Editing Electron-beam technology (section)

===Furnaces===
{{main|Electron-beam furnace}}
In a [[Vacuum state|vacuum]], the electron beam provides a source of heat that can melt or modify any material.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fep.fraunhofer.de/en/Geschaeftsfelder/Elektronenstrahl-Anwendungen.html|title = Development of Electron Beam Systems and Technologies}}</ref> This source of heat or phase transformation is absolutely sterile due to the vacuum and scull of solidified metal around the cold copper crucible walls. This ensures that the purest materials can be produced and refined in electron-beam vacuum furnaces. Rare and [[refractory metals]] can be produced or refined in small-volume vacuum furnaces. For mass production of steels, large furnaces with capacity measured in [[metric tons]] and electron-beam power in megawatts exist in industrialized countries.