Electron Beam Consortium launched to advance PBF-EB Additive Manufacturing
April 10, 2025
The Barnes Global Advisors (TBGA), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, has facilitated the formation of the Electron Beam Consortium (EBC), a new initiative to advance the development and industrialisation of Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-EB) technology. Integral to the launch of the EBC is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by its founding members, which establishes the framework for collaboration to drive technological progress across industries that can benefit from electron beam solutions.
The founding members of the EBC are ALD Vacuum Technologies, Freemelt, JEOL, Pro-Beam and Wayland Additive. Each company brings unique expertise and capabilities to electron beam technology, including pioneering work in materials science, electron beam control, equipment design, and industrial applications in medical, oil and gas, aerospace, and defence. Together, they aim to create a collaborative platform to accelerate research, development, and the real-world application of electron beam technology.
The Barnes Global Advisors (TBGA), with extensive industry experience in Additive Manufacturing qualification and certification, education, applications, and process economics, are uniquely positioned to guide this effort.
“We are excited to formally launch the Electron Beam Consortium and help this group of forward-looking industry leaders create Additive Manufacturing solutions for the industrial supply chain. There are many sweet spots in the application space where Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion combined with the right material can solve significant schedule, cost, sustainment, and performance problems,” said Christina Kurth, TBGA Director of Business Development. “The signing of this MoU marks a critical step in our collective effort to drive innovation and address challenges in manufacturing, healthcare, and environmental sustainability through the power of electron beam technology.”
The founding members of the EBC will form the organising committee and meet regularly to develop a prioritised action plan based on the guiding principle of acceleration through collaboration. This core tenet and a customer-first mentality will help drive the technology forward and identify new applications that can transform industries.
Aerospace industry fellow Eric Barnes (no affiliation with TBGA) shared, “The aeronautics sector values the technology and would appreciate an entity such as yours (TBGA) addressing the current industrial shortcomings of the supply chain.”
