High Strength 3D Non‐Vacuum Electron Beam Weld Joints ‐ Setting of Gradient Material Properties and Testing of Weld Quality

Highly loaded structures made of modern metallic materials are increasingly being placed under stringent standards with regard to the mechanical strength and deformation properties of their individual parts as well as with regard to the loading capacity of their joints. In order to create strain profiles in individual structural components, such components are heated with an electron beam at defined locations in order to bring in local microstructure changes and consequently the targeted local changes in the strength and deformation properties of the material with respect to a delayed crack growth. Additionally, components with specifically set tensile strength are welded to high quality structures. For this purpose the young but efficient non‐vacuum electron beam welding (NV‐EBW) method is used and further developed. Weld quality is examined especially in regard to an improved beam positioning, process control and weld joint defect detection.