EBF3 System • 42kw electron beam gun

•1x10-6 Torr capability

• 6-axis positioning

•Dual wire feeders

•Automated closed loop control

• Multi applications for aerospace

and manufacturing

•Reduces rough machining

• Fabricates precision parts

• Less costly than wrought forging

•Energy saving by eliminating

most machining and heat treating

EBF3 Advantages

Advancing the Capabilities of Electron

Beam Freeform Fabrication Technology

Jeff Harris

Georgia Institute of Technology

Karen Taminger & William Seufzer

Research and Technology Directorate

Future Plans

Approach Challenges

Project Goals

Timothy Hennig

Western Kentucky University

USRP

Closed Loop Control

• Install a permanent light fixture to ensure uniform lighting.

• Upgrade camera to use color imaging and HDR technology.

• Continue to improve algorithm to process images more

effectively and at higher rates.

• Benchmark properties achieved through utilizing closed loop.

Closed Loop Control

• Digital image analysis of structure builds.

• Implement hardware connections between

collection modules and master control computer.

• Develop algorithms to implement a control

mechanism that improves uniform properties of

metallic structures.

• Working in a vacuum environment.

• Capturing images of highly

luminescent molten pool and already

hardened metal in same snapshot.

• Processing images in a timely manner.

• Determine baseline settings to achieve

desired outcomes.

• Determine best settings for image

acquisition (frame rate, exposure time, etc)

• Experiment with lighting techniques.

• Develop algorithms to efficiently analyze

images and return appropriately adjusted

settings.

Initial settings are sent to the

controller as machine code.

As the machine begins welding,

a camera located inside the

vacuum chamber relays images

to a computer to be analyzed.

The computer determines

whether the build is staying

within the desired ranges and

adjusts settings accordingly.

Various lighting strategies were

investigated to determine which best

illuminated the areas we were most

interested in capturing.

Multiple methods were tested to

determine a way to process captured

images efficiently and effectively.