Experimental Research on the Electrochemical Machinability of selected γ-TiAl alloys for the Manufacture of Future Aero Engine Components

γ-TiAl-based alloys have attractive properties regarding the specific strength at high temperatures. Thus, the demand for aero engine components such as turbine blades and discs out of this class of materials will increase over the next years significantly. Due to the hard machinability via conventional cutting processes one possible alternative is seen in the Electrochemical Machining (ECM). This paper contains basic research on the unpulsed electrochemical machinability of four typical γ-TiAl-based alloys. Therefor specific material removal rate is investigated as a function of current density and compared to the theoretical dissolution behavior according to Faraday's law. Finally investigations on surface integrity aspects of these alloys are presented and exemplarily compared to conventional cutting processes to show specific ECM process capabilities.