Efficient modeling of material dissolution in electrochemical machining

PAMM, vol. 21

Abstract

Abstract The manufacturing process of electrochemical machining (ECM) allows for the precise machining of high‐strength materials. In order to save time and reduce experimental costs, one depends on efficient simulation tools. Numerous modeling approaches consider the anodic material dissolution in ECM based on a high resolution of the material (see e.g. [2], [3]). However, these models require computationally expensive remeshing after every time step. Therefore, we propose a novel approach that describes the dissolution process based on effective material parameters (see [5]). Faraday's law of electrolysis provides the evolution of the dissolution level which is described by an internal variable that relates the dissolved volume to a reference volume. The dissolution level in turn controls the effective material parameters. This procedure allows for the simulation of the entire process with a fixed finite element mesh. Moreover, the model considers the full coupling of the thermoelectric boundary value problem to accurately account for the electric current density distribution. The comparison of the model with analytical and experimental reference solutions yields realistic results and, hence, motivates the model's application to predict the surface roughness evolution in a pulsed electrochemical machining process.

Authors 5

1. Tim van der Velden corresponding Aachen Institute of Applied Mechanics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Applied Mechanics RWTH Aachen University Mies-van-der-Rohe-Str. 1 D-52074 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Applied Mechanics, RWTH Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Str. 1, D-52074 Aachen, Germany

   Telephone: +49 241 80 25008

   Tim van der Velden

2. Bob Rommes Aachen Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University Campus-Boulevard 30 D-52074 Aachen Germany

   Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University, Campus-Boulevard 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany

3. A. Klink Aachen Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University Campus-Boulevard 30 D-52074 Aachen Germany

   Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University, Campus-Boulevard 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany

4. Stefanie Reese Aachen Institute of Applied Mechanics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Applied Mechanics RWTH Aachen University Mies-van-der-Rohe-Str. 1 D-52074 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Applied Mechanics, RWTH Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Str. 1, D-52074 Aachen, Germany

5. Johanna Waimann Aachen Institute of Applied Mechanics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Applied Mechanics RWTH Aachen University Mies-van-der-Rohe-Str. 1 D-52074 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Applied Mechanics, RWTH Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Str. 1, D-52074 Aachen, Germany