An overview of industrial beam technology

High energy beam technology is a term used to describe processes involving electron beams or lasers which can operate at high power densities, typically up to 10¹⁰ KW/m², or for techniques using beams of ionised species with high kinetic energy, obtained by the application of a high accelerating voltage, generally up to 100 keV. Such processes are now widely accepted as practical alternatives for many industrial applications, and they can frequently be employed in unique situations for which no previous technique existed. The author introduces the main areas of application of high energy beam techniques, as well as presenting an outline of future areas for exploitation and the scope for further developments