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LASERS AND EB WELDERS OPEN NEW DESIGN VISTAS

ELECTRON BEAM WELDING AND LASERS CUT PRODUCTION COSTS ON TOUGH JOBS. BY FOCUSING A BEAM OF COHERENT LIGHT OR A STREAM OF ELECTRONS ON A TINY TARGET AREA, LASERS AND ELECTRON BEAM WELDERS CAN GENERATE TEMPERATURES UP TO 100,000 C, CAN VAPORIZE METALS AND CERAMICS, AND CAN DRILL THROUGH A DIAMOND. THESE MACHINES ARE EXPENSIVE, BUT THEY DO SO MUCH MORE WORK AND SO MUCH BETTER WORK, THAT THEIR ADDED COSTS ARE QUICKLY RECOVERED. THE SPECIAL VALUE OF FOCUSED-ENERGY MACHINING, LIES IN THE ABILITY TO DO THINGS THAT CANNOT BE DONE WITH CONVENTIONAL EQUIPMENT. ELECTRON BEAM WELDING IS A FUSION PROCESS. WITH THE SHARPLY-FOCUSED ELECTRON BEAM, THE WELD IS VERY NARROW AND VERY DEEP, WITH THE HEAT PRECISELY WHERE NEEDED. A MAJOR ADVANTAGE IS ABSENCE OF HEAT DISTORTION. TRANSITION JOINTS CAN BE MADE BOTH BY ELECTRON BEAM WELDING AND BY VACUUM BRAZING, USING A DEFOCUSED ELECTRON BEAM FOR HEATING. THUS, JOINTS OF DISSIMILAR METALS ARE POSSIBLE EVEN WHEN FUSION TEMPERATURES DIFFER WIDELY. ELECTRON BEAMS HAVE ALSO GAINED WIDE USE IN REFINING METALS. LASER-BASED SYSTEMS CAN CUT ALMOST ANY MATERIAL. LASER WELDERS ARE USED WIDELY IN THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY TO JOIN FINE WIRES AND TINY ELEMENTS IN MICROCIRCUIT ASSEMBLY, BUT IN STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLY WORK THEY ARE LIMITED TO SPECIAL USES WHERE CONVENTIONAL WELDING METHODS ARE UNSATISFACTORY. LASERS CAN ALSO BE USED TO WELD INSULATED WIRES WITHOUT REMOVAL OF THE INSULATION. SAFETY CRITERIA FOR THE USE OF ELECTRON BEAMS AND LASERS HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE.

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Vol 40, No 14, PP 102-110, 2 FIG, 10 PHOT
  • Publication Date: 1969-7-14

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  • Accession Number: 00216910
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Mar 9 1970 12:00AM