UNIT-2

CHEMICAL AND ELECTROCHEMICAL

ENERGY BASED PRCESSES
 CHEMICAL MACHINING
• Also known as chemical milling or chemical etching, is a
subtractive manufacturing process that employs chemical
agents to selectively remove material from a workpiece,
creating intricate (complex) and precise patterns or shapes.
• This technique is particularly advantageous for producing
complex components with tight tolerances in various
materials, including metals and alloys.
• The process involves the application of a chemical solution
or maskant onto the material's surface, protecting specific
areas from etching while exposing the rest to corrosive
agents.
• The chemical reaction selectively dissolves the
unprotected material, resulting in the desired
shape or pattern.

• utilized in industries such as aerospace,

electronics, and automotive, offering a cost-
effective and efficient means of
manufacturing intricate parts with high
precision and repeatability.
APPLICATIONS OF CHEMICAL MACHINING
 Chemical Machining Process
• Working Principle:
– It is based on chemical etchant.
– An etchant is a mixture of strong chemical acids which are reactive
to metal. When the workpiece is dipped in the etchant, the
etchant reacts with the workpiece causing a uniform rate of
dissolution of metal from workpiece.

-To obtain a desired shape

or structure, an elemental
coating that is non-reactive
to a chemical reagent
called ‘Maskant’ is applied
on the workpiece before
machining.
CHEMICAL MACHINING
CONSTRUCTION
Chemical Machining consists of the chemical,
stirrer, Cooling & Heating coil.
1) Chemical (etchant)
– This chemical helps in remove the material from
the work-piece by chemically reacting with
desired portion of work-piece material & dissolve
it.
– Different types of etchants uses as per the work-
piece material.
2) Cooling & Heating Coil
The Cooling & Heating coil is used to maintain desired
temperature of the chemical or etchant during the
process.
3) Stirrer
The stirrer helps in the mixing of the chemical or etchant
2. Masking
• Masking is done using masking.

• These masks are inert in nature and do not react

with the chemicals used in machining process.

• In this masking process, the parts of the

workpiece that are not machined are masked
using a mask so that the machined part is exposed
to the chemical used in the machining process.

• But when the masking process is performed, the

entire workpiece is masked.
Masking
3. Scribing
• After the masking process, masking is performed
to remove from the area of ​the workpiece that is
to be mechanized so that a chemical reaction
can occur on that part of the workpiece.

• After the scribe process, only those areas that

are to be mechanized are exposed to chemical
machining.
4. Etching
• After filtering the workpiece, it is immersed in a
container containing a chemical that undergoes
a chemical reaction with the workpiece.
• When the workpiece is immersed inside the
chemical, the area that is masked does not
undergo any chemical reaction, and the area
that is not masked undergoes a chemical
reaction with the chemical and the material
unmasked area of ​the workpiece.
• The etching process is usually performed at an
elevated temperature.
 Maskants
• Masking material which is called maskant is used to
protect workpiece surface from chemical etchant.
• Masking material: Polymer or rubber based materials
• Factors to consider to select the type of maskant:
– It should be inert to the chemical reagent used.
– Tough to withstand handling.
– It should not change its characteristics during the
machining process.
– Also withstand heat.
– should allow itself for cutting and scribing.
– should adhere well to the workpiece.
– Availability and low cost.
 Masking Methods
Masking can be achieved by any of following methods
1. Cut and Peel
2. Photographic resist
3. Screen resist
1. Cut and Peel
• Workpiece to be machined is first dipped into a tank of
liquid maskant , similar to coating.
• Workpiece is taken out and left to dry for a few minutes.
• Scriber is used to cut the layer of maskant applied to the
workpiece. With the help of a template, the scribing and
peeling off of maskant are accomplished by hand.
• Once the cutting operation is done, the maskant is
removed from the areas to be etched.
• This maskant technique involves the use of relatively thick
materials like neoprene, butyl, and vinyl-based materials.
• Due to the inert nature of maskant and thickness involved
in this process of about 0.5 inches or more, this technique
Cut and Peel
2. Photo-resist
– Used in Photochemical
machining process only.
– Combine both coating &
scribing operations
– Photoresists are light sensitive,
organic materials deposited on
the surface of the workpiece.
– In this technique, a picture of
the end product design is
printed on a film of photo-
sensitive material.
– The film has a character to
attract and reflect the rays of
ultraviolet light.
– The printed film is carefully and accurately placed on
the sheet metal (workpiece) to be machined and then
the workpiece is passed through a machine of UV.

– Between the IN and OUT of the workpiece, due to the

character of the film to allow and reflect the UV light to
pass, only the pre-printed zone or marks on the film
allows the UV to pass through the film to the
workpiece.
• Positive Photoresists
– Positive photoresists are the type where the
exposed areas become soluble to the developer
solvent.
• Negative Photoresists
• This type is opposite to the effect of positive
photoresists wherein the exposed areas to UV light
polymerize or cure becoming chemically resistant to
the developer solvent.
3. Screen resist masks
• In these methods, the maskant is painted onto the
workpart surface through a silk or stainless steel
mesh.
• Embedded in the mesh is a stencil that protects
those areas to be etched from being painted.
• The maskant is thus painted onto the work areas
that are not to be etched through the screen.

Stencil
 Etchants
• Etchants are acids or alkaline solution

Etchant should have the following properties

1. High etch rate
2. Good surface finish
3. Minimum undercut
4. Compatibility with commonly used Maskants
5. Easy control of process.
6. Personal safety maintenance
Types of Chemical machining processes
1. Chemical blanking
2. Chemical engraving
3. Chemical milling
4. Photochemical machining
 CHEMICAL ENGRAVING
Chemical Engraving is the practice of carving a
design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting
grooves into it.
 CHEMICAL MILLING
Chemical milling is sometimes called contour
machining, or Etching. It is used to produces shapes
by selective or overall removal of metal parts from
relatively large surface areas.
• The main purpose is to achieve shallows but complex
profiles, reduce weight by removing unwanted materials
from the surfaces, as in the skin of an aircraft.
• Components are cleaned & degreased by immersion in
trichloroethylene vapor or some alternative chemicals
cleaner followed by washing in clean water.
• The components are then coated with a cut & peel
maskant by brushing, dipping, or spraying (up to 0.2 mm).
 Photo Chemical Machining
• It is a chemical machining in which the photoresist
method of masking is used.
• Photochemical machining (PCM) is also known as
photochemical milling or photo etching.
• It involves fabricating sheet metal components
using photo resist masks and etchants
• PCM can be used on metals like aluminium, brass,
copper, inconel, nickel, silver, steel, stainless steel,
zinc and titanium.
 Advantages of chemical machining
1. It produces High precision metal parts.
2. It can done Machining of any shape & size.
3. Machining of work-piece from all sides of work-piece at
same time. 4. Less skilled labors can handle process.
5. High surface finish obtained. 6. High machining accuracy
7. Stress and burr-free components
Disadvantages
1. Chemical solution uses which is dangerous for human
health. 2. It is slow process
Applications
1. In drilling different sizes holes on plates.
2. In machining of various automobiles parts.
 ELECTRO CHEMICAL MACHINING
• Electrolysis is defined as a process of decomposing ionic
compounds into their elements by passing a direct electric current
through the compound in a fluid form.
• Electrochemical machining is a process of removing metal with
the help of the electrolysis process.
• It dissolves material from a workpiece through controlled
electrically-assisted chemical reactions.
• It's used in many industries, including aerospace, automotive,
biomedical, electrical, and tool making.
PRINCIPLE
• ECM works on the principle of Faraday’s laws of electrolysis
• Faraday’s laws of electrolysis states that if the two electrodes are
placed in a bath containing a conductive liquid and DC potential
(5-25V) is applied across them, metal can be depleted from the
anode and plated on the cathode.
Principle of electrolysis
– NaCl is used as an electrolyte, the workpiece is
placed as the anode, tool (desired shape) is used
as cathode and a potential difference is applied.
– There is a very small gap between the workpiece
and the tool for the removal of material.
– As soon as a potential difference is applied b/w
anode and the cathode, the ions start moving
from anode to cathode.
– The negative ions are attracted towards the
workpiece which is placed at the +ve potential
and positive ions are attracted towards the tool
which is placed at the – ve potential
• The electrochemical machining setup consists of
Fixture, Table, Workpiece, Tool, Electrolyte, Pump,
Filter, Pressure gauge, Flow meter, Feed unit, Power
supply
Electrochemical
machining
Fixture:
• used to hold the table firmly.
Table:
• used to hold the work piece properly.
Power Supply:
• ensures a low voltage to avoid short-circuiting,
while high current values are used for efficient
material removal.
• direct current - 50 to 40,000 A, with voltage
maintained at a small range of 2-35 V.
Workpiece (Anode)
• It is the material on which machining is carried out to
remove the material from the surface of the workpiece.
• Connected to +ve terminal

Tool (Cathode)
• With the help of tool, material removal takes place in
w/p.
• Connected to –ve terminal
• Must possess high Thermal Conductivity, Electrical
conductivity and Corrosion resistance. Tool material:
Cu/Brass/SS
Electrolyte:
• An electrolyte is a salt solution in which the workpiece and
tool are kept during the process of machining. It acts as a
current-carrying medium between the workpiece and the
tool.
• It also helps in the removal of waste products from internal
gaps and also acts as a coolant by preventing overheating
of the tool and the workpiece.
• Electrolytes in ECM - Sodium chloride (NaCl), Sodium
nitrate (NaNO3), hydrochloric acid (HCl), etc.
• Properies of Electrolytes - high conductivity, low viscosity,
low toxicity, and electrochemical stability for efficient
material removal.
Pump:
– Pumps the electrolyte from the sump to all the parts
Filter: Removes the impurities present in the electrolyte
Pressure gauge: Used to check the pressure of the electrolyte
coming from the pump via a filter to the work region.
Flow meter: Used to measure the discharge or mass flow rate of
the fluid(electrolyte).
Feed Unit: Gives the feed to the tool. Whenever material removal
takes place from the workpiece, the servomotor gives the
necessary amount of feed to the tool.
Power Supply: The power supply is to be given to the machine to
work properly. Here +ve supply is given to the workpiece(acts as
an anode) and the -ve supply is given to the tool(acts as a
cathode).
Slug Container A slug container is used to store the slug which is
separated from the electrolyte. This slug can be used for various
experimental purposes.
Working of Electrochemical Machining (ECM) Process:
• Electrolyte is pumped to the work region by the pump
• During the process, specific anodic and cathodic reactions take
place, leading to the controlled dissolution of material at the
atomic level.
• An optimum gap (0.5 to 2 mm) is maintained between the
tool and workpiece . It allows the cavity to accurately replicate
the tool's shape.
• A potential difference is maintained between the electrodes as
a result ions existing in the electrolytes migrate towards the
electrodes.
• +ve ions are attracted towards the cathode and -ve ions are
attached towards to the anode. And thus flow of current is
initiated in the electrolyte.
• The desired amount of metal is removed because of ion
migration towards the tool.
Electrochemical Machining
Parts made by ECM
• The electrolyte then goes through a filtration
process.

• In the filtration process, the electrolyte is passed

through a centrifuge where the slug is removed.

• Then it passes through a filter where other

remaining impurities are removed.
• Material Removal Rate:
– It is a function of feed rate which dictates the
current passed between the work and the tool.
– As the tool advances towards work, gap
decreases and current increases which increases
more metal at a rate corresponding to tool
advance.
– It may be mentioned that high feed rate not only
is productive but also produces best quality of
surface finish.
– Metal removal rate is lower with low voltage, low
electrolyte concentration and low temperature
• Surface Finish:
• For optimum surface finish, careful electrode
design, maximum feed rate, are selected.
• Low voltage decreases the machining gap and
results in better surface finish and tolerance
control.
• Low electrolyte temperature also promotes better
surface finish.
 Process parameters
S.no Parameters Values
1. Power Supply
Type Direct Current
Voltage 5 to 25 V
Current 50 to 40,000 A
Current Density 0.1 A/mm2 to 5 A/mm2
2. Electrolyte
Material NaCl and NaNO3
Temperature 20°C to 50°C
Flow rate 20 lpm/100 A current
Pressure 0.5 to 20 bar
Dilution 100 g/l to 500 g/l
3. Working gap 0.1 mm to 2mm
4 Feed rate 0.5 mm/min to 15 mm/min
5. Electrode material Copper, brass and bronze
6. Surface roughness (Ra) 0.2 to 1.5 μm
Effect of process parameters
Inter Electrode gap
Concentration of electrolyte
Temperature of electrolyte
Advantages of Electrochemical Machining
• Complex Concave curvature components can be
easily produced by using Complex Concave
curvature tools.
• Because of ion displacement, the surface finish
produced is excellent.
• Because no forces are acting, no residual stresses
will be present.
• Because of no heat generation, no thermal effects
are present on the workpiece.
• Because of no tool wear, the same tool can be used
for producing an infinite number of components.
Disadvantages of Electrochemical machining
• Workpiece material must be electrically conductive.
• Cost of machining will be high.
• Preferable for producing contours only but not for holes.
• The reuse of electrolytes can be done for a limited cycle. After
a certain time, there’s a need to dispose of the electrolyte
and slug produced in the process. The waste products
produced in the ECM process are harmful to dispose of.

Applications of Electrochemical Machining

• used for producing Complex concave curvature components
such as Turbine blades etc.
• The ECM process is used for drilling, trepanning, and
micromachining.
• Used for heavy machining of hard materials
 Chemical Machining (CHM) Electro-Chemical Machining (ECM)
Chemical energy based NTM Electro chemical energy based NTM
process. process.

Material is removed in ionic form Material is removed in ionic form

due to controlled dissolution by but due to controlled electro-
chemical etchant. Etchant slowly chemical dissolution of work metal.
dissolves metal to realize
machining.
It is independent of electrical The workpiece must be electrically
conductivity of workpiece metal. So conductive as it is used as anode of
it can be applied for conductive and the electrolytic cell.
non-conductive materials.
 Chemical Machining (CHM) Electro-Chemical Machining(ECM)
No additional electrode is necessary An electrode having curvature
as the chemical reaction takes place according to intended shape is
b/w etchant & workpiece. reqd to complete electrical circuit.
No need of power supply . DC power supply is required
Suitable etchant (based on Instead of etchant, appropriate
workpiece material) is employed. electrolyte is applied in ECM.
The rate of chemical dissolution is Rate of electro-chemical
very hard to control. Once the dissolution can be controlled
process is initiated, the rate cannot during machining by adjusting
be controlled accurately anymore. inter-electrode gap and current.
Chemical etchants are highly The electolyte is not such
corrosive and thus the process corrosive and thus the process is
possesses a risk to the operator. somewhat risk-free towards
operator.
 ELECTRO CHEMICAL GRINDING
• a machining process in which the material is
removed from the surface of the workpiece by
combining electrochemical and grinding actions

• Electro chemical grinding also called electrolytic

grinding is similar to Electro chemical machining,
except that the cathode is an electrically conductive
abrasive grinding wheel instead of a tool shaped
like the contour to be machined
PARTS
• DC power supply
• Work Table and fixture
• Electrolyte tank
• Pump
• Filter,
• Pr Gauge and
flow meter
• Nozzle
• Sleeve
• Grinding wheel
• Collecting tank
ELECTRO CHEMICAL GRINDING
• DC Power supply:
– DC power supply with low voltage and high
current is used . The voltage is kept low to avoid
the generation of heat and for safety purposes

• Work Table and Fixture:

– The worktable provides rigid support to the
workpiece and fixtures are used to clamp the
workpiece.
• Electrolyte tank:
– An electrolyte tank is a reservoir in which the electrolyte
is stored.
– First function of electrolyte is to complete the circuit by
providing a conducting medium.
– Second function is to oxidize the metal surface and carry
out the oxidized particles.
– There are various types of electrolytes used in
electrochemical grinding such as Sodium nitrate
(generally used), carbonate, hydroxide, and Nacl
• Pump:
– Carry electrolyte from the electrolyte tank to the nozzle
• Filter:
– Remove all the micro impurities
• Pressure Gauge and flow meter:
– Pressure gauge and flow meter are safety equipment
that shows pressure and flow of the electrolyte
• Nozzle:
– A nozzle increases the velocity of the electrolyte which
in turn removes the material from the workpiece.
• Sleeve:
– A sleeve is used to transfer electrical energy to the
grinding wheel.
• Grinding wheel:
– It is connected to the negative terminal of the power
supply and acts as the cathode.
– The grinding wheel is made of insulating materials such
as diamond and aluminum oxide.
– The grinding wheel is responsible for only 5-10 % of the
material the rest is removed by the electrolyte.
• Collecting tank:
– A collecting tank is used to collect all the used electrolyte
which is then disposed or reused as per the
requirement.
• Purposes of abrasive grains on the ECG wheel
1. Remove the oxide from the workpiece, exposing
new metal and allowing the process to continue

2. Spacer to keep the conductive media in the wheel

from making direct contact with the workpiece
and generating a short circuit

3. The cavities between the grit are filled with

electrolyte, and the grit acts as a carrier bringing
the electrolyte to the work area between the
workpiece and the wheel making the ECG process
possible
Working of ECG
• Workpiece is kept on the worktable and then clamped
using fixtures.
• The grinding wheel is placed at the required position.
A gap of 0.02 mm is maintained between workpiece
and the grinding wheel.
• Now the power supply is switched on. The pump is
then driven to supply the electrolyte to the required
position.
• At first, the electrolyte passes through a filter where all
the impurities are filtered. Then the electrolyte is
passed through a pressure gauge where the operator
checks for the correct pressure.
• Then electrolyte is passed through a flow meter where
flow is checked by the operator.
ELECTRO CHEMICAL GRINDING
• After passing through all the stages the electrolyte reaches
the nozzle.
• Nozzle increases the velocity of the electrolyte and sprays
it over the workpiece.
• As soon as the electrolyte comes in contact with the
workpiece and the grinding wheel, the circuit is completed
which results in Oxidation of the metal surface.
• This forms a layer of oxide which is removed by the flow of
electrolyte and the Abrasive particles in the grinding
wheel.
• After the grinding is done, the flow is stopped and the
power supply is switched off.
• The workpiece is then unclamped and the remaining
electrolyte is wiped out from the surface.
Advantages
• Can grind thin material of 1.02 mm
• Burr free, No work hardening
• Stress free, Better finish
• No cracking , Less frequent wheel dressing
• No metallurgical damage from heat
Limitations
• Both the work piece and the grinding wheel must be
conductive.
• It is only applicable to surface grinding.
• The electrolytic fluid can cause corrosion at the work
piece and grinding wheel surfaces.
• More complicated than traditional machining methods.
• Higher production cost.
• Applications
• Grinding turbine blades
• Aerospace application
• Machining carbide cutting-tool inserts
 Aspect Conventional Grinding Electrochemical Grinding
Principle Abrasive particles remove Electrochemical dissolution
material by friction and of material facilitated by
cutting action. electrolyte and electrical
current.
Material Removal Mechanical abrasion and Electrochemical dissolution.
Mechanism cutting.
Grinding Wheel Uses abrasive grinding Uses abrasive grinding
wheels. wheels with a conductive
bond.
Heat Generation Generates significant heat, Generates very low heat,
which can lead to minimizing heat-affected
workpiece distortion and zone and workpiece
damage. damage.
urface Finish May require additional Generally produces better
finishing operations for surface finish directly.
achieving desired surface
finish.
 Aspect Conventional Grinding Electrochemical Grinding
Material Compatibility Suitable for a wide range of Best suited for materials
materials. that are electrically
conductive.
Precision and Accuracy Generally high precision High precision and accuracy
and accuracy. can be achieved.
Tool Wear and Grinding wheels wear over Minimal tool wear,
Maintenance time, requiring frequent resulting in longer tool life.
replacement.
Applications Commonly used for various Used for precision
machining operations on a machining of complex
wide range of materials. shapes, hard materials, and
delicate components.
Environmental Impact Generates grinding dust Produces less waste and is
and waste coolant. more environmentally
friendly.
 ELECTROCHEMICAL HONING
• Precision machining process used for finishing of cylinders
and gears, based on the combination of electrochemical
machining and conventional honing process.
• Honing is a machining process in which a hone tool is used.
• A hone tool is a tool that simultaneously rotates as well as
translates.
• In honing, a clear metal surface is formed by rubbing the
abrasive stone against the workpiece.
• A hone tool consists of abrasive stones that are used for the
rubbing the metal surface.
• These abrasive stones are made from a number of materials
like silicon carbide, diamond, corundum, cubic boron nitride,
diamond, etc. All these are the hard materials.
ELECTROCHEMICAL HONING TOOL
ELECTROCHEMICAL HONING
ELECTROCHEMICAL HONING
Electro Chemical Honing tool construction
• Tool consists of a hollow stainless steel body that
has expandable, nonconductive honing stones
protruding from at least three locations around the
circumference
• The honing stones are identical with those used in
conventional honing operations, except that they
must resist the corrosiveness of the electrolyte
• The honing stones are mounted on the tool body
with a spring-loaded mechanism so that each of the
stones exerts equal pressure against the workpiece
• The length of the stones is selected to be
approximately one-half of the length of the bore
being processed.
• Working Process
• At the beginning of the ECH cycle, the stones protrude
only 0.075-0.127mm from the stainless steel body,
establishing the gap through which the electrolyte
flows
• The electrolyte enters the tool body through small
holes in the tool body
• After passing through the gap, the electrolyte flows
from the workpiece through the gap at the top and
bottom of the bore
• Tool is rotated and reciprocated so that the stones
abrade the entire length of the bore
• Electrolytes are recirculated and reused after passing
through appropriate filtration, and the most commonly
used electrolytes are sodium chloride and sodium
nitrate
Process parameters of electrochemical honing :
• Current density- 12 to 47amp/cm2
• Working voltages - 6-30 VDC
• Electrolyte pressure - 0.5-1 MPa
• Machine capacities are currently able to
accommodate bore lengths up to 600 mm and bore
diameters from 9.5 to 150 mm.
Advantages of electrochemical honing :
• Increased MRR particularly on hard materials
• Burr-free operation
• No micro-scratches are left on the work surface
• Less pressure required between stones and work
• Reduced noise and distortion when honing thin-
walled tubes
• Cooler action leading to increased accuracy with
less material damage
• No residual stresses in the workpiece
• Capable of achieving surface finishes of 0.05μ and
dimensional accuracies of ±0.012mm
Limitations of electrochemical honing
• High capital cost
• Corrosive environment
• High preventive maintenance cost
• Non-conductive materials cannot be machined
• Requires disposal and filtering of electrolytes
Applications
• Used in the petrochemical and power generation
industries.
• It is also used in correcting the gear teeth errors.
• The ECH is used for processing different materials
like carbide, titanium alloys, Inconel, Incoloy,
Titanium alloys, etc.
 Electrochemical Deburring
• In deburring process,unwanted material which is
produced during machining process is removed.
• If the deburring process is carried out with the help
of electrochemical energy then, the process of
deburring is called as the electrochemical
deburring.

Drilled hole
 Electrochemical deburring
• relies on the principles of electrochemistry to
selectively dissolve the burrs, leaving the rest of the
workpiece unaffected.

• Electrochemical deburring utilises a technique

known as electrochemical machining
Electrochemical Deburring
• Components of Electrochemical Deburring
• Supply tank, Pumps, Reaction tank, Base, DC
power supply, Electrolyte and Tool, Collection
tank
• ,,
• Supply Tank
– The container responsible for storing the electrolyte
used for replenishing is referred to as the supply tank.
• Pumps
– Pumps P1 facilitates the transfer of electrolytes to the
reaction tank, while P2 is responsible for transporting
electrolytes from the collection tank to the supply tank.
• Reaction Tank:
– vessel where the electrochemical interaction between
the workpiece and tool occurs.
• DC Power Supply:
– DC power supply operates at low voltage levels but high
current values. This combination enhances the quick
removal of metal from the workpiece's surface.
• Base:
– The base material used is electrically conductive and
serves the dual purpose of stabilising the workpiece and
electrically connecting the two workpieces.
– The base receives the DC supply, facilitating the
connection between the two workpieces.
• Electrolyte:
– solution of common salt mixed with water.
– consists of mixture of sodium chloride and sodium
nitrate in water.
– A 2:1 ratio of sodium nitrate and water is commonly
employed
– The temperature of the electrolyte is maintained at 20
degrees Celsius
• Tool:
– It consists of a conductometric which is insulated from
the outside. The tool acts as the cathode which is
connected to the negative terminal of the DC power
supply.
– A gap of 0.5-1 mm should be maintained between the
workpiece and the tool.

• Collection Tank
– The container designed for gathering the filtered
electrolyte is known as the collection tank.
• Working
– The workpiece is kept on the base and the tool is positioned
between the workpieces.
– The workpiece is connected to +ve and tool is connected to the -
ve terminal of the DC power supply.
– The pump is activated and the flow of electrolytes is started.
– The electrolyte reaches the reaction tank by passing through a
filter. Then DC power supply is switched on and reaction starts.
– Electron transfer takes place between the workpieces and
the electrolyte. The electron transfer results in the removal
of burrs from the surface of the workpiece.
– The remaining electrolyte is made to flow through the filter
(F2) into the collection tank. From the collection tank, the
electrolyte is again supplied to the supply tank. And the
process is repeated.
– Once the burr is removed the power supply is switched off
and the workpiece is removed.
Advantages of Electrochemical Deburring:
• highly accurate process which gives excellent
surface finish.
• Heat generation is negligible.
• no thermal stresses developed in the workpiece.
• No wear of tool takes place.
• The efficiency is more.
• Faster process increases productivity of the plant.
• Quality products are manufactured.
Disadvantages of Electrochemical Deburring:
• High initial cost of the equipment.
• Different tool must be designed for different
workpieces.
• Complex process.
• Highly skilled operator is required.
• Only the workpieces that conducts electricity can
be machined.
Applications of Electrochemical Deburring:
• It is used for deburring of gears.
• It is also used for removing sharp edges from highly
precise equipment.
• used for surface finishing of hard materials.