.
• Energy per pulse
• Power per pulse
• Lens current
• Spot size
– Spot size is controlled by degree of focusing achieved by the
electromagnetic lenses. For a lower spot size, the material
removal would be faster though the size of the hole would be
smaller.
• Power density
– The energy density and power density is governed by energy per
pulse duration and spot size .
• Total penetration range = 2.6 * 10-17 (V2 / ρ) mm
where, V = accelerating voltage in volts
and ρ = density of material in kg/mm3
• Speed of electron under control of electric field
V = E √(2e/m) m/s
where, m = mass of electron in kg = 9.1 * 10-31 kg
e = charge of electron in coulomb = 1.6 * 10-19
E = voltage of electric field in volts
Thus, V = 600 E
• Total power for beam current of I amperes
P = E I watts
• Force of beam on molten metal
F = 0.34 I √E dynes
• Power Requirement (P) for EBM process is approx. proportional to
MRR
i.e. P α MRR
P = C * MRR
where C is specific power consumption = 12 W / mm3 / min for
tungsten and 7, 6, and 4 W / mm3 / min for iron, titanium and
aluminium respectively.
 ELECTRON BEAM PROCESS
CAPABILITY
• EBM can provide holes of diameter in the range of 100 μm to 2 mm
with a depth upto 15 mm, i.e., with a l/d ratio of around 10. There
would be an edge rounding at the
entry point.
• Materials such as steel, stainless
steel, Ti and Ni super-alloys, Al as
well as plastics, ceramics, leathers
can be machined successfully using
EBM.
• The heat-affected zone is rather
narrow due to shorter pulse duration
in EBM. Typically the heat-affected
zone is around 20 to 30 μm.
Typical kerf shape of electron beam drilled hole
• materials like Al and Ti alloys are more readily machined compared
to steel.

Variation in drilling speed with volume of material removal

• EBM does not apply any cutting force on the workpieces. Thus very
simple work holding is required.
• Holes can also be drilled at a very shallow angle of as less as 20 to
300.
 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

• Non-reflective workpiece surfaces are preferable

• Sharp corners are difficult to produce; deep cuts produce tapers

• Consider the effects of high temperature on the workpiece material

• Parts should match the size of the vacuum chamber

• Consider manufacturing the part as a number of smaller components

COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE
 EBM - ADVANTAGES
• Extremely close tolerances can be maintained
• Heat affected zone are minimum
• It can machine almost any material irrespective of their mechanical
properties
• The beam can be concentrated on a very small area
• It produces better surface finish and narrow kerf
• Thermal distortion is least
• The process is fast because it is entirely non-mechanical.
 EBM - LIMITATIONS
• The equipment cost is very high.
• The interaction of the electron beam with work piece surface
produces hazardous X-ray. Hence shielding is necessary
• Vacuum is essentially required.
• Because of very low material removal rate, the process is
economical only for small volume cuts.
• Skilled labour is required to accelerate the electrons.
• Very high voltage is required to accelerate the electrons.
• The process can machine only thinner parts.
 EBM - APPLICATIONS
• EBM is particularly suitable for producing very small diameter
holes – down to 0.002 in.
• It is especially adapted for micromatching.
• Major applications of EBM include matching in thin materials,
cutting of slots and drilling of holes with very high depth to
diameter ratios, usually more than 100:1.
• Machining of wire drawing dies having small cross sectional area.
• EBM is also used as an alternative to light optics manufacturing
methods in the semiconductor industry.
• Because electrons have a shorter wavelength than light and can be
easily focused, electron-beam methods are particularly useful for
high-resolution lithography and for the manufacture of complex
integrated circuits
• Welding can also be done with an electron beam, notably in the
manufacture of aircraft engine parts
 EBM CHARACTERISTICS
• Mechanics of material removal – melting, vaporization
• Medium – vacuum
• Tool – beam of electrons moving at very high velocity
• Maximum MRR = 10 mm3/min
• Specific power consumption = 450 W/mm3/min
• Critical parameters – accelerating voltage, beam diameter, work
speed, melting temperature
• Materials application – all materials
• Shape application – drilling fine holes, cutting contours in sheets,
cutting narrow slots
• Limitations – very high specific energy consumption, necessity of
vacuum, expensive machine