Joining
Hybrid joining technologies for sustainable connections
Modern joining technologies for metal and hybrid components –precise, durable, and reliable. We support industrial partners in the development and testing of innovative joining processes for mass-production applications. From feasibility studies to fully functional prototypes.
Joining Technology: Electron Beam Welding
Laser beam welding
To join the wafer-thin metal sheets in a gas-tight and secure manner, most manufacturers rely on the proven laser beam scanner welding process. In this process, a focused beam of light is used as a high-precision tool. The operating principle is as simple as it is ingenious: A high-energy laser beam is generated. A movable mirror captures this beam. By tilting and swiveling, the mirror directs the beam precisely along the desired joint locations on the workpiece. This process is considered extremely reliable and has become established in the industry.
Although light has no mass, the same cannot be said for the mechanics that control it. The mirror that guides the laser beam has a physical mass. To change the direction of the laser beam, the mirror must be accelerated and decelerated. This is where the law of inertia comes into play: the faster the mirror needs to move, the greater the forces acting on the mechanical system. This inertia limits the maximum speed at which the laser can be guided over the workpiece without losing precision.
Electron Beam Welding
Höchstmögliche Schweißnahtqualität durch Vakuumtechnik
In electron beam welding, electrons serve as the medium—several electromagnetic lenses steer the negatively charged particles, which strike the workpieces at up to two-thirds the speed of light and fuse the two workpieces together. This process does not require any inertial steering mechanisms, allowing the electron beam to be guided without delay. Flexibility also increases: Thanks to the ability to quickly deflect the beam, multiple process zones can be processed simultaneously, whereas previously one joint had to be “processed” after the other. Even preheating and post-heating processes can take place almost simultaneously.
Steigerwald EB Anlage 1
Technologischer Fokus: SCHWEIßEN von dünnen Metallblechen t ≤ 0,10 mm
Work area
< 300 x 300 mm
Vacuum chamber
4,9 m³
Vacuum
< 20 min (7*10-4 mbar)
Power
30 kW
Beam-Ø
< 150 µm
High-throughput capability
Bandschleuse
Steigerwald EB Anlage 2
Technologischer Fokus: FUNKTIONALISIEREN von Metallblechen t > 0,10 mm
Work area
< 160 x 160 mm
Vacuum chamber
1,25 m³
Vacuum
12 min (7*10-4 mbar)
Power
15 kW
Beam-Ø
< 150 µm
High-throughput capability
Chamber
Innovative Joining Technologies in comparison
Laser welding
- high weld quality, but complex gas shielding setup
- narrow, delicate welds
- fast and flexible production scaling through parallel processing
Production rate:
~ 20 BPPs /min
(1 Strahl / 1 Scanner)
Welding speed:
> 1,0 m/s
Electron Beam Welding
- highest weld quality
- multiple process zones with a single beam
- stable process conditions, as the process takes place in a vacuum environment
Production rate:
~ 40 BPPs /min
(1 Strahl, 4 Schmelzbäder)
Welding speed:
> 0,6 m/s
Get started on your technology project today!
Contact us for a no-obligation consultation about your development ideas. We’ll help you develop the technologies and processes of the future. Together, we’ll find the best solution for your challenges.
Contact
- +49 371 5397-1725
- sebastian.melzer@iwu.fraunhofer.de