The first-ever autonomous weld created in space has been made using an electron beam gun that was designed and manufactured by TWI Ltd. The one centimetre weld, which was made in aluminium, is now undergoing testing at the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Materials and Electrical Components Laboratory Centre in The Netherlands. ESA engineers are performing a range of examinations and tests to compare the weld to identical samples produced on Earth.
Electron beam welding is a highly controllable process that penetrates deep into the metal with no wasted energy. As the process requires a vacuum to prevent the beam scattering in the presence of gas, electron beam welding is a good solution for welding in space. In addition, electron beam welding is already highly automated and computer controlled, making it suitable for space applications. However, there is a need to test how factors such as how the lack of gravity impacted the physics of the weld, hence the comparative testing that is taking place.
The electron beam system that was used may also prove capable of in-space additive manufacturing and cutting applications, and builds upon TWI’s experience of creating bespoke electron beam solutions for a range of industries. This is just part of TWI’s work with the space industry as TWI is also the ESA Technology Broker for the UK, providing a route for collaboration between the space and the non-space sectors, creating mutual opportunities for growth and innovation.
You can see more about the autonomous electron beam weld, here: https://www.twi-global.com/media-and-events/press-releases/2024/twi-technology-delivers-autonomous-space-made-weld
To find out more about TWI’s activities as the ESA Technology Broker UK, please see here: https://www.esa-technology-broker.co.uk/
