TWI Frequently asked questions
Electron beam welding is a power beam welding process. A tightly focused beam of electrons (say 0.2mm diameter at 1kW, 2mm diameter at 75kW), moving at typically two thirds the speed of light in vacuum, strikes the workpiece with a power density of up to 10
5 W/mm
2. This causes vaporisation of the molten material, leading to the formation of the 'welding capillary' or 'keyhole' that is characteristic of electron beam welding. This can result in extremely narrow, deep penetration welds, requiring minimal power input. It is this which gives electron beam welding its desirable characteristics.
- low heat input
- low distortion
- high joining rate
- small heat affected zone
- single pass
- no consumables
- no contamination
- high process efficiency
Electron beam welds are usually either fully penetrating or partially penetrating.
For further information contact the Electron Beam Group at TWI
