Search

The electrochemical machining with forced hydrodynamic depassivation allows the material removal from workpiece by electrochemical erosion. The products resulted as a consequence of the electrochemical reactions developed between the workpiece material and electrolyte are removed from the machining zone by forced circulation of the electrolyte. A theoretical analysis led to formulation of several hypothesis concerning the behaviour of some metallic materials when test samples presenting a conical surface are affected by the electrochemical machining process with forced hydrodynamic depassivation. In the paper, the results of some experimental researches developed on test samples from steel, bronze and aluminium are presented. By mathematical processing of the experimental results, some empirical mathematical models were established. The empirical models highlight the influence exerted by the gap size, by the size of angle corresponding to the conical surface and by the voltage applied to the two electrodes on the size of the final gap and on the quantity of material removed from the test piece, for a certain duration of the machining process.

The electrochemical machining process is based on the material removal from workpiece as a consequence of electrochemical reactions developed between the workpiece material and electrolyte, when both tool electrode and workpiece are found in an electrolyte and they are connected in the electric circuit of a direct current supply. Distinct factors could exert influence on the sizes of parameters of technological interest in case of electrochemical machining process. The paper presents the results of some theoretical considerations and experimental researches concerning the evolution of the work gap size and diminishing the test piece mass in case of using a conical active surface of the test piece and an aqueous solution of sodium chloride as electrolyte. The experimental results were mathematically processed and empirical mathematical models were determined. The empirical models and the graphical representations based on these empirical models illustrated the diminishing of the final gap size when the angle of conical surface increases and when the initial gap size is higher; the increase of voltage determines an increase of the final gap size. A similar influence is exerted when the test piece mass is considered as output factor.