Workpiece vibration in feed direction assisted electrochemical cutting using tube electrode with inclined holes

Abstract

Electrochemical cutting using tube electrode with inclined holes is a machining method that directly and obliquely injects electrolyte into the machining gap through inclined jet-flow holes on the sidewall of a tube electrode, allowing the electrochemical cutting of a workpiece. To improve the machining efficiency and accuracy of this cutting technique, a method of workpiece vibration in feed direction–assisted electrochemical cutting is proposed in which workpiece vibration rapidly and periodically changes the machining gap. The near-instantaneous increases in the machining gap promote the renewal of electrolyte and the removal of electrolytic products. At the same time, the electrochemical reaction time under the nonuniform flow field caused by the inclined downward injection of electrolyte is reduced. The flow field simulation of electrolyte in machining gap indicates that the near-instantaneous increases in the machining gap can improve the flow velocity of electrolyte. The effect of the vibrational amplitude and frequency on the machining result is investigated by cutting slit experiments. Compared with that of electrochemical cutting without workpiece vibration in feed direction, the average feed rate of electrochemical cutting assisted by workpiece vibration with amplitude of 0.1 mm and frequency of 1.5 Hz can be increased by 50%, and the width difference between the upper and lower end of the slit is reduced from 115.56 to 49.6 μm. The machining efficiency and machining accuracy of electrochemical cutting using tube electrode with inclined holes are improved. Finally, an array slice structure is fabricated on a stainless steel block with a cross-section of 10 mm × 10 mm at average feed rate of 6 μm/s using a vibrational amplitude and frequency of 0.1 mm and 1.5 Hz, respectively.