Title: Research on pulse electrochemical finishing using a moving cathode

Authors: Jinjin Zhou, Guibing Pang, Hui Wang, Wenji Xu

Addresses: School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P.R. China. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P.R. China. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P.R. China. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P.R. China

Abstract: To improve the surface quality of parts with frictional pair, a finishing method – Pulse Electrochemical Finishing (PECF) using a Moving Cathode is studied in this paper. By experimentation we find: machining with an interelectrode gap as small as possible could smoothen the anode surface quickly; with an invariable gap size, the current density and the machining time are two key parameters influencing the smoothening effect; there is a critical current density above which a bright surface could be obtained, and this process could finish a large surface area over the critical current with a low power supply, which is helpful to get a lustrous surface. As an example, the inner surface of a part is finished. The result shows that the surface roughness value (Ra) reduces from 0.5 to 0.065 µm and a mirror-like surface is obtained.

Keywords: anodic dissolution; pulse electrochemical machining; surface finish; surface quality; non-traditional machining; advanced machining; surface roughness; moving cathode; pulse ECM; pulse electrochemical finishing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMTM.2005.006838

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 2005 Vol.7 No.2/3/4, pp.352 - 365

Published online: 17 Apr 2005 *

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