A numerical study on the influence of workpiece rotational speed on process performance in electrochemical turning operation

Abstract

Electrochemical machining (ECM) is a non-contact type machining technique in which, material is removed from the workpiece by the process of electrochemical dissolution in the presence of an externally applied electric field. Electrochemical turning (ECT) is a variant of ECM which closely resembles the conventional turning operation in configuration. ECT produces parts without burrs, thermal or mechanical residual stresses, and generally possesses a good surface finish. According to the classical theory of electrochemistry, the rate of material removed from the anode surface depends upon several process parameters such as: applied potential, electrical conductivity of electrolyte, gram electrochemical equivalent and mass density of the anode material, and the interelectrode gap. However, in ECT, workpiece rotational speed is also a key parameter which significantly influences the machining rate, but no analytical or empirical relationship in existence takes account of it. In the present research, a numerical model is developed to study the influence of rotational speed in ECT. This model numerically approximates the distribution of current density on the anode surface in two-dimensions without considering the hydrodynamics of the electrolyte flow. For a specific set of other process parameters, simulation results suggest a positive correlation between the machining rate and rotational speed.