Module-3: ADVANCED MATERIAL REMOVAL PROCESSES

Lecture No-14
Electrochemical Machining (ECM)
Electrochemical machining is a method of removing metal by an electrochemical process.
It is a non-traditional machining process belonging to the electrochemical category. It is
used for machining extremely hard materials or materials that are difficult to machine
using conventional methods. Its use is limited to electrically conductive materials. The
process has the capabilities of machining or cutting the intricate contours or cavities in
hard steel such as titanium, Hastelloy, Kovar, Inconel, and Carbide. External as well as
internal geometries can be machined with an electrochemical machine.
ECM is characterized as the opposite of electrochemical or galvanic coating or deposition
process. It is sometimes referred to as reverse electroplating since it removes material
instead of depositing it. In the year 1833, Faraday established the laws of electrolysis
(electroplating). The mechanism in ECM process is similar to electrical discharge
machining (EDM) concept-wise, wherein a high current is passed between the tool
(cathode) and the workpiece (anode), through a conductive fluid (electrolyte). However,
in ECM there is no tool wear.
In ECM, the metal removal takes place by electrochemical dissolution of an anodically
polarized workpiece. By using the ECM process, very hard metals can be easily shaped
electrolytically and being a chemical process, the rate of machining does not depend on
the hardness of workpiece. Soft materials can be readily used as tool materials on harder
work-pieces in ECM process since the tool doesnt wear unlike in the case of
conventional machining methods.
ECM Fundamentals
The electrolysis process being the most fundamental activity in ECM, its characteristics
are to be well understood before proceeding further into its other process details.

Electrolysis,
E
as the namee suggests iss a chemicaal phenomennon that occcurs betweenn two
co
onductors diipped in a suitable
s
solu
ution when eelectric currrent is passeed between tthem.
Example
E
two
o copper wiires, dipped in a coppeer sulphate solution aree connectedd to a
so
ource of dirrect current as shown in
i Fig. 3.144.1. This sollution of coopper sulphaate is
teermed as thee electrolyte and it has electrical
e
coonducting prroperty. The entire systeem of
ellectrolyte an
nd electrodees is called
d as the eleectrolytic ceell. As per the polarityy, the
ch
hemical reacctions occurrring at the anode and ccathode are called as annodic or cathhodic
reeactions resp
pectively.

Electrolytes
E
nt from thee metallic cconductors that conducct electricityy. In
are differen
ellectrolytes, the
t current is
i carried by
y atoms or ggroup of atoms and not by the electtrons.
The
T atoms have
h
either lost or gain
ned electronns, thereby acquiring eeither positivve or
negative charrges and succh atoms are called ions.. The ions thhat carry possitive chargees are
atttracted by the
t cathode and they move
m
througgh the electrrolyte in thee direction oof the
positive curreent and are referred to as the cat--ions. The negatively charged ionns get

atttracted to th
he positive electrode
e
i.e.. anode and they are refferred to as tthe anions. Due
to
o the potentiial difference applied, th
he movemennt of ions is accompanieed by the floow of
ellectrons, in the
t oppositee sense to the positive cuurrent in thee electrolyte,, outside thee cell,
ass shown schematically in
n Fig. 3.14.2
2

n the electrop
plating process, which iss a very poppular applicaation of electtrolysis, the m
metal
In
co
oatings are deposited on
n the surface of a cathoodically polaarized metall. An exampple of
th
he anodic dissolution
d
operation
o
iss electro-poolishing. In this polishhing processs, the
workpiece
w
wh
hich has irregularities is made as thee anode in thhe electrolytiic cell. The w
workpiece gets po
olished and irregularities on its surrface are disssolved prefe
ferentially soo that
affter the process, the item
m gets shinin
ng effect and becomes flaat.
The
T ECM and
d electro-polishing process are simi lar, such thaat both are aanodic dissollution
prrocesses. The rate of metal remo
oval obtainned in the electro-polisshing proceess is
co
onsiderably less than th
hat required in the metaal removal pprocesses. Soome observaations
reelevant to EC
CM are:

At the anode, the metal dissolves electrochemically and its rate of dissolution
depends upon number of factors such as the ionic charge, atomic weight, the
current and the time of current passage.

The rate of dissolution is not influenced by the hardness of the workpiece material
or any other metal characteristics.

At the cathode, only the hydrogen gas is evolved. The electrode shape remains
unaltered during the electrolysis process. This is the most relevant feature of ECM
being used as a metal shaping process.

Mechanism of Material Removal in ECM

The working principle of ECM is schematically shown in Fig. 3.14.3 (a and b), the
workpiece and tool are the anode and cathode respectively. In the electrolytic cell a
constant potential difference, usually of about 10 V is applied across them. A suitable
electrolyte, for example an aqueous sodium chloride (table salt) solution is commonly
chosen. In-order to remove the products of machining, the electrolyte is pumped through
the gap between the two electrodes. The rate at which metal is then removed from the
anode is approximately in inverse proportion to the distance between the electrodes. As
the machining proceeds there is a simultaneous movement of the cathode towards the
anode. The width of the gap along the electrode length will gradually tend towards a
steady-state value. Under such conditions, a shape which is roughly complementary to
that of the cathode will be reproduced on the anode. The schematic of electrochemical
machine is shown in Fig. 3.14.4

Insulation
n

Advantages
A
of
o ECM
The
T major ad
dvantages of the ECM prrocess are:

No heeat affected zone

z
is form
med.

Hardeer metals thaan the tool caan be machinned.

The hardness of material

m
doess not affect th
the metal rem
moval rate.

Comp
plex shapes can
c be machined on hardd metals,

No too
ol wear occu
urs.

Burr-ffree products are obtaineed in this proocess.

There is no tool to
o workpiece contact.

There is no cutting forces, theerefore clampping is not rrequired exceept for contrrolled
motion of the worrk piece.

The products obtaained are freee from physiical and therrmal strains.

Depen
nding on thee materials, high surfacce quality leevel is attainnable (Ra < 0.02
m))

High dimensional
d
l accuracies are attainablle

Limitations
L
of
o ECM

The co
ost of toolin
ng is high.

Energ
gy consumpttion is high: Power conssumption is more as thee ECM proccesses
operattes at high cu
urrent and reelatively low
w voltages (55-15V).

The saline
s
electro
olyte poses a risk of coorrosion to the tool, woorkpiece annd the
equipm
ment.

Since special elecctrodes need to be develooped for eacch product, hhigher produuction
nomic viabillity. Dependding on the ccomplexity oof the
numbers are requiired for econ
mum producct numbers arre decided.
material, the optim

The electrode
e
dessign is comp
plex and haas high initiaal cost but hhowever it hhas a
long life.

Sharp corners or flat bottomss are not suittable througgh the ECM process, as there
is a tendency of th
he electrolyte to erode aw
way the sharrp profiles.