With its capability of removing thin layers from a surface, the RITM machine can be used both to clean a surface and also to remove old coatings, before applying now ones, thus making it possible to re-use tools and mechanical parts.

The surface of a material is continually exposed to its environment and is, therefore, saturated with the elements present in it, which is yet another source of in-homogeneity of its chemical composition. For instance, a surface exposed to the atmosphere has a higher content of carbon and oxygen. The presence of the latter is known to decrease the electrical and chemical resistance of materials. An electron-beam treatment by intense pulsed electron beam generated on the RITM machine essential decreases the concentration of these elements in the near-surface layers.

Coating removal

Removing of thin surface layer of a material, e.g., a used protective coating on a gas-turbine blade is also a critical problem for the industry. This could also be solved using an intense pulsed electron beam generated on the RITM machine.

The figure shows a surface relief of a titanium alloy, half of which was shielded by a foil and another one was subjected to irradiation. The shielded part has retained its original state with a roughness of R_a=0.8 µm, while the irradiated part was first evaporated, and the thickness of the evaporated layer H was measured to be 6.75 µm, then it was polished, with the irradiated surface roughness decreasing down to 0.08 µm, i.e. by an order of magnitude.

This picture shows two used blades. The bottom one in the original state, while the one on top was treated with the RITM machine to remove an old coating and it is ready to be re-coated and used again.

This image shows the removal of a coating DLC (diamond like carbon). The sample was irradiated with the E-Beam on the right, while the black part on the left, the original coating, was shielded from the electrons. This is a kind of coating used on many parts and tools for its wear resistance properties (hardness, low friction coefficient), but that it is very difficult to remove by chemical etching.