Production

Techniques-II
ME F313

ELECTRON BEAM MACHINING

(EBM)

Electron Beam Machining (EBM)

EBM is a thermal process.
A stream of high speed electrons impinges on the

work surface.
Hence, huge amount kinetic energy is transferred to
work material producing intense heating.
This heat melts and vaporizes the workpiece
material.
Typical applications of EBM are:
Annealing
Welding
Metal removal

The electron beam can be maneuvered

by the
magnetic deflection coils, making the machining of
complex contour easy.
A vacuum chamber is used to minimize collisions of
accelerated electrons with air molecules.
The EBM is a suitable process for drilling fine holes
and cutting narrow slots.
The narrowest of the slots that can be cut by EBM is
around 25 micron.
To indicate the wide range of applications of the
electron beam , a plot of the power density versus hot
spot diameter is given in following figure.

Effects of EBM on materials

Process is done in vacuum, so it is best suited to

small
parts,
and
vacuum
also
reduces
contamination.
Very high heat concentration reduces peripheral
heating of surface less than 25-50 micrometers from
the cut, the part is at room temperature.

LASER BEAM MACHINING

Introduction
LASER is an acronym for

Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of R

adiation (electromagnetic radiation)

Properties of laser

Laser light is different from normal light

It is a monochromatic Light
Light released is coherent (constructive)
Light is very much directional and a very
strong and concentrated beam

Properties of laser
Single specific wavelength

(Wavelength of light is determined by the amount of

energy released when the electron drops to a lower
orbit)
A flashlight, on the other hand, releases light in
many directions, and the light is very weak and
diffuse
A stimulated emission enables the fore told
properties

Properties of laser
A power density as high as 107 W/mm2 can be

produced as the laser beam is perfectly parallel and

monochromatic
Such high power achieved by using Pulsed ruby
laser
The continuous CO2-N2 laser has also been used in
machining operations

Principle of Working
A coiled xenon flash tube is placed around the ruby

rod (which emits laser)

The internal surface is made of highly reflecting for
maximum light to fall on ruby rod for the pumping
operation
The capacitor is charged and a very high voltage is
applied to electrode to initiate the flash (ref following
fig)
The emitted laser beam is focused by a lens system
and the concentrated beam meets the work surface

Machining & Post Machining

When the focused beam meets the work surface, a

small portion of material removed by vaporization

and high speed ablation
A small fraction of the molten metal is vaporized so
quickly that a substantial mechanical impulse is
generated
Finally, care must be taken to cool the system, as
the energy released by the flash tube is greater than
the energy emitted by the laser head in the form of
laser beam

Other aspects of LBM

Efficiency of LBM is 0.3 % to 0.5 %
Typical output energy of a laser is 20J with the a

pulse duration of 1 millisecond

Peak power touches a value around 20,000W
Divergence of the beam is 2 x 10-3 rad and this with
a lens of focal length of 25 mm gives a spot diameter
of 50 m

Applications of LBM
Laser beam is used for d
drilling micro holes
cutting very narrow slots
Holes upto 250 m diameter can be easily drilled by

laser
Dimensional accuracy is around 0.025 mm
A taper of 0.05 mm per mm is noticed if+the work piece

is more than 0.25 mm thick

PLASMA ARC MACHINING

(PAM)

Introduction
A plasma is a high temperature ionized gas
PAM is done with a high speed jet of a high

temperature plasma
This jet heats up the workpiece causing a quick
melting
PAM can be used on all materials which conduct
electricity, including those which are resistant to oxyfuel gas cutting

APPLICATIONS
Profile cutting of stainless steel, monel and super

alloy plates

PLASMA?
Plasma is generated by subjecting a
flowing gas to the electron bombardment
of an arc
For this, the arc is set up between the
electrode and the anodic nozzle; gas is
forced to flow through this arc

Mechanics of PAM
The high velocity electrons of the arc collide with the

gas molecules
This causes a dissociation of the diatomic molecules
or atoms into ions and electrons
This results in a substantial increase in the
conductivity of the gas which is now in plasma state
The free electrons accelerate and cause more
ionization and heating

Afterwards, a further increase in the temperature

takes place
This happens when the ions and free electrons
recombine into atoms or when the higher temperature
plasma is generated
This is forced through the nozzle in the form of a jet
The mechanics can be described in 2 steps
Heating and melting
Removal of the molten metal by the blasting action of

the plasma jet

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Thanks