ECM Process parameters

1. Nature of power supply

2. Tool feed rate

3. Gap between workpiece and tool

4. Electrolyte
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1.Nature of power supply

• Type: direct current

• Voltage: 2 to 35 V
• Current: 50 to 40,000 A
• Current density: 20 A/cm2 to 300 A/cm2
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Current density
• Current density is simply the current that can be passed into a
square inch of work area.

• At low current densities , MRR is small.

• The relationship between current density and MRR is shown in fig.

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2.Tool feed rate
• Tool in ECM are high electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance
and rigidity to withstand the electrolytic flow.
• Low frequency tool vibrations were found to improve machining rate and
accuracy
• The effects of tool geometry, electrolyte immersion depth, size and length on
the machining rate, accuracy and gap size
• Inter Electrode Gap always tries to increase due to removal of metal from
workpiece.
• The process always tries to attain the equilibrium gap.
• MRR to avoid short circuit during machining, since short circuit can severely
damage both the micro tool and delicate surface of the workpiece
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3. Gap between workpiece and tool

• Maintaining IEG 15to20μm uniformly >>>

to achieve high accuracy and surface finish.
• Metal removal rate is inversely proportional

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4.Electrolyte
1.concentration
• A concentrated electrolyte offers low resistance to flow of machining current.
• Metal may be removes beyond the limited.
• The disadvantage is that salts crystallize out of the solution at higher concentration and clog
the are as in the machine enclosure
2.Temperature
• The surface roughness becomes poorer with increasing temperature.
• Electrolyte temperature is higher than 50 °C, the quality of the surface deteriorates.
• Rise in temperature of electrolyte tends to decrease its specific resistance.
• These changes would flow rate/pressure characteristics of the electrolyte.
• Metallurgical property changed due to high temperature
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3.Flow of electrolyte

• Nontoxic electrolyte should be used

• electrolyte is pumped from a storage tank via a pressure controller

• delivery systems and multi nozzle systems.

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• Conclusion
• with a better surface finish being achieved at frequencies above 400 Hz.

• The optimized parameters for ECM are NaCl concentration 13wt%

• voltage 20 V, frequency 0.4 kHz, duty cycle 0.3, temperature 23 ˚C

• feed rate 0.5 mm/min, and the best surface roughness obtained is 0.912

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