>"Using conventional techniques, this can take over a year, but Sheffield Forgemasters have reduced this to under a day using what is called Local Electron-Beam Welding (LEBW) to complete four thick, nuclear-grade welds.
LEBW is a revolutionary method to weld two pieces of metal together using a high-energy density fusion process centered on a high-powered electron gun operating in a local vacuum. This melts and fuses components to one another and allows for an efficiency of 95%, deep penetration, and a high depth-to-width ratio."
Never heard about this before... let's learn more about it!:
Apparently you first need a vaccuum chamber to prevent energy dissipation... that sounds about right...
But then we find this interesting quote:
>"Magnetic lenses can shape the beam into a narrow cone and focus to a small diameter. This allows for a high power density on the surface to be welded."
Now that's super-cool!
(Or, well, super-hot -- as the case may be! :-) )
Then there's this:
>"The beam can then be redirected to meet the needs of applications beyond welding such as surface hardening, annealing, exact beam positioning, imaging, and engraving. Resolution of 0.1 mm can be achieved."
Now that is truly useful!
It seems like this would be an excellent technology for creating future space stations, spaceships and other deep-space vehicles, of one form or another...
LEBW is a revolutionary method to weld two pieces of metal together using a high-energy density fusion process centered on a high-powered electron gun operating in a local vacuum. This melts and fuses components to one another and allows for an efficiency of 95%, deep penetration, and a high depth-to-width ratio."
Never heard about this before... let's learn more about it!:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron-beam_welding
Apparently you first need a vaccuum chamber to prevent energy dissipation... that sounds about right...
But then we find this interesting quote:
>"Magnetic lenses can shape the beam into a narrow cone and focus to a small diameter. This allows for a high power density on the surface to be welded."
Now that's super-cool!
(Or, well, super-hot -- as the case may be! :-) )
Then there's this:
>"The beam can then be redirected to meet the needs of applications beyond welding such as surface hardening, annealing, exact beam positioning, imaging, and engraving. Resolution of 0.1 mm can be achieved."
Now that is truly useful!
It seems like this would be an excellent technology for creating future space stations, spaceships and other deep-space vehicles, of one form or another...
Anyway, great article!