Electron Beam Welding has three major advantages over other fusion processes. The first advantage is the low total energy input to the material. This is possible because the fusion penetration does not depend on thermal conductivity of the material, as is the case with most other heating techniques. Electrons penetrate deeply into the material and produce a narrow more focused zone. As demonstrated in the figure at right and below.

The second advantage of Electron Beam Welding is the controllability of the process, that is, the control of beam power, spot size, and spot position. Both beam power and spot size can be controlled by simple machine adjustments. Spot position is determined by the aim of the beam. This, too, is easily controlled. Also, important is the fact that none of these items are affected by the work piece material or shape. The machine cross section, pictured below, demonstrates how the beam can be manipulated and how the operator can view and adjust accordingly.