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Generation of metal vapour by electron beam heating is a complex phenomenon that involves many concurrent physical and dynamical processes in response to the impact of concentrated flux of energetic electrons on the metal target. These processes occurring at different stages need to be understood in detail for optimization of the process. Detailed investigations were carried out in our laboratory on various aspects of the e-beam evaporation process such as electron optics, stability of e-beam power, process monitoring, convective heat transfer in melt pool of the target and physical processes occurring in the metal vapour and plasma emerging from the hot zone. Our results on these aspects are presented in this article.