The undeveloped opportunities of

Electrochemical Jet machining

Hans-Henk Wolters

CEO ECM TechnologiesAachen, November 22nd 2011

CE

EDM

Electrochemistry

ECM=AM=ECP

ECPECG

ECM

ECP

ECD

ECD

EPP

pECM

Jet-

ECM

Flow of

electrons

Flow of

electrons

+ -

electrons

Anode Cathode

Dissolution of

metal from

anode

Men+

Men+

Deposition of

metal on

cathode

Me

Me

Metal salt solution

ECM ANIMATION

Nickel

alloysSS

Hard

metal

Tungsten

Molybdenum AlNiCo

Sintered

metals

Titanium

alloys

Aluminum

(alloys)

metal

Tungsten

carbides

Cobalt

Cupper

(alloys)

Steel

grades

And

other

metals/

alloys

metals

Products with

complex and

precise

geometries

Are you dealing with

Tough or

impossible to

machine alloys by

conventional

machining

Higher

production

numbers

Your product and your company might benefit from

pECM

•Phase1:

Fundamental research on the specific material.

Introduction of ECM Technologies

Material characteristics

•Electrical parameters

•Current (density)

•DC, pulsed, bipolar

•Pulse length

•Pause length

•P/P ratio

•Electrolyte parameters•Electrolyte parameters

•Temperature

•pH

•Conductivity

•Salt type (single/ mixtures)

•Passivating/ non-passivating

•Measurements

•Efficiency

•Surface quality

•Surface roughness

•SEM analysis

Anode reaction : Me → Men+ + ne-

Anode reaction : 6H2O → O2↑ + 4H3O+ + 4e-

Step 1: high speed machining, v ≈ 2,5 mm/min at 150A/cm2 DC

Step 2: accurate machining

High current

density,

high MRR

Optimal current density,

accurate machining

Machining strategy

in passivating

elecrolyte

high MRRaccurate machining

Step 3: polishing

•Phase1:

Fundamental research on the specific material.

•Phase 2:

Application research

Introduction of ECM Technologies

•Phase1:

Fundamental research on the specific material.

•Phase 2:

Application research

•Phase 3:

Small series production to optimize the process and to

analyze the parts.

• Phase 4:

Introduction of ECM Technologies

• Phase 4:

Implementation of the application at customers location.

•Automotive

•Aerospace

•Steel industry

•Offshore industry

•Consumer products

•Watch industry

•Membrane technology

Representatives

Customers

•Space•Medical •Energy market e.g. fuel cells and solar

•Hygiene market

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

For more information please visit

www.electrochemicalmachining.com