Electron beam coating costs

Overlay coatings onto gas-turbine blades and vanes of M—Cr—Al—Y type alloys by electron beam evaporation is estimated at 10 x 10 to coat 200,000 parts at an average cost of 50 per part. 

Another relatively recent development is electron generators that are essentially sealed vacuum tubes with a 2.5 pm-thick silica ceramic window or a 5-10 pm titanium window as the beam exit. Such electron beam tubes or bulbs are capable of operating at 50 to 150 kV,64-67 71 and can be stacked into modules to cure wide webs. It is conceivable that a miniature electron beam could provide an efficient low-cost means to cure thin coatings, adhesives (clear and filled) and inks. Examples of such miniature electron beam equipment are shown in Figures 3.21 and 3.22. 

Lauppi, UV. 2001. Low voltage, low cost electron beam system— An alternative to UV euring. Surf Coat Int PtB-C84(B4) 317-321. 

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