Modeling of Electrochemical Machining of Cylindrical Surfaces Using Partially Insulated Tool Cathode

Abstract

The electrochemical machining (ECM) of the outer surface of rotating cylindrical workpiece using a cylindrical cathode with a partially insulated surface is simulated. It is shown that partial insulation of tool electrode (TE) surface enables increasing the localization of the metal dissolution on the desired area of the workpiece surface. The degree of localization increases with a decrease of the non-insulated TE part and a decrease of the minimal interelectrode gap used in ECM. Partial insulation of TE surface leads to a certain decrease in the ECM productivity; however, the edge effect at the boundary between the insulated and non-insulated parts of TE partially compensates for this drawback.