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Electron Beam Melting (EB)

Electron Beam Melting (EB)

Product catalog summary

Overview of Electron Beam Melting (EBM): Electron beam melting is a process known for its superior refining capabilities and flexibility, ideal for remelting and refining metals and alloys under high vacuum conditions. It is primarily used for producing refractory and reactive metals such as tantalum, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, hafnium, zirconium, and titanium, as well as their alloys. The process is crucial for manufacturing ultra-pure sputtering target materials, electronic alloys, and recycling titanium scrap.

Metallurgy of the EBM Process: Electron beam guns serve as high-temperature heat sources, capable of exceeding melting and evaporation temperatures. The process involves magnetic deflection and rapid scanning, allowing the beam to target multiple shapes effectively. Typical power densities are around 100 kW/cm², with power transfer efficiency ranging from 50 to 80%. The high vacuum environment facilitates excellent degassing and selective evaporation, enhancing the purity of the ingot material.

Process Variations: The flexibility of the EB heat source has led to several remelting and refining methods:

Drip Melting: Used for refractory metals, involving horizontal feeding and drip-melting into a mold.
Electron Beam Cold Hearth Refining (EBCHR): Important for processing and recycling reactive metals, allowing gravity separation of inclusions.
Button Melting: Evaluates cleanliness of super-alloy samples by concentrating low-density inclusions.
Floating Zone Melting: An older technique for producing metals with high purity.

Process Control: EB furnaces operate semi-automatically, requiring operator supervision and manual fine-tuning. Automation includes vacuum pressure control, material feed rate, and beam power distribution. The ESCOSYS system manages complex beam power distribution through graphical editing of deflection patterns.

Electron Beam Guns and Furnace Types: Various systems are available, including EB guns with powers of 60, 300, and 600 kW, and different furnace types for specific applications such as drip-melting, cold hearth refining, and laboratory research.

Applications: EBM is used for remelting high-purity materials, titanium production for aerospace and chemical industries, zirconium production, and producing high-purity metals for electronic applications.

Contact Information: ALD Vacuum Technologies has offices in Great Britain, Russia, Germany, China, Japan, and the USA, providing contact details for further inquiries.

Catalog excerpts

EB_2011.qxd table.main {} tr.row {} td.cell {} div.block {} div.paragraph {} .font0 { font:11.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font1 { font:25.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } Electron Beam Melting (EB) Electron Beam Melting Processes and Furnaces

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EB_2011.qxd table.main {} tr.row {} td.cell {} div.block {} div.paragraph {} .font0 { font:7.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font1 { font:9.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font2 { font:18.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } Electron Beam Melting Electron beam melting is distinguished by its superior refining capacity and offers a high degree of flexibility of the heat source. Thus, it is ideal for remelting and refining of metals and alloys under high vacuum in water-cooled copper molds. Today the process is mainly employed for the production of refractory and reactive metals (tantalum, niobium, molybdenum,...

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EB_2011.qxd table.main {} tr.row {} td.cell {} div.block {} div.paragraph {} .font0 { font:7.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font1 { font:8.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font2 { font:9.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } Process Variations The high degree of flexibility of the EB heat source has spawned the development of several remelting and refining methods. ■ Drip Melting is the classical method for processing refractory metals such as Ta and Nb among others. Raw material in form of bars is usually fed horizontally and drip-melted directly into the withdrawal mold. The liquid pool level is maintained...

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EB_2011.qxd table.main {} tr.row {} td.cell {} div.block {} div.paragraph {} .font0 { font:7.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font1 { font:8.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font2 { font:9.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } Process Control EB furnaces operate in a semi-automatic control mode. Even with the highly sophisticated computer controlled process automation, operator supervision of the process and manual fine tuning are still required. Process automation includes: ■ vacuum pump system scheme; ■ vacuum pressure control; ■ material feed rate and ingot withdrawal rate; ■ processor-based high voltage...

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EB_2011.qxd table.main {} tr.row {} td.cell {} div.block {} div.paragraph {} .font0 { font:7.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font1 { font:8.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font2 { font:9.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } Electron Beam Guns and Melting Furnace Types The following systems are available: ■ Electron Beam Guns a sries of EB guns with 60, 300 and 600-kW beam power at 25-45 kV. ■ EB Drip-Melt Production Furnaces for production of refractory metal ingots up to 400 mm in diameter and 3,000 mm length, beam powers up to 2 MW with 2, 3 or 4 guns. ■ EB Cold Hearth Production Furnaces for production...

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EB_2011.qxd table.main {} tr.row {} td.cell {} div.block {} div.paragraph {} .font0 { font:7.00pt "Arial", sans-serif; } .font1 { font:8.00pt "Arial", sans-serif; } .font2 { font:5.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font3 { font:6.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font4 { font:7.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font5 { font:8.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } .font6 { font:9.00pt "Impact", sans-serif; } EB Features ■ ALD offers lectron beam guns of 60, 300, 600 and 800 kW power with highly advanced beam deflection controls; ■ System designs are implemented with melting powers above 3,600 kW; ■ Ceramic-free melting...

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