Chapter 19

Electronic Electrochemical
Chemical
and Thermal Machining
Processes
(Review)

EIN 3390 Manufacturing Processes

Spring, 2012

19.1 Introduction
Non-traditional

machining (NTM) processes

have several advantages

Complex geometries are possible

Extreme surface finish
Tight tolerances
Delicate components
Little or no burring or residual stresses
Brittle materials with high hardness can be
machined
Microelectronic or integrated circuits (IC) are
possible to mass produce

NTM Processes
Four

basic groups of material removal using NTM

processes
Chemical:
Chemical reaction between a liquid reagent and workpiece
results in etching

Electrochemical
An electrolytic reaction at workpiece surface for removal of
material

Thermal
High temperature in very localized regions evaporate
materials, for example, EDM

Mechanical
High-velocity abrasives or liquids remove materials

Limitations of Conventional
Machining Processes
Machining

processes that involve chip

formation have a number of limitations

Large amounts of energy

Unwanted distortion
Residual stresses
Burrs
Delicate or complex geometries may be
difficult or impossible

Conventional End Milling vs. NTM

Typical

machining parameters

Feed rate (5 200 in./min.)

Surface finish (60 150 in) AA Arithmetic
Average
Dimensional accuracy (0.001 0.002 in.)
Workpiece/feature size (25 x 24 in.); 1 in. deep
NTM

processes typically have lower feed

rates and require more power consumption
The feed rate in NTM is independent of
the material being processed

Table 19-1 Summary of NTM Processes

19.2 Chemical Machining

Processes
Typically

involves metals, but ceramics

and glasses may be etched
Material is removed from a workpiece by
selectively exposing it to a chemical
reagent or etchant
Gel milling- gel is applied to the workpiece in
gel form.
Maskant- selected areas are covered and the
remaining surfaces are exposed to the etchant.
This is the most common method of CHM.

Masking
Several

different
methods
Cut-and-peel
Scribe-and-peel
Screen printing

Etch

rates are slow

in comparison to
other NTM processes
Figure 19-1 Steps required to produce a stepped contour
by chemical machining.

Defects in Etching

Figure 19-2 Typical chemical milling defects: (a) overhang: deep cuts with improper
agitation; (b) islands: isolated high spots from dirt, residual maskant, or work material
inhomogeneity; (c) dishing: thinning in center due to improper agitation or stacking of parts
in tank.

If

baths are not agitated properly, defects

result

Advantages and Disadvantages

of Chemical Machining
Advantages

Process is relatively
simple
Does not require
highly skilled labor
Induces no stress or
cold working in the
metal
Can be applied to
almost any metal
Large areas
Virtually unlimited
shape
Thin sections

Disadvantages

Requires the handling

of dangerous
chemicals
Disposal of
potentially harmful
byproducts
Metal removal rate
is slow

19.3 Electrochemical Machining

Process
Electrochemical
machining (ECM)
removes material
by anodic
dissolution with
a rapidly flowing
electrolyte
The tool is the
cathode and the
workpiece is the
anode

Figure 19-17 Schematic diagram of

electrochemical machining process
(ECM).

19.3 Electrochemical Machining

Process
Electrochemical
machining (ECM)
removes material
by anodic
dissolution with
a rapidly flowing
electrolyte
The tool is the
cathode and the
workpiece is the
electrolyte

Figure 19-17 Schematic diagram of

electrochemical machining process
(ECM).

Advantages and Disadvantages

of Electrochemical Machining

Advantages

ECM is well suited for the

machining of complex
two-dimensional shapes
Delicate parts may be
made
Difficult-to machine
geometries
Poorly machinable
materials may be
processed
Little or no tool wear

Disadvantages

Initial tooling can

be timely and
costly
Environmentally
harmful by-products

19.4 Electrical Discharge

Machining
Electrical

discharge machining (EDM)

removes metal by discharging electric
current from a pulsating DC power
supply across a thin interelectrode gap
The gap is filled by a dielectric fluid, which
becomes locally ionized
Two different types of EDM exist based on
the shape of the tool electrode
Ram EDM/ sinker EDM
Wire EDM

Figure 19-21 EDM or spark erosion machining of metal, using high-frequency spark discharges in
a dielectric, between the shaped tool (cathode) and the work (anode). The table can make X-Y
movements.

Figure 19-21 EDM or spark erosion machining of metal, using high-frequency spark discharges in
a dielectric, between the shaped tool (cathode) and the work (anode). The table can make X-Y
movements.

EDM Processes
Slow

compared to
conventional
machining
Produce a matte
surface
Complex
geometries are
possible
Often used in tool
and die making

Figure 19-22 Schematic diagram of equipment

for wire EDM using a moving wire electrode.

EDM Processes
Figure 19-23 (left) Examples of wire EDM
workpieces made on NC machine (Hatachi).

Figure 19-24 (above) SEM micrograph of EDM

surface (right) on top of a ground surface in steel.
The spherical nature of debris on the surface is in
evidence around the craters (300 x).

Effect of Current on-time and

Discharge Current on Crater Size
MRR = (C I)/(Tm1.23),

Where MRR material removal rate in in.3/min.; C

constant of proportionality equal to 5.08 in US customary
units; I discharge current in amps; Tm melting
temperature of workpiece material, 0F.

Example:
A certain alloy whose melting point = 2,000 0F is to be
machined in EDM. If a discharge current = 25A, what is the
expected metal removal rate?
MRR = (C I)/(Tm1.23) = (5.08 x 25)/(2,0001.23)
= 0.011 in.3/min.

Figure 19-25 The principles of

metal removal for EDM.

Effect of Current on-time and

Discharge Current on Crater Size
From Fig 19 25: we have the conclusions:
Generally higher duty cycles with higher
currents and lower frequencies are used to
maximize MRR.
Higher frequencies and lower discharge
currents are used to improve surface finish
while reducing MRR.
Higher frequencies generally cause increased
tool wear.

Considerations for EDM

Graphite

is the most widely used tool

electrode
The choice of electrode material depends on
its machinability and coast as well as the
desired MRR, surface finish, and tool
wear
Four main functions of dielectric fluid:
1)
2)
3)
4)

Electrical insulation
Spark conductor
Flushing medium
Coolant

Advantages and Disadvantages

of EDM
Advantages
Disadvantages
Applicable to all
Produces a hard
materials that are
recast surface
fairly good electrical Surface may
conductors
contain fine cracks
Hardness,
caused by
toughness, or
thermal stress
brittleness of the
material imposes no Fumes can be toxic
limitations
Fragile and delicate
parts

Electron and Ion Machining

Electron beam
machining (EBM) is a
thermal process that uses
a beam of high-energy
electrons focused on the
workpiece to melt and
vaporize a metal
Ion beam machining
(IBM) is a nano-scale
machining technology
used in the
microelectronics industry
to cleave defective wafers
for characterization and
failure analysis

Figure 19-26 Electron-beam machining uses a highenergy electron beam (109 W/in.2)

Laser-Beam Machining
Laser-beam

machining (LBM) uses an

intensely focused coherent stream of light to
vaporize or chemically ablate materials

Figure 19-27 Schematic

diagram of a laser-beam
machine, a thermal NTM
process that can
micromachine any
material.

Plasma Arc Cutting (PAC)

Uses

a superheated
stream of
electrically ionized
gas to melt and
remove material
The process can be
used on almost any
conductive material
PAC can be used on
exotic materials at
high rates
Figure 19-29 Plasma arc machining or cutting.

HW for Chapter 19
Review Questions:
17, 19, 20 (page 521)