Electron beam welding

Electron guns

Standard electron guns (EG) from Beamtechnology feature accelerating voltage of 60 kV and electron beam current of up to 1000 mA.

These guns provide the penetration depth of up to 100 mm for steel, and up to 200 mm for aluminium alloys.
The dimensions and weight make the EGs usable both outside and inside a vacuum chamber.

EGs with accelerating voltage of 120 kV and electron beam current up to 1000 mA are used to weld thick metals.

Electron Beam Welders

Classification of electron beam welders by the volume of their vacuum chambers is not standartized.

Beamtechnology distinguishes three types of welders according to their vacuum chamber volume: small (up to 10 m3 ),
medium (10 to 50 m3), and large (more than 50 m3 ).

Small Welders

In small welders, the EG is placed outside the vacuum chamber.
Welded parts are moved by high-precision mechanisms located inside the chamber
These mechanisms, as well as the parameters of the electron beam, are controlled
by an automated system based on Siemens elements.

Vacuum systems are assembled from the components made by well-known vacuum equipment manufacturers, such as Leybold, Pfeiffer, Edwards, etc.
Pumping time to operating pressure of 5x10-4 mbar is (depending on the chamber volume) from 7 to 15 minutes.

Electron beam welder, inner dimensions of the vacuum chamber 640x640x640 mm. Accelerating voltage 60 kV, electron beam current up to 100 mA.

Electron beam welders with vacuum chamber inner dimensions: W x H x L 1500x1500x2500 mm.
Accelerating voltage of 60 kV, electron beam current up to 500 mA.

Medium welders

In medium electron beam welders, the EG is located inside the chamber
and can move along the X-Y-Z coordinate axes, perform VG rotation around the Y axis and, if needed, perform QG rotation in the Z-Y plane.

(а)

(b)

(c)

The photos show electron beam welders with different vacuum chambers: (a)(b) WxHxL 3000x3000x4500 mm,
(c) 2200x2500x2250 mm (inner dimensions).
Accelerating voltage 60 kV, electron beam current up to 1000 mA.

Large welders

Large welders are usually designed for a cpecific task.
Vacuum champers can be 100 m3 in volume or bigger.
The welding gun moving mechanism has a pass of up to 6000x3000x3000 mm along the X-Y-Z axes.
Pumping time up to operating pressure of 5x10-4 mbar is (depending on the chamber volume) 25 to 35 minutes .

(а)

(b)

(c)

The photos show electron beam welders with different vacuum chambers: (a) WxHxL 3600x4800x3800 mm,
(b)(c) 3500x4000x7000 mm (inner dimensions).
Accelerating voltage is 60 kV, electron beam current is up to 1000 mA.

Powder sintering equipment

Powder sintering is one of the directions in the development of additive manufacturing.

Beamtechnology Co. manufactures equipment for filling capsules with powder.
The process is performed in a vacuum at temperatures at least 400 °С and under periodic vibrocompaction.
After a capsule is filled and sealed by electron beam welding, the capsule is ready for hot isostatic pressing (HIP).

(а)

(b)

(c)

The photos show electron beam machines for powder sintering with different vacuum chambers: (a)W x H x L 1050x1250x1050 mm,
(b) 1300x1850x1500 mm, (c) 1500x2100x1500 mm (inner dimensions).
The weights of the capsules: (a) 300 kg, (b) 1000 kg, (c) 3000 kg.
Accelerating voltage is 60 kV, electron beam current is up to 100 mA.

(а)

(b)

(c)

(a) The heater during an outdoor test, (b) The view on the machine from the operator’s place,
(c) The insides of the chamber.

High voltage power supplies

Beamtechnology Co. manufactures also a series of welding inverting high voltage power supplies with a voltage of 60
and 120 kV and a beam power from 6 to 60 kW.

(а)

(b)

(c)

The photos show the following high voltage power supplies: (a) 60 kV/15 kW (b) 60 kV/30 kW, (c) 120 kV/6 kW (c).