| Abstract Scope |
Over the past few decades, Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (EB-PBF) has evolved from a promising, yet niche AM technology into a powerful tool capable of manufacturing critical components across diverse industries. While initially considered a revolutionary technology poised to disrupt and replace traditional manufacturing, it has instead found its place working alongside and complementing traditional approaches, often providing greater design flexibility, reduced lead times, and in many cases, a more cost-effective way of producing high-performance parts. This address will trace the historical development and context of EB-PBF, highlighting its unique capabilities and challenges. Particular emphasis will be placed on the recent breakthroughs in microstructure control, and refractory metal processing. And how, when coupled with efforts to develop real-time, in-situ monitoring tools to capture and analyze defects and microstructural evolution as they evolve, are setting the stage for first-time-right manufacturing of bespoke components. |