Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Improvement of ECM characteristics by applying ultrasonic vibration

  • Published:
International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, a technique to remove the byproducts from the interelectrode area of an electrochemical machining (ECM) tool was investigated. Our goal was to improve both the processing speed and replicating accuracy of the ECM process. This technique involves the application of ultrasonic vibration to the tool electrode. The influence of the direction and the amplitude on the processing speed and the replicating accuracy was experimentally investigated. It was found that both the processing speed and the replicating accuracy had improved. In addition, the largest processing speed and the highest replicating accuracy were obtained by applying complex ultrasonic vibration. Next, an experimental hole was drilled to remove byproducts, via machining with tool feeding in the normal direction to the workpiece surface. In addition, we experimentally investigated the influence of the feed rate on the processing speed and the replicating accuracy. It was found that a higher feeding rate improved both the processing speed and the replicating accuracy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. McGeough, J. A., “Principles of Electrochemical Machining,” Chapman and Hall, 1974.

  2. Rajurkar, K. P., Levy, G., Malshe, A., Sundaram, M. M., McGeough, J., Hu, X., Resnick, R., and DeSilv, A., “Micro and Nano Machining by Electro-Physical and Chemical Processes,” Annuals of the CIRP, Vol. 55, No. 2, pp. 643–666, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bhattacharyya, B., Mitra, S., and Boro, A. K., “Electrochemical machining: new possibilities for micromachining,” Robotics and Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Vol. 18, No. 3–4, pp. 283–289, 2002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Chung, D. K., Shin, H. S., Park, M. S., Kim, B. H., and Chu, C. N., “Recent Researches in Micro Electrical Machining,” Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf., Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 371–380, 2011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Schuster, R., Kirchner, V., Allongue, P., and Ertl, G., “Electrochemical Micromachining,” Science, Vol. 289, No. 5476, pp. 98–101, 2000.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Trimmer, A. L., Hudson, J. L., Kock, M., and Schuster, R., “Single-step electrochemical machining of complex nanostructures with ultrashort voltage pulses,” Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 82, No. 19, pp. 3327–3329, 2003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Kock, M., Kirchner, V., and Schuster, R., “Electrochemical micromachining with ultrashort voltage pulses-a versatile method with lithographical precision,” Electrochimica Acta, Vol. 48, No. 20–22, pp. 3213–3219, 2003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ahn, S. H., Ryu, S. H., Choi, D. K., and Chu, C. N., “Electrochemical micro drilling using ultra short pulses,” Precision Engineering, Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 129–134, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Jo, C. H., Kim, B. H., and Chu, C. N., “Micro electrochemical machining for complex internal micro features,” Annals of CIRP, Vol. 58, No. 1, pp. 181–184, 2009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Byun, J. W., Shin, H. S., Kwon, M. H., Kim, B. H., and Chu, C. N., “Surface texturing by micro ECM for friction reduction,” Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf., Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 747–753, 2010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Kim, B. H., Na, C. W., Lee, Y. S., Choi, D. K., and Chu, C. N., “Micro electrochemical machining of 3D micro structure using dilute sulfuric acid,” Annals of CIRP, Vol. 54, No. 1, pp. 191–194, 2005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Park, M. S. and Chu, C. N., “Micro-electrochemical machining using multiple tool electrodes,” Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Vol. 17, No. 8, pp. 1451–1457, 2007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Chikamor, K., “Possibilities of electrochemical micromachining,” International Journal of the Japan Society for Precision Engineering, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 37–38, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Wilson, J. F., “Practice and theory of electrochemical machining,” John Wiley & Sons, pp. 79–83, 1971.

  15. Zhao, W. S., Wang, Z. L., Di, S. C., Chi, G. X., and Wei, H. Y., “Ultrasonic and electric discharge machining to deep and small hole on titanium alloy,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology, Vol. 120, No. 1–3, pp. 101–106, 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Je, S. U., Kim, D. W., Lee, H. S., and Chu, C. N., “Micro EDM with ultrasonic work fluid vibration for deep hole machining,” Journal of KSPE, Vol. 22, No. 7, pp. 47–53, 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Kim, D. J., Yi, S. M., Lee, Y. S., and Chu, C. N., “Straight hole micro EDM with a cylindrical tool using a variable capacitance method accompanied by ultrasonic vibration,” Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Vol. 16, No. 5, pp. 1092–1097, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Yu, Z. Y., Zhang, Y., Li, J., Luan, J., Zhao, F., and Guo, D., “High aspect ratio micro-hole drilling aided with ultrasonic vibration and planetary movement of electrode by micro-EDM,” Annals of CIRP, Vol. 58, No. 1, pp. 213–216, 2009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Yang, I., Park, M. S., and Chu, C. N., “Micro ECM with Ultrasonic Vibrations Using a Semi-cylindrical Tool,” Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf., Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 5–10, 2009.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  20. Bhattacharyya, B., Malapati, M., Munda, J., and Sarkar, A., “Influence of tool vibration on machining performance in electrochemical micro-machining of copper,” International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, Vol. 47, No. 2, pp. 335–342, 2007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Ultrasonic Manufacturers Association of Japan, “Subject-book for Ultrasonic Term,” Published by Kogyo Chosakai Publishing Co., Ltd., p. 5, 2005. (in Japanese)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakacho, Koganei City, Tokyo, Japan, 184-8588

    Wataru Natsu & Hisashi Nakayama

  2. Dalian University of Technology, No. 2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province, China, 116024

    Zuyuan Yu

Authors
  1. Wataru Natsu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hisashi Nakayama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zuyuan Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wataru Natsu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Natsu, W., Nakayama, H. & Yu, Z. Improvement of ECM characteristics by applying ultrasonic vibration. Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf. 13, 1131–1136 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-012-0149-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-012-0149-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation