Use of beam deflection to control an electron beam wire deposition process

1. A method for controlling an electron beam process wherein a wire is melted and deposited onto a substrate as a molten pool, the method comprising:

determining the position of the wire relative to the molten pool;

identifying a scan region on the wire using the position;

generating an electron beam having a complex raster pattern; and

selectively heating an outer surface of the wire by focusing a portion of the complex raster pattern on the scan region, thereby guiding the wire as it is fed toward the substrate;

wherein selectively heating the outer surface of the wire retains a position of the wire with respect to the molten pool.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the complex raster pattern includes controlling each of a location, a power, and a dwell time of the electron beam with respect to the scan region.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electron beam process is one of: electron beam welding and electron beam freeform fabrication.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising splitting a duty cycle of the electron beam, and temporarily diverting the electron beam to simultaneously execute several processing functions.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selectively preheating a portion of the substrate using the electron beam, the portion of the substrate being positioned ahead of the molten pool with respect to the wire.

6. A method for controlling an electron beam freeform fabrication process wherein a wire is melted and deposited onto a substrate as a molten pool, the method comprising:

generating an electron beam having a complex raster pattern;

determining when the wire begins to move away from the molten pool; and

directing a portion of the complex raster pattern of the electron beam onto a scan region on a side of an outer surface of the wire to thereby selectively and locally heat the outer surface at the scan region, and to thereby maintain the position of the wire with respect to the molten pool; and

wherein the electron beam steers the wire into the molten pool by causing the wire to curl away from the scan region, thereby retaining the position of the wire with respect to the molten pool.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising: forming a three-dimensional component in progressive layers using the molten pool.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein generating the electron beam having a complex raster pattern comprises: controlling each of a location, a power, and a dwell time of the electron beam with respect to the scan region.

9. The method of claim 6 . further comprising: splitting a duty cycle of the electron beam, diverting the electron beam using the split duty cycle, and simultaneously executing several processing functions using the diverted electron beam.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the several processing functions comprise at least one of: preheating of the substrate, preheating the wire before it enters the molten pool, controlling the shape and temperature distribution of the molten pool, and heat treating a vicinity of the molten pool.

11. An apparatus for controlling an electron beam process wherein a wire is melted and deposited onto a substrate as a molten pool, the apparatus comprising:

a beam gun adapted for generating the electron beam; and

a controller adapted for:

providing the electron beam with a complex raster pattern;

determining the position of the wire relative to the molten pool;

identifying a scan region on a side of the wire using the position; and

directing a portion of the complex raster pattern of the electron beam onto the identified scan region on the outer surface of the wire to selectively heat the scan region, thereby maintaining the position of the wire with respect to the molten pool.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is adapted for generating the complex raster pattern by controlling each of a location, a power, and a dwell time of the electron beam with respect to the scan region.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is adapted for splitting a duty cycle of the electron beam, and for using portions of the duty cycle to divert the electron beam for simultaneously executing additional processing functions.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is adapted for receiving a three-dimensional design file, dividing the design file into a plurality of layers, and for forming a product using the plurality of layers.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the product is a three-dimensional component or part of at least one of: a vehicle, an aircraft, and a spacecraft.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is adapted to change the stiffness of the wire using localized heating of the wire at the scan region, thereby causing a curling of the wire toward the molten pool.