Pulse electrochemical finishing: Modeling and experiment

Surface quality of the workpiece has great influence on its service performance and lifespan. Pulse electrochemical finishing (PECF) provides an effective method for improving surface quality of the workpiece. In PECF, surface irregularities are removed by electrochemical dissolution rather than by cutting force. Due to non-contact nature of the process, there is no residual stress and thermal effect on the workpiece surface. For successful utilization of PECF, in present manufacturing, it still demands for more intensive research, including the mechanism of anodic smoothing. The anodic smoothing characteristics of PECF are analyzed through a developed mathematical model. The main influencing factors such as the finishing time, the interelectrode gap, the applied voltage and the rotational speed of electrode have been examined. The predictive values based on the developed mathematical model are found to be in reasonable agreement with the experimental values. The surface roughness Rz ranges from 3 μm to 1.22 μm. The research achievement through various parametric studies can be used as a guideline for the operation of a PECF system.