Electron beam welding process - Air Liquide Welding

Electron Beam 

welding process 

www.airliquidewelding.com

Electron beam welding general presentation 

The principle of electron beam welding is relatively simple: 

electrons are accelerated by a high difference electrical 

potential and concentrated on a target. The electron’s kinetic 

energy is then transformed, for the most part, into thermal 

energy melting the metal and producing welds. 

The electron emission 

Some materials such, tantalium or hexaboride 

of lanthanum allow to get an appropriate quantity of free 

electrons when they are,heated up to a high 

temperature, and are used for emissive gun elements 

manufacturing. 

Inside electron guns these emissive elements can be 

heated up by two different modes: 

• direct heating by joule effect, 

• indirect heating by use of an electron bombardment 

from a filament. 

Vacuum environment necessity 

The emissive element and the electrodes are placed in 

the gun. The piece to be welded is located in the welding 

chamber. 

Since the collision of free electrons and gas molecule 

which would induce beam dispersion and a decrease in 

the carried power density, the gun and the piece to be 

welded are vacuum pumped. 

The dimension of the welding chamber depends on the 

dimension of the parts to be welded with its positioning 

equipment and can vary from few litres up to few ten m 3 . 

The electron acceleration 

In order to be extracted from the surface of the emissive 

element, the free electrons need to be submitted to a 

strenuous electrostatic field. The potential difference 

between the emissive element (cathode) and the 

opposite electrode (anode) allows to create this field, 

which accelerates the electrons by giving them a kinetic 

energy. 

Filament 

Cathode 

Filament heating voltage 

- + 

- 

Reference potential 

Bias Voltage 

- 

Accelerating 

voltage 

Electron Beam creation 

In the inter-electrode space, the electrodes geometry 

defines the electron trajectories. First, the electron beam 

converges in the anode drilled in its center. 

Then, the beam continues by inertia and diverges. 

In order to be used for welding, the beam is focused by 

an exciting coil placed in the gun. The focus length is set 

up by current adjustment inside the focusing coil. 

Wehnelt 

Anode 

Focusing 

coil 

Target: parts 

to be welded 

+ 

Air Liquide Welding indirect heating gun 

2

Since the beginning of the Electron Beam Welding process 40 years ago and its first 

dedicated application; the welding of tubular fuel elements of nuclear cells; Electron beam 

welding has since being used world-wide and its range of applications extends from 

welding thin foil to workpieces with walls over 100 mm thick. 

Electron Beam process 

The electrons are small particles of matter with small mass. 

When they are accelerated they hit the piece transferring 

their kinetic energy into thermal energy ensuring metal 

melting creating plasma of metallic vapours. 

The E.B. welding process is a high energetic process 

allowing to use very high power up to ten's of kW 

on small surfaces of 5/10 of mm diameter. 

However, the total heat input is actually much lower 

than that of any arc welding process. 

❯ 2 strips stainless steel of 0.1 mm thickness 

❯ Overlapping welds 

❯ 13% chrome steel 

❯ 20 mm thickness 

❯ One pass 

penetration butt 

welding 

❯ Welding speed 

1 m/min 

❯ Power 10.3 kW 

Principals advantages of the electron beam 

welding process: 

• very small deformations after welding, 

• very thick materials (exceeding 60 mm with steel) in one pass, 

• possibility to weld all the steel, copper, nickel materials, aluminium, 

metals sensitive to oxygen and other gases as zirconium, titanium… 

• no filler metal and no gas, 

• high welding quality. The welds obtained are exceptionally pure, 

• high reliability, 

❯ Zirconium Zr2 of 10 mm thickness 

❯ Fillet weld 

❯ Total penetration 14.2 mm 

❯ Welding speed 1 m/min 

❯ Power 7.2 kW 

• high reproducibility, 

• high productivity. 

3

Air Liquide Welding answer: 

Electron Beam welding equipment 

A large range of solutions 

The specific chamber, tools and vacuum system have 

to be defined according to the piece characteristics and 

the needs in term of quality and quantity. 

For that, we will define jointly your specific requirement 

in term of: 

• piece characteristics with drawing and especially 

joint definition, 

• grade steel (chemical composition), 

• the required quantity (pieces/hour), 

• criteria of acceptability, 

Air Liquide Welding offers: 

• In term of production rate some Turn tables to load 

in masked time, robot for handling... 

• In term of process quality, Recorder, Video control 

(process), Beam deflection. 

Thanks to our experienced teams, we can respond 

to yours specifics need. 

Examples of a universal welding chamber for automotive 

application (gear-wheels...) 

136 litres (580 mm x 500 mm x 470 mm) 

ST Standard 

gun based on 

a motorized 

displacement 

carriage. 

One manual 

closing door 

equipped with 

2 viewing 

windows. 

Two 

Headstocks. 

Remote control box 

Start gun shot 

Axis displacement choice 

Focalisation current set 

Axis displacement 

hand crank 

Emergency Stop 

End gun shot 

Beam current set 

Central system control by CNC 

Based on its long experience, Air Liquide Welding 

developed a specific software dedicated to the E.B.W 

process which controls the overall machine operation. 

Through a C.N.C, it manages: 

• The operation cycle, 

• The vacuum system, 

• The numerised axis, 

• The main parameters through the E.B.Generator. 

A control panel will receive the general controls of the 

machine (Automatic cycle start/stop, welding chamber 

venting…) and can on demand be modified to accept 

the specific control required by the customer. 

A very useful remote control box permits to modify the 

current of the focalisation and the current beam closed 

to the welding chamber. Thus, through the viewing 

window, it makes easier set up of welding parameter. 

4

Intensive working for over 35 years 

in industries 

All our E.B generators are low voltage triode gun. It gives 

many advantages as: 

• A beam a little bit thicker and consequently a much 

larger tolerance in the preparation of the edge to be 

welded. 

• Low emission of X rays parasite. 

Moreover, our solid cathodes are heated indirectly and are 

made from W in some case (Zirconium welding) and more 

generally in LaB6 material. These last materials present the 

characteristic to work at low temperature compared to 

other materials such as W or Ta. It offers a very long life 

from 1000 hours up to 2000 hours in comparison with 

the common consumable parts of industrial electron beam 

generator. Moreover, the electrodes have a short coupling. 

It confers to the gun a very good stability of electronic 

trajectories and a good repeatability of the impact position. 

ST Standards series: 

autonomous E.B generator 

Our ST Standard gun 

Air Liquide Welding proposes a large range of 

autonomous electron beam welding generator from 

6 kW - 45 kV to 100 kW - 100 kV made up of: 

• Our triode gun with indirect cathode heating, 

• Our high voltage resonance power supply 

assembly with oil free and auxiliary tank, 

• A high voltage cable with low capacitance. 

An electrical cabinet with all the control loop of 

the process, a P.L.C, and a control box to set all 

the fundamentals E.B.W parameters. 

Thus, our E.B.Generator can work alone or under 

control of our C.N.C. In this way, the maintenance is 

made easier and on the other hand, we can on 

demand realize refurbishment on existent machine. 

Air Liquide Welding automous E.B generator 

(High voltage cable not represented) 

5

Think different: Think Electron Beam welding 

A new fashion to design your pieces 

The wide range of energy density of the electron beam allows to readily obtain 

sound welds, presenting satisfactory mechanical characteristics and almost 

without any deformation, on materials for which a conventional welding process 

would be extremely complex, or even impossible, to perform: 

Integral machined piece 

Cost Reduction 

100 mm thickness titanium butt weld 

The same piece welded by E.B.W 

Fillet welds of stainless steel 

Total penetration without deformation 

Up to 2 pieces welded by minute 

possible on this kind of application. 

6

Electron Beam welding activity 

Air Liquide Welding is part of the Air Liquide group the world 

leader in industrial and medical gases and related services. 

The group offers innovative solutions based on constantly 

enhanced technologies to help manufacture many indispensable 

products and preserve life. 

Air Liquide Welding experience 

The electron beam welding installations offered by 

Air Liquide Welding is the result of the integration of 

the technologies developed and the experience gained 

from our industrial achievements over the last thirty five 

years in electron beam technology. 

Air Liquide Welding has many more references in 

electron beam welding in technological environment 

known through the trademark SAFMATIC as varied as: 

• aeronautics, 

• mechanic, hydraulic, pneumatic components, 

• motorcar automobile, 

• nuclear, 

• boiler construction. 

Consequently the elements of our installation have 

already met the many functioning criteria required in 

those demanding 

industrial contexts. 

The optimization 

of technical 

characteristics due 

to those different 

applications has 

lead to a high level 

of stability and 

reliability which is 

well appreciated 

by our Customer. 

Electron Beam welding workshop 

Project feasibility 

and small size production 

Our means of production and our means of control are 

at your service for prototypes and small quantities 

production. 

Machine 

12 kW maxi. 

Controlled 

by micro-computer 

10 kW maxi. 

Controlled 


Characteristic 

Enclosure: 24 dm 3 

Controlled axis for radial welding 

Enclosure: 900 x 400 x 400 

Controlled axis for axial and radial welding 

Benefit from the research 

department of Air Liquide Welding 

Our research and development team is composed of 

more than 140 persons working to develop innovative 

solutions in: 

• metallurgy, 

• health and safety, 

• productivity, 

• gas, equipment, 

• consumables and 

tool combinations. 

6 kW maxi. 

Controlled 


Enclosure: 520 x 410 x 460 

Controlled axis for axial and radial welding 

Innovation is a state of mind for the group employees. 

This is clearly illustrated through the many patented 

inventions developed by our researchers in the CTAS 

(Technical Centre for Welding Applications) the largest 

private research centre for welding and cutting technologies. 

7

Contacts 

BELGIUM 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING BELGIUM SA 

Z.I. West Grijpen - Grijpenlaan 5 - 3300 TIENEN 

Tel.: +32 16 80 48 20 - Fax: +32 16 78 29 22 

CHINA 

SAF SHANGHAI REP.OFF. 

Rm 722 Pine City Hotel 

777 Zhao Jia Bang Lu - SHANGHAI 200032 

Tel.: +86 21 64 43 89 69 - Fax: +86 21 64 43 58 97 

CZECH REPUBLIC 

AIR LIQUIDE CZ S.R.O. - Welding and Cutting 

Podnikatelská 565 - Areál SVUM - 190 11 PRAHA 9 - Búchovice 

Tel.: +420 274 023 163 - Fax: +420 274 023 233 

FRANCE 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING FRANCE 

13, rue d’Épluches - BP 70024 Saint-Ouen l'Aumône 

95315 CERGY PONTOISE Cedex 

Tel.: +33 1 34 21 33 33 - Fax: +33 1 34 21 31 30 

GERMANY 

OERLIKON SCHWEISSTECHNIK GmbH 

Industriestrasse 12 - D-67304 EISENBERG/PFALZ 

Tel.: +49 6351 4760 - Fax: +49 6351 476 335 

HUNGARY 

AIR LIQUIDE HUNGARY - Welding & Cutting 

Krisztina krt. 39/b - H-1013 BUDAPEST 

Tel.: +36 1 339 8650 - Fax: +36 1 339 8649 

ITALY 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING ITALY 

Via Torricelli 15/A - 37135 VERONA 

Tel.: +39 045 82 91 511 - Fax: +39 045 82 91 536 

LUXEMBOURG 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING LUXEMBOURG S.A. 

5 rue de la Déportation - BP 1385 - L-1415 LUXEMBOURG 

Tel.: +352 48 54 56 - Fax: +352 48 54 57 

MALAYSIA 

SAF-OERLIKON MALAYSIA SDN BHD 

No 10, Jalan TPP 5/1 

Taman Perindustrian Puchong - 47100 PUCHONG, SELANGOR 

Tel.: +603 8060 8638 - Fax: +603 8061 620 

NETHERLANDS 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING NETHERLANDS 

Rudonk 6 B - NL 4824 AJ BREDA 

Tel.: +31 76 541 00 80 - Fax: +31 76 541 58 96 

POLAND 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING POLSKA - SP. Z.o.o 

UL. Porcelanowa 10 - 40-246 KATOWICE 

Tel.: +48 32 609 04 50 - Fax: +48 32 609 04 60 

ALW Export Department Italy 

Via Torricelli15/A 

37135 VERONA 

Tel.: +39 045 82 91 511- Fax: +39 045 82 91 536 

E-mail: export.alwitaly@airliquide.com 

Contacts for other countries 

ALW Export Department France 

13, rue d'Epluches 

BP 70024 Saint Ouen l'Aumône 

95315 CERGY-PONTOISE Cedex 

Tel.: +33 1 34 21 33 33 - Fax: +33 1 30 37 19 73 

E-mail: export.alwfrance@airliquide.com 

PORTUGAL 

AIR LIQUIDE SOLDADURA LDA 

Rua Dr. António Loureiro Borges, 4-2° Arquiparque 

Miraflores - 1495-131 ALGÉS 

Tel: +351 21 41 64 900 - Fax: +351 21 41 69 40 

ROMANIA 

DUCTIL 

Aleea Industriilor Nr 1 - 120224 BUZAU 

Tel.: +40 238 722 058 - Fax: +40 238 716 861 

RUSSIA 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING 

17 Vorontsovskaya Str. - 109147 MOSCOW 

Tel.: +7 495 641 28 98 - Fax: +7 495 641 28 91 

SCANDINAVIA 

OERLIKON SKANDINAVIEN AB 

Krossverksgatan 7 - 216 16 LIMHAMN 

Tel.: +46 (0)40 670 15 00 - Fax: +46 (0)40 670 15 01 

SLOVAKIA 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING CENTRAL EUROPE S.R.O. 

Hlohovecká 6 - 951 41 NITRA - LUŽIANKY 

Tel.: +421 37 692 4610 - Fax : + 421 37 651 28 04 

SPAIN 

OERLIKON SOLDADURA SA 

Poligono Industrial la Noria Carretera de Castellon 

Km-15,500 - 50730 El Burgo de Ebro - ZARAGOZA 

Tel.: +34 976 10 47 00 - Fax: +34 976 10 42 67 

SWITZERLAND 

OERLIKON SCHWEISSTECHNIK AG 

Mandachstrasse 54 - CH 8155 NIEDERHASLI 

Tel.:+41 44 3076 111 - Fax: +41 44 3076 112 

THAILANDE 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING THAILAND Co. Ltd. 

40 Moo 6 - Ramindra Road Km 9.5 - KHANNAYAO, BANGKOK 10230 

Tel.: +66 29 43 2250 - Fax: +66 29 43 2256 

UAE 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING MIDDLE EAST FZE 

Jebel Ali free zone warehouse No. FZS1AH05 

P.O. BOX 18734 - Jebel Ali - DUBAI 

Tel.: +971(0)48861606 - Fax: +971(0)48861608 

U. K. 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING Ltd 

Low March / London Road - DAVENTRY - Northants NN11 4SD 

Tel.: +44 1 327 70 55 11 - Fax: +44 1 327 70 13 10 

UKRAINE 

AIR LIQUIDE WELDING UKRAINE, Llc. 

1 rue Proskura - bureau 106A - 61070 KHARKOV 

Tel.: +380 577 546 867 - Fax: +380 577 546 867 

ALW Export Department Switzerland 

OERLIKON WELDING LTD 

Mandachstrasse 54 

CH - 8155 Niederhasli 

Tel.: +41 44 3076 111 - Fax: +41 44 3076 212 

E-mail: export.oerlikonwelding@airliquide.com 

W 000 274 587 - © Air Liquide Welding - 03/2009 - Ed.1 - PLBD 5584 

www.airliquide.com 

Founded in 1902, Air Liquide is the world leader in industrial and medical gases and related services. The company has offices in 75 countries and employs a work force 

of 43.000. Drawing on constantly renewed technologies, Air Liquide develops groundbreaking solutions used in making countless everyday products and in helping to 

preserve life.

Electron beam welding process - Air Liquide Welding

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