First and Second Generation Electron Beam Surface Engineering

Much information is available in the literature concerning the results of laboratory investigations and industrial implementation of surface hardening carried out on iron, copper, titanium and aluminum alloys by researchers worldwide. At present the potential of conventional surface engineering methods for improvement of physical and mechanical properties of materials is largely exhausted. In this respect, the use of concentrated energy beams, especially, exposure of materials to electron beams has extended capabilities for evolving radically new surface technologies. The paper discusses the results obtained when investigating different surface engineering methods which use electron beams for processing iron, titanium, and aluminum alloy systems.