Electron Beam Melting (EBM), is a type of rapid prototyping for metal parts. It is often classified as a rapid manufacturing method. The technology manufactures parts by melting metal powder layer per layer with an electron beam in a high vacuum. Unlike some metal sintering techniques, the parts are fully solid, void-free and extremely strong
This solid freeform fabrication method produces solid metal pieces directly from metal powder with characteristics of the target material. The EBM machine reads in data from a 3D CAD model and lays down successive layers of powdered material and in this way builds up the model. These layers are fused together utilizing a computer controlled electron beam. The melted material is from a pure alloy in powder form of the final material to be fabricated (No filler). For that reason the Electron beam Technology doesn’t require additional thermal treatment to obtain full mechanical properties of the parts. That aspect allows classification of EBM with LSM where competing technologies like SLS and DMLS which required thermal treatment after fabrication. Comparatively to SLS and DMLS, EBM has a generally inferior build rate (Speed) because of its scanning method (1D).
Minimum layer thickness: 0.05mm
This technology was developed by Arcam AB in Sweden
Titanium alloys are widely used with this technology which makes it a technical candidate for the medical implant market. Highly demanding mechanical application is also targeted. The tolerance capability of this technology is around +/-0.013″.
During the CAD to Metal process, an electron beam melts metal powder in a layer-by-layer process to build the physical part. The Arcam EBM machines use a powder bed configuration and are capable of producing multiple parts in the same build
1. The part is designed in a 3D CAD programme.
2. The part is built up in the Electron Beam Melting (EBM) process.
December 4th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Electron Beam Melting (EBM), is a type of rapid prototyping for metal parts. It is often classified as a rapid manufacturing method. The technology manufactures parts by melting metal powder layer per layer with an electron beam in a high vacuum. Unlike some metal sintering techniques, the parts are fully solid, void-free and extremely strong
This solid freeform fabrication method produces solid metal pieces directly from metal powder with characteristics of the target material. The EBM machine reads in data from a 3D CAD model and lays down successive layers of powdered material and in this way builds up the model. These layers are fused together utilizing a computer controlled electron beam. The melted material is from a pure alloy in powder form of the final material to be fabricated (No filler). For that reason the Electron beam Technology doesn’t require additional thermal treatment to obtain full mechanical properties of the parts. That aspect allows classification of EBM with LSM where competing technologies like SLS and DMLS which required thermal treatment after fabrication. Comparatively to SLS and DMLS, EBM has a generally inferior build rate (Speed) because of its scanning method (1D).
Minimum layer thickness: 0.05mm
This technology was developed by Arcam AB in Sweden
Titanium alloys are widely used with this technology which makes it a technical candidate for the medical implant market. Highly demanding mechanical application is also targeted. The tolerance capability of this technology is around +/-0.013″.
December 4th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
During the CAD to Metal process, an electron beam melts metal powder in a layer-by-layer process to build the physical part. The Arcam EBM machines use a powder bed configuration and are capable of producing multiple parts in the same build
1. The part is designed in a 3D CAD programme.
2. The part is built up in the Electron Beam Melting (EBM) process.
3. The result is a solid metal part.