Module-3: ADVANCED MATERIAL REMOVAL PROCESSES

Lecture No-15

The Subsystems of Electro-Chemical Machining

 Power supply.
 Electrolyte circulation system.
 Control system.
 The Machine.

In the ECM setup, as the gap between tool and workpiece is small, a low and
constant voltage of around 10 V is applied across the electric circuit. The current density
is however high.

The electrolyte chosen is such that the shape of cathode is not changed during
electrolysis. To remove the products of machining and to reduce the undesirable effects
which may arise with the gases generated at the cathode and electrical heating, the
electrolyte is pumped at a rate of 2 to 30 m/s, through the gap between the electrodes.
The electrolyte system consists of the electrolyte storage tank, fairly strong pump, filter,
sludge removal system and treatment units.

Control of ECM process refers to a predetermined adjustment of process parameters.

Thus control of the process parameters in ECM is very vital as the rate of material
removal, surface finish and accuracy of machining depends upon the accuracy of the
control parameters. The control parameters include voltage, type of electrolyte, inlet and
outlet pressure of electrolyte, viscosity of electrolyte and the temperature of electrolyte.
The current of the electrical system in ECM under operating condition is dependent on
the above parameters and the feed rate of the tool.

The general requirements of the tool material in ECM are mentioned below:
  The material used in tool-making needs to be a good conductor of electricity.
 The tool should be rigid enough to take up load and the fluid pressure.
 The tool should be chemically inert with the electrolyte.
 The tool material should be easily formable and machinable to the desired shape.
 Copper, Brass, Titanium, Copper-Tungsten and Stainless steels are most
commonly used electrode materials when the electrolyte is made of sodium or
potassium.
 The other materials which can be used as tool materials are aluminium, graphite,
bronze, platinum, and tungsten carbide.
 The hole or cavity produced through ECM is an exact replica of the tool shape.
Thus the tool shape and its accuracy have a direct effect on the work piece
accuracy.

The ECM Process Parameters

The ECM process parameters can be subdivided into the following sub-categories. The
Ishikawa cause and effect diagram of ECM process parameters is shown in Fig. 3.15.1.

 Power Supply: It’s Type, Voltage, Current and Current density.

 Electrolyte: It’s type, Temperature, Flow rate, Pressure and Dilution.
 Machine setting parameters: Working gap, Overcut and Feed rate.
 Electrode material: Type of the material used.
Electrochemi
E ical machiniing is a tech
hnology useed for machhining metalls. It is baseed on
ellectrolysis th
hrough whicch the producct is processsed without tthe tool-worrkpiece contaact or
an
ny thermal influence.
i The
T metallic workpiece is dissolvedd (Machinedd) locally thrrough
ellectricity (Electro) and chemistry
c (C
Chemical) un
until it reaches the desireed end shape. As
discussed earrlier, the material remo
oval processs in ECM ooccurs throuugh atomic level
dissolution by
y the electro
ochemical acction. The m
material remooval rate (orr machining rate)
iss thus not deependent on nical or phyysical properrties of the work materiial. It
n the mechan
on
nly dependss on the atom
mic weight and
a valencyy of the workk material aand the impoortant
co
ondition is that the maaterial should be electrrically condductive. Thee most impoortant
feeature in ECM is thatt, it can machine
m any electricallyy conductive work maaterial
irrrespective of
o its hardnesss, strength or mal propertiies. The variious uses of ECM
o even therm
arre:

 Die-Sinking operaations
 Deburrring operatiions
 Drillin
ng operation
ns
 Grind
ding operatio
ons and
 Micro
o-machining operations
The
T various uses
u of ECM
M have been
n schematicaally shown in the follow
wing figures, Fig.
3.15.2, 3.15.3
3 and 3.15.4