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Procedia CIRP 42 (2016) 125 – 130
18th CIRP Conference on Electro Physical and Chemical Machining (ISEM XVIII)
Abstract
The high-temperature titanium alloy Ti60 (Ti–5.6Al–4.8Sn–2Zr–1Mo–0.35Si–0.7Nd) is often used for manufacturing critical components of
aero-engines. The use of this alloy has made it possible to increase the service temperature to up to 600 °C. However, machining such alloys by
conventional methods is difficult, often resulting in low process efficiency, high tool wear, reduced precision, and poor surface integrity.
Electrochemical machining (ECM) is an effective method to machine titanium alloys but the electrochemical dissolution behavior of titanium
alloys is different from those of other difficult-to-cut materials such as nickel alloys. This study focuses on the ECM of the high-temperature
titanium alloy Ti60. The anodic polarization curve, open circuit potential, and actual volume electrochemical equivalent–current density curve
of Ti60 are obtained. The electrochemical dissolution behavior of Ti60 is analyzed, and the composition, concentration, and temperature of the
electrolyte used for ECM are optimized. Dissolution experiments are performed at different current densities, and results show that the surface
roughness of Ti60 undergoing ECM deteriorates when the current density is small. Finally, electrochemical parameters are optimized and a
blisk sector made of Ti60, which is to be used in an aero-engine compressor, is machined by ECM. The process is stable and efficient. The
maximum machining rate of the channels is more than 1.2mm/min. The best surface roughness is Ra 0.6 μm, and the machining accuracy of the
blade profile is 0.05–0.07mm.
© 2016 The Authors.
© Authors. Published
PublishedbybyElsevier
ElsevierB.V.
B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of 18th CIRP Conference on Electro Physical and Chemical Machining (ISEM
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
XVIII).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of 18th CIRP Conference on Electro Physical and Chemical Machining
(ISEM XVIII)
Keywords: Electrochemical machining; Titanium alloy; Ti60; Dissolution behavior; Blisk
2212-8271 © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of 18th CIRP Conference on Electro Physical and Chemical Machining (ISEM XVIII)
doi:10.1016/j.procir.2016.02.206
126 Zhengyang Xu et al. / Procedia CIRP 42 (2016) 125 – 130
Mo 00.62 00.29
Current/A
4 Ti 83.49 84.47 4
Sn 03.46 01.30
Fe 00.13 00.11
Ti 81.14 75.79
3 Ta 01.45 00.39 3
Fe 00.66 00.53 0.2
Ta 01.03 00.25
2 2
1 Al Zr Mo 1 Al Zr Mo
0.1
Si Nb Sn Fe Ta O Si Nb Sn Fe Ta
0 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Energy/keV Energy/keV 0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(a) (b)
Potential/V
Fig. 4. Composition of Ti60 alloy samples: (a) sample with pretreatment and
Fig. 5. Polarization curves for Ti60 alloy in sodium chloride with different
(b) sample without pretreatment.
concentrations.
temperature is higher. A possible explanation for the corresponds to the dissolution resistance. The influence of the
differences among different electrolyte temperatures might be oxidation power of different anions is measured by a time-
the velocity of reactive ion exchange, considering the kinetic resolved recording of EOCP. The Ti60 samples are immersed in
and thermodynamic effects. At low temperatures, the velocity sodium chloride and sodium nitrate electrolytes with 10%
of reactive ion exchange could be assumed to be lower. This concentration and different temperatures, and EOCP is
affects the chemical interaction between the oxide layer and measured for 1000 s. Fig. 8 shows the time dependence of the
chloridion; hence, the continuation of electrochemical EOCP of Ti60 in different electrolytes and temperatures. The
dissolution becomes difficult. increase in EOCP indicates the generation of the oxide layer. If
10°C NaCl (10% wt)
20°C NaCl (10% wt) the oxide layer is removed, electrochemical dissolution will
30°C NaCl (10% wt)
0.4 40°C NaCl (10% wt)
50°C NaCl (10% wt)
be accelerated, and then, EOCP will decrease. From Fig. 8, it
60°C NaCl (10% wt)
can be concluded that the formation of the oxide layer is faster
0.3
in the nitrate electrolyte than in the chloride electrolyte
Current/A
Potential/V
Potential/V
0.0
-0.2
-0.2
nitrate electrolyte with 10% concentration and different -0.4
-0.4
temperatures. Compared to the sodium chloride electrolyte, -0.6
-0.8
the curves of the sodium nitrate electrolyte are very different. -0.6
0 200 400 600 800 1000
-1.0
0 200 400 600 800 1000
At a low temperature (30 °C), the current is almost zero Time/s Time/s
during the entire measurement. This indicates that the material (a) (b)
is still passive and the oxide layer is not destroyed. When the Fig. 8. Time dependence of EOCP of Ti60 in different electrolytes and
temperature is 40 °C, a tiny electrochemical reaction occurs. temperatures: (a) NaCl solution and (b) NaNO3 solution.
The current increases slightly and then declines to zero. This
demonstrates that there is only little corrosive pitting on the The actual volume electrochemical equivalent (ηω)–current
surface and then the oxide layer is generated again. At a density (i) curve for Ti60 in the sodium chloride with the 10%
higher temperature (50 °C), the current increases slowly, concentration and 40 °C temperature is obtained according to
which indicates the occurrence of a hybrid reaction involving the abovementioned results using the custom-made ECM
oxide layer generation and pitting dissolution. When the machine tool, as shown in Fig. 9. Here, η is the current
potential is more than 9 V, the current curve becomes serrated. efficiency, and ω is the volume electrochemical equivalent.
A possible explanation for this is that with an increase in the The curve can be divided into two regions. Between 0 to 20
potential, pitting corrosion is generated on some areas of the A/cm2, the actual volume electrochemical equivalent
surface and the current increases rapidly. However, because increases sharply. This phenomenon indicates that
sodium nitrate solution is an inactive electrolyte and has electrochemical dissolution becomes stronger as the current
higher oxidation power than halide electrolytes, pitting can be density increases. When the current density is more than 20
oxidized immediately and hence the current declines almost A/cm2, ηω remains stable and hardly changes in this
linearly. measurement range. This demonstrates that the experiment is
30°C NaNO3 (10% wt) in the state of steady electrochemical dissolution. In addition,
40°C NaNO3 (10% wt)
0.4 50°C NaNO3 (10% wt) based on ECM theory, the dissolution velocity of the anode
0.3
workpiece is proportional to ηω and i. Thus, increasing the
current density of ECM not only enhances the dissolution
Current/A
0.2
velocity but also improves ηω, which can further enhance the
0.1 dissolution velocity of the anode workpiece. Fig. 10 shows the
experiment samples machined at different current densities in
0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 the NaCl electrolyte with 10% concentration and 40 °C
Potential/V temperature. When the current density is 50 A/cm2, the
machined plane is very smooth. In contrast, when the current
Fig. 7. Current–voltage curves for Ti60 in sodium nitrate electrolyte with
10% concentration and different temperatures. density is 10 A/cm2, the electrochemical dissolution is uneven
and pitting corrosion is observed on the workpiece surface.
The same results can be obtained by measuring the open Thus, a high current density, more than at least 20 A/cm2, is
circuit potential (EOCP) of Ti60 in an electrolyte, which beneficial to ECM stability, efficiency, and quality.
Zhengyang Xu et al. / Procedia CIRP 42 (2016) 125 – 130 129
ηω/(cm3·A-1·min-1)
0.0014
(b)
Fig. 11.Two steps of blisk ECM:(a) channel machining and (b) blade profile
machining.
Tool electrode
The main experimental parameters are listed in Table 1. (a) (b)
The workpiece material was Ti60. The cathode was fabricated
from stainless steel to make it impervious to corrosion. Based
on the above mentioned electrochemical behavior of Ti60,
sodium chloride with 10% concentration was used as the
electrolyte because of its good activity. The temperature of
the electrolyte was 40 °C. Current density plays an important
Tool electrode
role in ensuring stable machining and producing a good
(c)
surface finish on titanium; thus, parameters such as
temperature and voltage were set to high values for obtaining Fig. 12. (a) Ti60 workblank, (b) sample after channel machining, and (c)
a higher current density during the process. sample after blade profile machining.
130 Zhengyang Xu et al. / Procedia CIRP 42 (2016) 125 – 130
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