EBM

Chapter Ten
ELECTRON BEAM
MACHINING
(EBM)
WORKING PRINCIPLE
Electron beam machining (EBM) process is classified into two categories, viz
‘Thermal type’ and ‘Non-thermal type’. In the thermal type EBM process, the
surface of thermoelectronic cathode is heated to such a high temperature that the
electrons acquire sufficient speed to escape out to the space around the cathode.
The stream of these large number of electrons moves as a small diameter beam of
electrons towards the anode. As a result, the workpiece is heated by the bom bard-
ment of these electrons in a localized area, to such a high temperature that it is
melted and vaporized at the point of bombardment. In the second type
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(non-thermal EBM) process, the electron beam is used to cause a chemical reac-
tion. Here, only the first type of EBM process (thermal type) is discussed.
The high velocity beam of electrons strikes the workpiece. The kinetic energy
of electrons converts into heat which is responsible for melting and vaporization
of workpiece material. This process can produce any shape of hole; however,
round holes are usually drilled in metals, ceramics, plastics, etc. It can machine
electrically conducting as well as non-conducting materials. Before machining
starts, vacuum is created in the machining chamber.
The diameter of the electron beam focussed onto the work should be slightly
smaller than the desired hole diameter. As the electron beam strikes the work-
piece, the material gets heated, melted and partly vaporized. On the exit side of
the hole, the synthetic or organic backing material is used. The electron beam
after complete penetration into the workpiece, also partly penetrates in the auxil-
iary backing material. The backing material vaporizes and comes out of hole at a
high pressure. The molten material is also expelled along with the vaporized
backing material. In case of a non-circular hole to be produced, the electron beam
is deflected with the help of the computer control, along the perim eter of the hole
to be produced. As an alternative method, the beam can be kept stationary but the
work-table can be moved in the desired path with the help of CNC.
ELECTRON BEAM MACHINING SYSTEM

There are three important elements of EBM system, viz vacuum system, elec-
tron beam gun and power supply.
(i) E lectron Beam G un

It is used to produce electron beam (Fig. 10.1) of the desired shape and to focus
at the predetermined location. EBM gun is operated in the pulsed mode. A super-
heated cathode (tungsten filament type) generates the electrons cloud. Sometimes
cathode may be used as a solid block indirectly heated by radiation emitted from a
filament. Due to force of repulsion from the cathode, electrons move at a very
high acceleration towards the anode which attracts them. The velocity with which
electrons pass through the anode is approximately 66% that of light. On the path
of electrons, there is a kind of sw itch (bias electrode) which generates the pulses.
A magnetic lens is used to shape the electron beam into a converging beam.
This beam is passed through a variable aperture to reduce the diam eter of the
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focussed beam by removing the stray electrons. Magnetic lenses are used to pin
point the location of the beam, deflect it, and make it a round beam falling on the
workpiece.
High V oltage lead
Cathode A n ode
Grid
Valve
O p tic a l
V ie w in g S tre a m of
E le c tr o n s
M a g n e tic Lens
V acu um D e fle c tio n Coils
Chamber
W o rk T a b le
V iew
P ort To Vacuum Pum p
Fig. 10.1 Schematic diagram of electron beam machining system.
(ii) Power Supply

The power supply generates a voltage as high as 150 kV to accelerate elec-
trons. The EBM gun of a powerful system is usually operated at about 12 kW and
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an individual pulse energy as 120 J/pulse. The power density at the work surface
is too high that is why it is capable to melt and vaporize the workpiece material.
Thus, material removal in EBM is basically due to vaporization.
(iii) Vacuum System and M achining Chamber

The electron beam generation, its travel in the space, and resulting machining
take place in a vacuum chamber. The vacuum does not allow rapid oxidation of
incandescent filament and there is no loss of energy of electrons as a result of
collision with air molecules. The vacuum in the chamber is of the order of JO"4 -
10'5 torr.
PROCESS PARAMETERS
The important pa ram ete rs in EBM process are beam current, duration o f
pulse, lens current and signals for the deflection of beam. The values of these
parameters during EBM are controlled with the help of a computer.
Beam current varies from 100 jiA to 1A and it governs the energy/pulse being
supplied to the workpiece. Higher the energy/pulse more rapidly the hole can be
drilled. Pulse duration during EBM varies in the range of 50 p,s to 10 ms depend-
ing upon the depth and diameter of the hole to be drilled. Drilling using longer
pulse duration results in a wider and deeper drilled hole. It also affects HAZ as
well as the thickness of the recast layer which is normally 0.025 mm or less. The
extent of both these effects should be minimum possible.
The working distance (i.e. the distance between the electron beam gun and the
focal point) and the focussed beam size (diameter) are determined by the magni-
tude of lens current. The shape o f the hole along its axis (straight, tapered, etc.) is
determined by the position of the focal point below the top surface of the
workpiece. To obtain the hole shape other than circular, the movement of the
beam can be programmed.
The m aterial rem oval ra te (MRR) at which the workpiece material is vapor-
ized can be calculated from Eq. (10.1).
M R R = i i |? ...(10.1)
where, r| is the cutting efficiency, P is the power (J/s) and W is the specific energy
(J/cm3) (Eq. (10.2)) required to vaporize the work-material. Specific energy (W)
can be calculated as follows:
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W = CPs (Tm- T.) + CP1(tb- t j + Hf+ Hv .( 10.2)
where, Cp is specific heat, Tm is melting temperature, Ts is initial tem perature of

workpiece, Tb is boiling temperature, Hf is latent heat of fusion, and Hv is the
latent heat of vaporization. The cutting efficiency is usually below 20%. Here, CP
is assumed constant although it varies with temperature. Suffix s and I indicate
solid and liquid states, respectively.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROCESS

This process can be used to machine both electrically conductive as well as
non-conductive materials, viz Ni, Cu, Al, ceramics, leather, plastics, etc. It has
been observed that at the entry side of the electron beam, a small sized burr (a
solidified layer) may be left out. In general, perform ance (viz MRR) of the EBM
process is not significantly influenced by the properties (physical, mechanical and
metallurgical) of workpiece material.
This process can machine small diameter holes (0.1 to 1.4 mm) to a large depth
(say, 10 mm) or in other words, a hole with high aspect ratio (up to 15:1). The
geometry of the hole and depth of the hole to be drilled, determine the average
machining rate (or penetration rate). Further, no mechanical force is applied on
the job; hence fragile (or brittle), thin, and/or low strength workpieces can be eas-
ily machined. Off-the-axis holes (or inclined holes) can also be machined by this
process.
There is no distortion due to mechanical forces; however, very high tempera-
ture gradient would result in residual th erm al stresses. Another limitation of the
process is very high cost of the equipment. The operator also should be skilled
one. The quality of the edges produced is determined by the thermal properties of
the workpiece material and the pulse energy [Kaczmarek, 1976]. The heat
affected zone (HAZ) depends upon pulse duration and the diameter of the hole
being drilled.
APPLICATIONS
*
EBM is more popular in industries like aerospace, insulation, fo od process-
ing, chemical, clothing, etc. It is very useful in those cases where number of holes
(simple as well as complex shaped) required in a workpiece may range from
hundreds to thousands (perforation of sheets, etc). This Process is also used for
drilling thousands of holes (diameter < 1.00 mm) in very thin plates used for tur-
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bine engine combustor domes. Many thousand holes (diameter < 1.0 mm) in a
cobalt alloy fibre spinning head of thickness around 5 mm are drilled by EBM.
This drilling is claimed to be 100 times faster than EDM. Holes in the filters and
screens used in food processing industries are also made by this process.
The applications o f EBM also encompass the areas like making of fine gas
orifices in space nuclear reactors, holes in wire drawing dies, cooling holes in
turbine blades, metering holes in injector nozzles of diesel engines, etc. EBM is
also being employed for pattern generation for integrated circuit fabrication.
In EBM, the beam power, focus, pulse duration and mechanical motion have
been controlled numerically. This would permit more accurate and complex
shaped machining using numerically controlled EBM system (NC-EBM).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Bellows G. and Kohls J.B. (March 1982), Drilling without Drills, Special
Report 743, Am. Machinist, pp. 173-188.
2. Bhattacharyya A. (1973), New Technology, The Institution of Engineers (I),
Calcutta, India.
3. Kaczmarek J. (1976), Principles o f Machining by Cutting, Abrasion and
Erosion, Peter Pergrinus Ltd., Stevenge, pp. 514-528.
4. McGeough J.A. (1988), Advanced Methods o f Machining, Chapman and
Hall, London, pp. 11-33.
5. Pandey P.C. and Shan H.S. (1980), M odem Machining Processes, Tata-
McGraw Hill, Publishing Co. Ltd., New Delhi.
PROBLEMS
(1) Explain the working principle of EBM process. Make the necessary sketch.
(2) Can you machine electrically non-conducting materials using EBM process?
(3) How the work-table is protected from getting damaged by the electron beam
which has completely penetrated the workpiece?
(4) How a complex shape can be cut using EBM process?
(5) Write an equation to compute specific energy of vaporization.
(6) Write four specific applications where you feel that EBM should be the pre-
ferable choice.

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Chapter Ten

ELECTRON BEAM MACHINING SYSTEM

(i) E lectron Beam G un

High V oltage lead

Fig. 10.1 Schematic diagram of electron beam machining system.

(ii) Power Supply

(iii) Vacuum System and M achining Chamber

where, Cp is specific heat, Tm is melting temperature, Ts is initial tem perature of

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROCESS

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