ELECTRO CHEMICAL

MACHINING PROCESS
 INTRODUCTION
• ECM is one of the recent and most useful
machining process.
• In this process, electrolysis method
is used to remove the metal from the
workpiece.
• It is best suited for the metals and alloys
which are difficult to be machined by
mechanical machining process.
 What is ECM ?
• Electrochemical machining (ECM) is a
method of removing metal particules by an
electrochemical process instead of
standard machining methods.
• It gives a new perspective to
machining process and being an
initiator of new tecnologies. (Example:
MECM)
 Equipment
The electrochemical machining system has
the following modules:
• Power supply
• Electrolyte filtration and delivery system
• Tool feed system
• Working tank
 POWER SUPPLY
• The applied current 50-40,000 A
• The voltage must be 5-30V D.C.
• The current density of this process is
generally high (20-300 A/𝑐𝑚2).
 Electrolyte Circulation System
• The entering pressure must be between
0.15 and 3 Mpa.
• The electrolyte system must
include a strong pump.
• The electrolyte is stored in a tank
• System also includes a filter, sludge
• removal system, and treatment units.
 Control System
• Control parameters include:
*Voltage
*Inlet and outlet pressure of electrolyte
*Temperature of electrolyte.
The current is dependent on the above
parameters and the feed rate.
 CONSTRUCTION
• It consists of workpiece, tool, servo motor
for controlling tool feed, D.C power supply,
electrolyte, pump, motor for pump, filter
for incoming electrolyte and reservoir for
electrolyte.
• A shaped tool (electrode) is used in this
process, which is connected to negative
terminals (cathode) and the workpiece
is connected to positive terminals
(anode).
• The tool used in this process should be
made up of the material which have
enough thermal and electrical conductivity,
high chemical resistance to electrolyte
and adequate stiffness and machinability.
• Widely used tool materials are stainless
steel titanium, brass and copper.
• Tool is of hollow and the electrolyte is
circulated between the work and the tool.
 Cont..
• Most widely used electrolyte in this
process is sodium nitrate solution.
• NaCl solution in water is a good alternative
but it is more corrosiveness.
• Other chemicals like sodium hydroxide,
sodium sulphate, sodium flouride,
potassium nitrate and potassium chloride.
• Servo motor is used for controlling the tool
feed and the filter is used to remove the
dust particles from the electrolytic fluid.
Etchants
Maskants
ECM
 WORKING
• The tool and the workpiece
are held close to each other
with a very small gap (of
0.05 to 0.5mm) between
them by using a servo
motor.
• The electrolyte from the
reservoir is pumped at high
pressure and flows
through the gap between
the workpiece and the tool
at a velocity (of 30 to
60m/s).
 WORKING
• A D.C voltage about 5-30 volts
is applied between the tool
and the work piece.
• Due to the applied voltage the
current flows through the
electrolyte with +ve charged
ions and –ve charged ions.
• The +ve charged ions moves
towards the tool (cathode)
while –ve ions moves towards
the workpiece (anode).
• The electro chemical reaction
takes place due to the flow of
ions and it causes the removal
of metal from the workpiece.
 ANALYSIS OF MATERIAL
REMOVAL
• Electrolysis:
– D.C voltage of about 5-30V is applied
between the tool and work piece.
– So the current in water flows through the
electrolyte (solution of NaCl) with
charged ions.
– Many chemical reactions occurs at
the cathode and the anode.
 Cont..
The following reaction are possible at
cathode(tool) Na+ + e- =Na
Na + H2O= Na(OH) + H+
2H+ + 2e- =H2 (Hydrogen evolution)
The following reaction occurs at cathode(Iron
work piece)
Fe↔Fe+++2e- Fe+
+
+2Cl-↔FeCl2
Fe+++2(OH)-↔Fe(OH)2
FeCl2 +2(OH)↔Fe(OH)2+2Cl-
 Tool material
• Since the tool has no contact with the work piece, there
is no tool wear. So any material that is good conductor of
electricity can be used as tool material
• Most commonly used tool materials are copper, brass,
titanium, copper tungsten and stainless steel when
the electrolyte is made of sodium or potassium

Properties Copper Brass Stainless steel Copper tungsten

Electrical resistivity 1 4 53 8

Stiffness 1.60 1 1.9 2.2

Machinability 6 8 2.5 1.8

Thermal conductivity 25 7.5 1 10

 Electrolyte
Material Electrolyte
Iron based alloys 20% of NaCl solution in water
Ni based alloys Mixture of brine and H2SO4
TI based alloys 10% of HF+10%of HCl+10%HNO3
Co-Cr based alloys NaCl
WC based alloys Strong alkaline solution

Low electrolyte temperature results in low

MRR and high temperature leads to
vaporization of the electrolyte, so it’s
maintained around 35ᵒC to 65ᵒC
 Surface finishing
Factors govern the accuracy of the parts
produced by ECM
Machining voltage
Tool feed rate
Temperature of
electrolyte Concentration
of electrolyte
The surface finish in ECM process is of the order
0.2-0.8 micron with tolerance of 0.005mm depending
on work material and the electrolyte used .
 Process Parameters
• Power Supply
• Type direct current
• Voltage 2 to 35 V
• Current 50 to 40,000 A
• Current density 0.1 A/mm2 to 5 A/mm2
• Electrolyte
• Material NaCl and NaNO3
• Temperature 20oC – 50oC
• Flow rate 20 lpm per 100 A current
• Pressure 0.5 to 20 bar
• Dilution 100 g/l to 500 g/l
• Working gap 0.1 mm to 2 mm
• Overcut 0.2 mm to 3 mm
• Feed rate 0.5 mm/min to 15 mm/min
• Electrode material Copper, brass, bronze
• Surface roughness, Ra 0.2 to 1.5 μm
 ECM Vs EDM Vs CNC
TABLE Machining Characteristics of EDM and
ECM
PROCESS MRR TOLERANCE SURFACE FINISH DAMAGE DEPT POWER
H
mm3/min micron micron micron watts

ECM 15,000 50 0.1-2.5 5 100,000

EDM 800 15 0.2-1.2 125 2700
CNC 50,000 50 0.5-5 25 3000
Note: MRR = metal removal rate; tolerance = tolerance maintained; surface
finish = surface finish required; damage depth = depth of surface damage;
ECM = electrochemical machining; EDM = electro-discharge machining;
CNC = computer numerical control machining.

4/21/2017
 Advantages
• No mechanical force
• There no cutting forces
therefore
is clamping is not required
controlled
except motion of the work piece.
for
There is no heat affected zone.
• Very accurate.
• Relatively fast
• Can machine harder metals than the tool.
 Cont..
• No material corrosion
• Provides smooth surfaces
• No need of harder material that is used in
processing.
• More sensitive and repeatable
• Provides of processing
complex geometries
 Disadvantages
• Solution usage
• Pump,tank, pipe, filter and sink usage.
• Keeping the solution conductivity constant.
• More expensive than conventional
machining.
• Need more area for installation.
• Electrolytes may destroy the equipment.
• Not environmentally friendly (sludge and
other waste)
• High energy consumption.
 Cont..
• The effect of the toxic gases and aerosols
produced in the course of ECM.
• Chemical attack by electrolytes.
• The risk of an electric shock.
• The danger of a burn in the case of a short
circuit between the positive and negative leads. .
• Mechanical factors.
• The danger of a fire damp explosion.
• The effects of the electromagnetic field.
• Material has to be electrically conductive
 Applications
• The most common application of ECM is high
accuracy duplication. Because there is no
tool wear, it can be used repeatedly with a
high degree of accuracy.
• It is also used to make cavities and holes in
various products.
• It is commonly used on thin walled,
easily deformable and brittle material
because they would probably develop
cracks with conventional machining.
 Applications in industries
• Applications are valid for highly sensitive
working areas like; electronic, air and
space industries.
• It has also contains many benefices that in
great industries like telecommunication,
automotive and defence industries.
 Economics
• The process is economical when a large
number of complex identical products need to
be made (at least 50 units)
• Several tools could be connected to a
cassette to make many cavities
simultaneously. (i.e.cylinder cavities in
engines)
• Large cavities are more economical on ECM
and can be processed in 1/10 the time of
EDM.
 Products

• The two most common products of ECM are

turbine/compressor blades and rifle barrels. Each of
those parts require machining of extremely hard
metals with certain mechanical specifications
• Some of these mechanical characteristics achieved by
ECM are:
Stress free grooves.
*Any groove geometry.
*Any conductive metal can be machined.
*Repeatable accuracy of 0.0005”.
*High surface finish.
*Fast cycle time.
 Future
• Being a developing machining system;
provides a new tecniqual expertise areas
• With these developments;
electrochemical machining system found a
better condition to work in micro sizes
called MECM
 Conclusion
• With eliminating the disadvantages,ECM
will provide a good efficiency and recycling
in machining processes
• It provides a faster and
accurate system for metal machining
processes.
• It is an iniatior of newer
techniques that could be
beneficial for industries.
• Also provides faster and good
THANK YOU