INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ROORKEE
ELECTRON BEAM MACHINING
WORKING PRINCIPLE
• In EBM process the surface of thermoelectric cathode is
heated to such a high temperature that the electron acquire
sufficient speed to escape out to the space around the
cathode
• The steam of these large number of electrons moves as a
small diameter beam of electron towards the anode
• The high velocity beam of electron strike the workpiece. The
kinetic energy of electron convert into heat which is
responsible for melting and vapourization of workpiece
material
• EBM can machine electrically conductive as well as non
conductive material
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• Before machining starts vaccum is created in the machining
chamber
• Diameter of electron beam focused onto the work should be
slightly smaller than the desired hole diameter
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ELECTRON BEAM MACHINING SYSTEM
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ELECTRON BEAM MACHINING SYSTEM
Three important elements of EBM system are
• Electron beam gun
• Power supply
• Vaccum system and machining chamber
1. Electron beam gun
• Used to produce electron beam of desired shape and to
focus at the predetermined location
• A superheated electrode (tungsten filament type) generates
the electron cloud
• Due to force of repulsion from the cathode electron moves at
a very high acceleration towards anode which attracts them
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ELECTRON BEAM MACHINING SYSTEM
• Velocity with which electron pass through the anode is
approximately 66% that of light
• On the path of electron there is a kind of switch which
generates the pulses
• A magnetic lens is used to shape the electron beam into a
converging beam
• The deflection coils are used to control the beam movement
in any required manner
2. Power supply
• The Power supply generates a voltage as high as 150kV to
accelerate the electron
• Thus electron velocity achieved is 228,478 km/sec
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ELECTRON BEAM MACHINING SYSTEM
• EBM gun is usually operated at 12kW
• Power density at the work surface is too high that is why it is
capable to melt and vaporize the workpiece material
3. Vacuum system and machining chamber
• The electron beam generation, its travel in the space and
resulting machining takes place in a vacuum chamber
• The vacuum does not allow rapid oxidation of incandescent
filament and there is no loss of energy of electron as a result
of collision with air molecules
• The vacuum in the chamber is of the order of 10‾⁴ to 10‾⁵ torr
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PROCESS PARAMETERS
1. Beam current 100µA - 1A
2. Pulse duration 50µs - 10µs
3. Lens current
4. Signals for the deflection of beam
• These parameters can be controlled during EBM with the
help of a computer
# Beam current governs the energy/pulse being supplied to
workpiece
• Higher the energy/pulse more rapidly the hole can be drilled
# pulse duration is varied depending upon the depth and
diameter of the hole to be drilled
• Drilling using longer pulse duration result in a wider and
deeper drilled hole
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# Lens current - it's magnitude determine the working distance
( distance between the electron beam gun and focal point )
LIMITATIONS
• Skilled operator needed
• Very high temperature gradient would result in residual
thermal stresses
• High cost of equipment
• EBM is to be carried out in vaccum chamber ( to eliminate
collision of the electron with gas molecules)
• High energy required
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APPLICATION
• Material application - all materials
• Popular in industries like aerospace, food processing,
chemical etc
• Perforation of sheets (hundred to thousands of holes to be
drilled easily)
• Drilling small diameter holes (less than 1mm), example used
for turbine engine combustor domes, Cobalt alloy fibre
spinning head
• Depth to diameter ratio more than 100:1
• Making fine gas orifices in space nuclear reactor
• Holes in wire drawing dies
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APPLICATION
• Cooling holes in turbine blades
• Holes in filters and screen used in food processing industries
• Drilling is 100 times faster than EDM
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