Advanced manufacturing processes (ME F315)

Department of Mechanical Engineering

BITS Pilani K. K. Birla Goa campus
Instructor in charge: Dr. Biswajit Das
Office No.- E107
Tel: +91-832-2580381 (O)

BITS Pilani K. K. Birla GoaDr.campus

Manoj Kumar Pandey
 Electrochemical machining (ECM)
 Electro Chemical Machining. Most potential unconventional
process.
 Approx. 30 times the energy required in conventional process, but
independent of workpiece hardness. So metal is readily
machinable.
 Work on reverse of electroplating with modification. Uses principle
of electrolysis.
 The first introduction of ECM in 1929 by Gusseff, its industrial
applications have been extended to electrochemical drilling,
electrochemical deburring, electrochemical grinding and
electrochemical polishing. But known way back in 1780 AD.
 Electroplating – deposit metal on workpiece. But ECM – removal of
metal from workpiece.
 In ECM: Workpiece – positive (Anode) and Tool – negative
(Cathode).
 Cathode shape unchanged and material removes from anode only.
 The gap is filled with electrolyte. Choice of electrode and electrolyte
is important.
 Electrolysis of Molten NaCl

 The potential required to oxidize Cl - ions to Cl2 is -1.36 volts and the
potential needed to reduce Na+ ions to sodium metal is -2.71 volts.
The battery used to drive this reaction must therefore have a potential
of at least 4.07 volts.

 Sodium metal accumulated at cathode region.

 Electrochemical machining (ECM)

 Let us take an example of machining of low carbon steel which is

primarily a ferrous alloy mainly containing iron. For electrochemical
machining of steel, generally a neutral salt solution of sodium
chloride (NaCl) is taken as the electrolyte. The electrolyte and water
undergoes ionic dissociation as shown below as potential difference
is applied

 As the potential difference is applied between the work piece (anode)

and the tool (cathode), the positive ions move towards the tool and
negative ions move towards the workpiece. Thus the hydrogen ions
will take away electrons from the cathode (tool) and form
hydrogen gas as:
 Electrochemical machining (ECM)

 Similarly, the iron atoms will come out of the anode (work piece) as:

 Within the electrolyte iron ions would combine with chloride ions to
form iron chloride and similarly sodium ions would combine with
hydroxyl ions to form sodium hydroxide

 FeCl2 and Fe(OH)2 would form and get precipitated in the form of
sludge.
 Work piece gets gradually machined and gets precipitated as the
sludge.
 There is no coating on the tool, only hydrogen gas evolves at the tool
or cathode.
Electrochemical machining (ECM)
 Electrochemical machining (ECM)

 The dissolution rate is more where the gap is less and vice versa
because current density is inversely proportional to the gap.
 Flow of electrolyte (NaCl, KCl, NaNO3) rapidly sweep away the
reaction products from the narrow machining gap.
 The tool is given a downward motion (constant feed motion) and
hence the work surface tends to take the same shape as that of the
tool.
 At a steady state, the gap is uniform. Gap = 0.1 to 0.2 mm.
 Current = Few thousand amperes
 Voltage = 8 to 20 V
 Typical MRR = 1600 mm3/min
 Process works on Faraday’s two law
 Potential drop in ECM
The voltage is required to be applied for the electrochemical reaction to proceed at a
steady state. That voltage or potential difference is around 2 to 30 V. The applied
potential difference, however, also overcomes the following resistances or potential
drops. They are:
• The electrode potential
• The activation over potential
• Ohmic potential drop
• Concentration over potential
• Ohmic resistance of electrolyte

Fig. 3 shows the total potential drop in ECM cell.

 Process parameters
Power supply-
Type: Direct current
Voltage: 2-35V
Current: 50-40000 A
current density: 0.1 A/mm2 - 5 A/mm2

Working gap: 0.1-2 mm

Overcut: 0.2-3 mm
Feed rate: 0.5-15 mm/min
Electrode material: Copper, bronze, brass
Ra : 0.2-1.5µm

Electrolyte
Material: NaCl and NaNO3, temperature, flow rate, pressure,
dillution
 Characteristics of ECM

Tool and work material: electrically conductive

Atomic level dissolution
Excellent surface finish
Almost stress free machining surface
No thermal damage
 Material Removed

 Faraday’s two law

 Amount of chemical change produced (amount of any material
dissolved) by an electric current is proportional to the quantity of
electricity passed.
 Amounts of different substances dissolved by the same quantity of
electricity are proportional to their chemical equivalent weights.

F in Ah/mol
 Material Removed

The grain equivalent weight of the metal is given by ɛ = A / Z, where A is the

atomic weight and Z is the valency of the ions produced.
 Problem

1. In electrochemical machining of pure iron a material removal

rate of 600 mm3/min is required. Estimate current requirement.
 Problem

2. Composition of a Nickel superalloy is as follows:

Ni = 70.0%, Cr = 20.0%, Fe = 5.0% and rest Titanium
Calculate rate of dissolution if the area of the tool is 1500 mm2
and a current of 2000 A is being passed through the cell. Assume
dissolution to take place at lowest valency of the elements.
ANi = 58.71 ρNi = 8.9 νNi = 2
ACr = 51.99 ρCr = 7.19 νCr = 2
AFe = 55.85 ρFe = 7.86 νFe = 2
ATi = 47.9 ρTi = 4.51 νTi = 3
 Problem
3. In ECM operation of pure iron an equilibrium gap of 2 mm is
to be kept. Determine supply voltage, if the total overvoltage is
2.5 V. The resistivity of the electrolyte is 50 Ω-mm and the set
feed rate is 0.25 mm/min.
 MCQ
1. For machining steel with ECM, which is used as electrolyte:
a. kerosene
b. NaCl
c. Deionised water
d. HNO3
2. MRR in ECM depends on:
a. Hardness
b. atomic weight
c. thermal conductivity
d. ductility
3. ECM cannot be undertaken for:
a. steel
b. Ni based superalloy
c. Alumina
d. Titanium alloy
 MCQ
1. Commercial ECM is carried out with:
a. low voltage and high current
b. Low current and low voltage
c. High current and high voltage
d. Low current and low voltage
2. MRR in ECM depends on:
a. Hardness
b. atomic weight
c. thermal conductivity
d. ductility
3. ECM cannot be undertaken for:
a. steel
b. Ni based superalloy
c. Alumina
d. Titanium alloy
Dynamics of ECM
Dynamics of ECM
Dynamics of ECM
Dynamics of ECM
Dynamics of ECM
Dynamics of ECM
Dynamics of ECM
Dynamics of ECM
Dynamics of ECM
 Electrochemical grinding (ECG)
 The process is similar to ECM except that the cathode is here
grinding wheel instead of typical ECM tool.

 Bonding material in grinding wheel has to be conductive.

 Electrolyte is used (in general NaNO3) similar to ECM.

 Process parameters
 Grinding wheel speed: 20-35 m/s

 Current ratings: 50-300 A

 Working voltage: 4-40 V

 Current density (120-240 A/cm2), depends on the material,

working gap.
 Material removal in ECG
MRR total = MRR ECM + MRR abrasion + MRR erosion

MRR ECM can be calculated as:

MRR ECM = ƐI/ρF,

Ɛ=equivalent weight
I=current
Ρ=density
F=Faraday’s constant
 ECG
Advantages:

 No work hardening

 Elimination of grinding burr

 No distortion of thin parts-possible to grind material with

thickness 1.02 mm that is not possible with conventional
grinding.

 Narrow tolerances possible

 Better surface quality

 Longer grinding wheel life

 ECG
Disadvantages:

 Higher capital cost

 Only electrically conductive material can be machined

 Loss of accuracy due to electrical field effect in inside corners

 Corrosive nature of electrolyte

 Disposal of electrolyte is challenging

 Applications
 Difficult to machine materials

 Fragile and thin wall parts

 Specimen for metal fatigue and tensile test

 Machining of carbides and high strength materials.