An Advanced Electrochemical Grinding System

The high-quality, burr-free finishing of complex, advanced metallic parts with hyper-smooth surface finishes (<1 microinch) is required for military applications to enhance the performance of key systems needed by the warfighter. A potential operation to remove material, achieve the desired surface finish, and enhance part quality is electrochemical form grinding (ECG). While the benefits of ECG are well known, the process is prone to grinding inaccuracies due to insufficient and inconsistent distribution of the electrolyte fluid within the wheel-workpiece interface. Insufficient and inconsistent electrolyte delivery create variation in material removal, which lead to part inaccuracies that are unacceptable for these high-dimensional tolerance applications. For a typical ECG operation, the electrolyte fluid is issued from a single nozzle or an array of nozzles. Our approach to address this issue is to develop the novel Through-Wheel Electrochemical Grinding System (TWGS). By delivering the electrolyte directly to the interface, we increase dimensional tolerance, maximize the material removal rate, and minimize wheel wear. In Phase I, we will establish the foundation for further development and technology transfer at the completion of Phase II.