M. Svensson, S. Thundal, Arcam AB, Mölndal, Sweden
In recent years, Electron Beam Melting (EBM) has matured as a technology for rapid manufacturing of fully dense metal parts. The parts are built by additive consolidation of thin layers of metal powder, using an electron beam. With EBM, it is possible to create parts with geometries too complex to be fabricated by other methods, e.g. fine network structures, internal cavities and channels. A complete study of the mechanical and chemical properties has recently been made on both RAW and HIP condition, revealing the true benefit of using EBM in for example fatigue-critical components. With its production-like environment it delivers full traceability from ingot to the final part and complies with the industry-driven standards for aerospace applications. The EBM process is described in detail, with focus on mechanical properties of titanium alloys used for aerospace applications.
