Location
Cocoa Beach, Florida
Start Date
3-4-1967 12:00 AM
Description
The usefulness of electron beams for heating materials has long been known and recognized. It was only within the past few years , however, that the usefulness of these beams for cutting and welding metallic materials was realized. The most important single factor in using this high energy source for metals fabrication is the ability to contain all the available energy in the beam into an extremely small area. When the power in a beam of electrons is spread widely over the surface of a material , the specific power is not sufficiently great to produce melting ; however , concentrating this power in a small spot provides temperatures which frequently are in excess of 10,000°F. Such temperatures are sufficiently high to provide fusion or evaporation in any material. Obviously, to produce a weld, the material must melt and then fuse. This melting must be controlled and must be sufficiently quiescent to provide a smooth, porosity-free joint with usable mechanical properties. The electron beam accomplishes this.
Developments in welding using these electron beams have been under way for several years . During the early efforts, the primary interest was in determining which materials could be joined satisfactorily. In more recent years, however, the interest has been directly related to the development of equipment which would utilize these beams to the widest advantages of those associated with the aerospace industry. To accomplish these ends, both government-and company-sponsored programs have assisted in the development of systems necessary for effective utilization of electron beams for in-space welding. This process now is finding serious consideration as the only practical means of providing in-space fabrication and maintenance .
Hand-Held Electron Beam Gun For In-Space Welding
Cocoa Beach, Florida
The usefulness of electron beams for heating materials has long been known and recognized. It was only within the past few years , however, that the usefulness of these beams for cutting and welding metallic materials was realized. The most important single factor in using this high energy source for metals fabrication is the ability to contain all the available energy in the beam into an extremely small area. When the power in a beam of electrons is spread widely over the surface of a material , the specific power is not sufficiently great to produce melting ; however , concentrating this power in a small spot provides temperatures which frequently are in excess of 10,000°F. Such temperatures are sufficiently high to provide fusion or evaporation in any material. Obviously, to produce a weld, the material must melt and then fuse. This melting must be controlled and must be sufficiently quiescent to provide a smooth, porosity-free joint with usable mechanical properties. The electron beam accomplishes this.
Developments in welding using these electron beams have been under way for several years . During the early efforts, the primary interest was in determining which materials could be joined satisfactorily. In more recent years, however, the interest has been directly related to the development of equipment which would utilize these beams to the widest advantages of those associated with the aerospace industry. To accomplish these ends, both government-and company-sponsored programs have assisted in the development of systems necessary for effective utilization of electron beams for in-space welding. This process now is finding serious consideration as the only practical means of providing in-space fabrication and maintenance .
