Wed, 21 December, 2022
TWI Technology Fellow, Colin Ribton has had two papers published in a special edition of the Electrotechnica and Electronica journal.
The monthly scientific and technical journal released a special issue dedicated to scientific papers from the 14th International Conference on Electron Beam Technologies, which took place in Varna, Bulgaria.
TWI electron beam expert, Colin Ribton co-authored the first paper, ‘Laser Heated Cathodes for Electron Beam Welding Applications,’ alongside Paul Plumb of CVE Ltd. This paper details investigations carried out by TWI for alternative cathode approaches for electron beam welding to help reduce down times. The development of a button-shaped lanthanum hexaboride cathode that showed negligible evaporation rates is described. This included a series of different modelling and experimental work as well as the development of a number of cathode holder designs. The paper also details how the laser-heated cathode system has been fitted to commercially-available electron beam systems for both welding and powder bed additive manufacturing applications.
Colin Ribton’s second paper included in the special journal, ‘Demagnetization of Thick Section Steels for Electron Beam Welding,’ examines how the ferromagnetic properties of steels used in nuclear plants can cause electron beam deflection. This deflection can lead to joint defects that are costly to repair in the thick section pieces typically used in pressure vessels. The paper details work undertaken to create special equipment for the demagnetisation of large segments as well as a new approach to monitoring the magnetic field during demagnetisation.
You can see both papers and the rest of the special edition of Electrotechnica and Electronica here.