High frequency electron beam drilling: an economic and environmentally sustainable production process

电子束钻孔是一种新技术，它以每秒超过1000个孔的速度钻出小孔。该工艺的高生产率和重复性对使用传统技术钻进困难或缓慢的材料很有用。成品有数千甚至数百万个小孔，这对高性能过滤器和筛网很有用。这些产品经常出现在航空航天、食品加工、纸浆和纸张、消费品和医疗器械中。 电子束钻孔过程既是动态的，也是爆炸性的。利用磁线圈对准孔洞位置，然后对光束进行激励，以便将大量热量集中在非常小的区域上。当束斑受热时，下面的物质从固体转变为液体，然后在表面下蒸发，导致物质爆炸喷射并形成空洞。 我们将评估电子束钻探作为化学钻探等工艺的可持续替代方案的环境影响。该设备安装在McGill，由PAVAC Industries在加拿大制造。由于空穴形状和深度是电子束硬件的直接结果，McGill将进一步了解电子/物质相互作用，特别关注汽化过程。这些结果将推动我们的蒸发涂层研究，同时为未来围绕脉冲电子束焊接、钻探和添加剂制造的项目提供洞察力。作为这项工作的直接结果，PAVAC将推进他们对钻井过程的理论理解，这将用于改进现有设备和开发新设备，同时还将洞察新的市场机会。通过直接与一家先进设备制造商和一支材料加工专家团队合作，这笔赠款将促进加拿大的研究和业务。

Electron beam drilling is a novel technique whereby small holes are made at rates in excess of 1,000 holes per second. The high productivity and reproducibility of the process is useful for materials that are difficult or slow to drill using conventional techniques. The finished product has thousands or even millions of small holes, which are useful for high performance filters and screens. These products are often found in aerospace, food processing, pulp and paper, consumer goods and medical devices. The electron beam drilling process is both dynamic and explosive. The hole location is targeted using magnetic coils, then the beam is energized such that a large amount of heat is focussed onto a very small area. As the beam spot heats, the underlying material transitions from a solid to liquid, then vaporizes beneath the surface, resulting in the explosive ejection of material and the formation of a hole. We will evaluate the environmental impact of electron beam drilling as a sustainable alternative to processes such as chemical drilling. The equipment, installed at McGill, is fabricated in Canada by PAVAC Industries. Since the hole shape and depth are a direct result of the electron beam hardware, McGill will further its understanding of the electron/matter interaction, with a specific focus on the vaporization process. These results will further our evaporative coating research, while lending insight into future projects surrounding pulsed electron beam welding, drilling and additive manufacturing. As a direct result of this work, PAVAC will advance their theoretical understanding of the drilling process, which will be used to improve current equipment and develop new equipment, while also gaining insight into new market opportunities. By directly partnering an advanced equipment manufacturer with a team of materials processing experts, this grant will advance both Canadian research and business.