EBM

Introduction of EBM

Electron beam melting (EBM) is a technology for printing metal materials, which differs from other metal printing technologies in the heat source employed. DMLS or SLM use lasers as heat sources, while EBM uses electron beams to melt conductive metal powders together layer by layer. One of the reasons for the rapid development of EBM technology is its ability to melt refractory metals. As shown in Fig. 1, the γ-TiAl alloy part was manufactured by EBM technology. This material is difficult to cut in general technology.

Fig. 1. (a) Schematic of the parts layout for Electron Beam Melting (EBM) operations, (b) actual γ-TiAl cylinder fabricated by EBM. (Chowdhury, M.A.K; et al., 2021)

Services

CD BioSciences is a trusted technology company focused on providing 3D printing services to global customers. The strong, high temperature and corrosion resistance of metal parts makes them popular. As a result, new 3D printing technologies are constantly emerging for the manufacture of metal components, and EBM is one of the newest technologies.

CD BioSciences provides professional EBM technology to support innovative manufacturing across industries. Our EBM technology consists primarily of an electron beam melting device and a modeling platform. Metal parts are built layer by layer by melting metal powders with electron beams under the control of CAD data. The modeling platform supports and positions the parts being built.

The entire process is carried out in a vacuum chamber, which both guarantees the high strength of the material and eliminates the possibility of impurities such as oxides to ensure a clean and controlled build environment.

In addition, the steering of the electron beam does not require moving the printer parts, so the melting rate of the electron beam can be increased, thus speeding up printing efficiency.

EBM technology has become a crucial technology in many industries due to the use of high-energy electron beams as heat sources and the characteristics of high density and mechanical strength of printed parts.

EBM electronic beam has strong penetration and directly controls the printer through CAD data, which greatly improves production efficiency and design freedom.

Materials for EBM

The materials that can be used for EBM technology are conductive metals.

• Titanium alloy
• Chromium-cobalt alloy
• Titanium alloy
• Nickel alloy
• Aluminium alloy

Applications of EBM

EBM is capable of handling high temperature resistant and cracking materials, such as titanium aluminide, and can manufacture complex and fine parts. These advantages make EBM widely used in aerospace, medicine and other fields.

• Aerospace industries
• Automobile industries
• Automobile manufacturing industries

Advantages of EBM

• Able to handle brittle and refractory metal alloys and pure metals
• High part density and precision
• Uniform microstructure
• Superior mechanical performance
• High material utilization rate. Unused materials can be recycled
• Fast printing rate
• Manufacture complex structures

EBM is an innovative metal rapid prototyping technology, which is widely used in many fields. The advantages of EBM are particularly evident in the aerospace and medical industries. CD BioSciences provides professional EBM technical services and has an experienced team ready to help you with any 3D printing problems you might encounter.

If you are interested in our services, please contact us. All services are available on a 24/7/365 basis.

Reference

1. Chowdhury, M.A.K.; et al. (2021). Optimizing 3D Printed Metallic Object's Postprocessing: A Case of Gamma-TiAl Alloys. Materials. 14, 1246.