Electrochemical trepanning with uniform electrolyte flow around the entire blade profile

In the traditional machining process for diffusers, blades are easily deformed, and methods suffer from high tool wear and low efficiency. Electrochemical machining(ECM) possesses unique advantages when applied to these difficult-to-machine materials. In the ECM process, theflow field plays a crucial role. Here, an electrolyte flow mode that supplies uniform flow around the entire blade profile was adopted for electrochemical trepanning of diffusers. Various flow rates were employed to obtain the optimal flow field. Simulations were conducted using ANSYS software, and results indicated that increasing the flow rate substantially afforded a more uniform flowfield. A series of experiments was then performed, and results revealed that increasing the flow rate greatly improved both the machining efficiency and the surface quality of the diffusers. The maximum feeding rate of the cathode reached 4 mm/min, the blade taper of the concave part decreased to 0.02, and the blade roughness was reduced to 1.216 lm. The results of this study demonstrated the high feasibility of this method and its potential for machining other complex components for engineering applications.     

整体叶盘叶型电解加工流场设计及实验

电解加工（ECM）是航空发动机整体叶盘制造的主要技术之一,其电解液流场稳定性是影响电解加工精度和表面质量的核心因素。本文在分析原有的二维流场基础上,针对流体在不同流道截面下的流场状态,提出了一种三维复合电解液流场模式,即三股电解液分别从毛坯进气边、叶盆叶根、叶背叶根流入,由排气边交汇流出。采用有限元法对三维复合流场及两类二维流场开展仿真分析,分析结果表明三维复合流场改善了流道突变区域流场状态,有效抑制了二维流场的流场缺陷,有助于提高流场稳定性。对加工区液体流态进行了判断,其结果显示三维复合流场可以满足电解加工要求。开展了3种流场模式的加工速度比较实验,三维复合流场达到的进给速度最高,较二维流场可显著提升加工效率。采用三维复合流场开展了多叶片扇段加工,获得了较好的重复精度与表面质量。     

整体叶盘叶型电解加工流场设计及实验简

 电解加工（ECM）是航空发动机整体叶盘制造的主要技术之一,其电解液流场稳定性是影响电解加工精度和表面质量的核心因素。本文在分析原有的二维流场基础上,针对流体在不同流道截面下的流场状态,提出了一种三维复合电解液流场模式,即三股电解液分别从毛坯进气边、叶盆叶根、叶背叶根流入,由排气边交汇流出。采用有限元法对三维复合流场及两类二维流场开展仿真分析,分析结果表明三维复合流场改善了流道突变区域流场状态,有效抑制了二维流场的流场缺陷,有助于提高流场稳定性。对加工区液体流态进行了判断,其结果显示三维复合流场可以满足电解加工要求。开展了3种流场模式的加工速度比较实验,三维复合流场达到的进给速度最高,较二维流场可显著提升加工效率。采用三维复合流场开展了多叶片扇段加工,获得了较好的重复精度与表面质量。     

Flow field design and experimental investigation of electrochemical machining on blisk

Flow field is a crucial factor to influence the stability and surface quality in the electrochemical machining (ECM) of blisks. A four-way flow mode was proposed to eliminate mixing regions of electrolyte at the leading and tailing edges. Two flow field models were described separately in this report: a W-shaped flow mode and a four-way flow mode. The flow field was analyzed through a finite element method. The results showed that, in comparison with the W-shaped flow mode, the distribution of electrolyte flow was more uniformed and the mixed region in the flow channel was improved. The pressure of the leading and tailing edges inlets was optimized, and optimal pressure of 0.6 MPa was determined. In addition, verification experiments were performed, and the results showed that the stability, efficiency, and quality of the profiles of the blisk blade manufactured by ECM were enhanced in the new flow mode.     

Electrochemical machining of burn-resistant Ti40 alloy

This study investigates the feasibility of using electrochemical machining(ECM) to produce critical aeroengine components from a new burn-resistant titanium alloy(Ti40), thereby reducing costs and improving efficiency relative to conventional mechanical machining.Through this, it is found that an aqueous mix of sodium chloride and potassium bromide provides the optimal electrolyte and that the surface quality of the Ti40 workpiece is improved by using a pulsed current of1 k Hz rather than a direct current.Furthermore, the quality of cavities produced by ECM and the overall material removal rate are determined to be dependent on a combination of operating voltage, electrolyte inlet pressure, cathode feeding rate and electrolyte concentration.By optimizing these parameters, a surface roughness of 0.371 lm has been achieved in conjunction with a specific removal rate of more than 3.1 mm3/A?min.     

Optimization of flow field in electrochemical trepanning of integral cascades (Ti6Al4V)

Ti6Al4V is widely applied in the integral cascades of aero engines. As an effective machining method, electrochemical trepanning (ECTr) has unique advantages in processing surface parts made of hard-to-cut materials. In ECTr, the state of the flow field has a significant effect on processing stability and machining quality. To improve the uniformity of the flow field when ECTr is applied to Ti6Al4V, two different flow modes are designed, namely full-profile electrolyte supply (FPES) and edges electrolyte supply (EES). Different from the traditional forward flow mode, the flow directions of the electrolyte in the proposed modes are controlled by inlet channels. Simulations show that the flow field under EES is more uniform than that under FPES. To further enhance the uniformity of the flow field, the structure of EES is optimized by modifying the insulating sleeve. In the optimized configuration, the longitudinal distance between the center of the inlet hole and the center of the blade is 6.0 mm, the lateral distance between the centers of the inlet holes on both sides is 16.5 mm, the length to which the electrolyte enters the machining area is 1.5 mm, and the height of the insulating sleeve is 13.5 mm. A series of ECTr experiments are performed under the two flow modes. Compared with EES, the blade machined by FPES is less accurate and has poorer surface quality, with a surface roughness (R_a) of 3.346 μm. Under the optimized EES, the machining quality is effectively enhanced, with the surface quality improved from R_a = 2.621 μm to R_a = 1.815 μm, thus confirming the efficacy of the proposed methods.     

Design and optimization of electrolyte flow fields in electrochemical machining of cross-channel array with tool vibration

A metallic interconnect plate with a flow channel array is one of the most important elements in a solid oxide fuel cell(SOFC). Electrochemical machining(ECM) is considered to be an adoptable technology for fabricating flow channels in an interconnect plate on account of its efficiency and low cost. With respect to the traditional electrolyte flow mode in ECM cross-channel array, the electrolyte usually flows from one side to the opposite side of the rectangular processing area. However, obvious...     

Flow field design and process stability in electrochemical machining of diamond holes

The metal grille, commonly composed of an amount of diamond holes, has been grow-ingly used as a key structure on stealth aircraft. Electrochemical machining (ECM) promises to be increasingly applied in aircraft manufacturing on the condition that process stability is guaranteed. In this work, a flow field model was designed to improve the process stability. This model is endowed with a variety of flow channel features, together with vibrating feeding modes. The flow field distribution on the bottom surface of the diamond hole was discussed and evaluated as well. The numerical results show that a short arc flow channel could significantly enhance the uniformity of electrolyte velocity distribution and a vibrating feeding of the cathode enables to reduce both fluctuations of the electrolyte velocity and pressure on the bottom surface of the diamond hole. Consequently, the flow field mutations were eliminated. It is verified from the experimental results that a short arc flow channel, when combined with vibrating feeding, is capable of improving machining localization and process stability markedly. What is more, the side gap on the bottom surface of the diamond hole could also be reduced by the abovementioned approach.     

Experimental research on electrochemical machining of titanium alloy Ti60 for a blisk

Ti60(Ti–5.6Al–4.8Sn–2Zr–1Mo–0.35Si–0.7Nd) is a high-temperature titanium alloy that is now used for important components of aircraft engines. Electrochemical machining(ECM) is a promising technique that has several advantages, such as a high machining rate, and can be used on a wide range of difficult-to-process materials. In this paper, orthogonal experiments are conducted to investigate ECM of Ti60, with the aim of determining the influences of some electrochemical process parameters on the surface roughness. The most important parameter is found to be the frequency of the pulsed power supply. It is found that using suitably optimized parameters for ECM can greatly decrease the surface roughness of a workpiece. A surface roughness of approximately 0.912 lm can be obtained with the following optimal parameters: Na Cl electrolyte concentration 13wt%, voltage20 V, pulse frequency 0.4 k Hz, duty cycle 0.3, temperature 23 °C, and anode feed rate 0.5 mm/min.Furthermore, blisk blades have been successfully processed using these optimized parameters.     

Electrochemical machining of complex components of aero-engines: Developments,trends, and technological advances

Because of several advantages, such as no tool wear, independence on the mechanical properties of the material, and high machining efficiency, electrochemical machining (ECM) has become a viable method for machining components in numerous industrial applications, particularly in the manufacture of typical aero-engine components with complex structures fabricated from materials that are difficult to cut. This paper highlights the current developments, new trends, and technological advances of key factors of ECM, such as electrochemical dissolution characteristics of novel difficult to cut materials which are often used in aero-engine, numerical simulation of electrochemical process, design for the complex profile and structure of cathode tool, flow field simulation and design for uniform electrolyte flow, and innovation of electrochemical machining or hybrid methods which reflect the state of the art in academic and industrial research on electrochemical machining in aero-engine manufacturing.     

Improving profile accuracy and surface quality of blisk by electrochemical machining with a micro inter-electrode gap

Electrochemical machining (ECM) has emerged as an important option for manufacturing the blisk. The inter-electrode gap (IEG) distribution is an essential parameter for the blisk precise shaping process in ECM, as it affects the process stability, profile accuracy and surface quality. Larger IEG leads to a poor localization effect and has an adverse influence on the machining accuracy and surface quality of blisk. To achieve micro-IEG (<50 μm) blisk finishing machining, this work puts forward a novel variable-parameters blisk ECM strategy based on the synchronous coupling mode of micro-vibration amplitude and small pulse duration. The modelling and simulation of the blisk micro-IEG machining have been carried out. Exploratory experiments of variable-parameters blisk ECM were carried out. The results illustrated that the IEG width reduced with the progress of variable parameter process. The IEG width of the blade’s concave part and convex part could be successfully controlled to within 30 μm and 21 μm, respectively. The profile deviation for the blade’s concave surface and convex surface are 49 μm and 35 μm, while the surface roughness reaches R_a = 0.149 μm and R_a = 0.196 μm, respectively. The profile accuracy of the blisk leading/trailing edges was limited to within 91 μm. Compared with the currently-established process, the profile accuracy of the blade’s concave and convex profiles was improved by 50.5 % and 53.3 %, respectively. The surface quality was improved by 53.2 % and 50.9 %, respectively. Additionally, the machined surface was covered with small corrosion pits and weak attacks of the grain boundary due to selective dissolution. Some electrolytic products were dispersed on the machined surface, and their components were mainly composed of the carbide and oxide products of Ti and Nb elements. The results indicate that the variable-parameters strategy is effective for achieving a tiny IEG in blisk ECM, which can be used in engineering practice.     

Weakening of the anisotropy of surface roughness in ultra-precision turning of single-crystal silicon

Ultra-precision machining causes materials to undergo a greatly strained deformation process in a short period of time.The effect of shear strain rates on machining quality, in particular on surface anisotropy, is a topic deserving of research that has thus far been overlooked.This study analyzes the impact of the strain rate during the ultra-precision turning of single-crystal silicon on the anisotropy of surface roughness.Focusing on the establishment of cutting models considering the tool rake angle and the edge radius, this is the first research that takes into account the strain rate dislocation emission criteria in studying the effects of the edge radius, the cutting speed, and the cutting thickness on the plastic deformation of single-crystal silicon.The results of this study show that the uses of a smaller edge radius, faster cutting speeds, and a reduced cutting thickness can result in optimally uniform surface roughness, while the use of a very sharp cutting tool is essential when operating with smaller cutting thicknesses.A further finding is that insufficient plastic deformation is the major cause of increased surface roughness in the ultra-precision turning of brittle materials.On this basis, we propose that the capacity of single-crystal silicon to emit dislocations be improved as much as possible before brittle fracture occurs, thereby promoting plastic deformation and minimizing the anisotropy of surface roughness in the machined workpiece.     

震荡磨削在伺服阀阀套内环槽工作边加工中的应用

滑阀副是通过阀芯、阀套重叠处阀口控制流体流动方向及流量大小的，阀套工作边棱边质量对伺服阀工作性能有决定性影响。阀套内环槽全开口工作边常常利用硬车后研磨的工艺方法加工，存在加工质量不稳定而返工的问题。分析了阀套工作边震荡磨削加工的磨削原理，采用震荡磨削开展了阀套内环槽全开口工作边的加工研究。基于正交实验设计，构建了震荡磨削实验，研究了震荡速率和轴向进刀速度对表面质量、毛刺高度和锐边完整性的影响。经数学分析表明，Z轴和X轴进给速度对表面粗糙度和毛刺高度的影响相对一致，va越大、vf越小，对应的表面粗糙度越低、毛刺越小。实验结果表明，震荡磨削是伺服阀全开口阀套工作边精密加工的一种可行方法，可以广泛应用于起阀口作用的内外环槽结构的加工中。     

Elliptical vibration cutting of large-size thin-walled curved surface parts of pure iron by using diamond tool with active cutting edge shift

Large-size thin-walled curved surface parts of pure iron are crucial in aerospace, national defense, energy and precision physical experiments. However, the high machining accuracy and surface quality are difficult to achieve due to the serious tool wear and deformation when machining the parts with conventional cutting tools. In this paper, an elliptical vibration cutting (EVC) with active cutting edge shift (ACES) based on a long arbor vibration device is proposed for ultra-precision machining the pure iron parts by using diamond tool. Compared with cutting at a fixed cutting edge, the influence of ACES on the EVC was analyzed. Experiments in EVC of pure iron with ACES were conducted. The evolutions of the surface roughness, surface topography, and chip morphology with tool wear in EVC with ACES are revealed. The reasonable parameters of ultra-precision machining the pure iron parts by EVC with ACES were determined. It shows that the ACES has a slight influence on the machined surface roughness and surface topography. The diamond tool life can be significantly prolonged in EVC of pure iron with ACES than that with a fixed cutting edge, so that high profile accuracy and surface quality could be obtained even at higher nominal cutting speed. A typical thin-walled curved surface pure iron part with diameter ∅240 mm, height 122 mm, and wall thickness 2 mm was fabricated by the presented method, and its profile error and surface roughness achieved PV 2.2 μm and Ra less than 50 nm, respectively.     

Electrochemical machining of a convex strips structure on a revolving part by using site directed power interruption

Revolving parts with complex surface structures are widely used in machinery and mechanical equipment. The ECM process provides its adequacy to cut hard materials with different shapes, and its applications are widely increased, due to its outstanding advantages. In this paper, a new method for machining a convex strips structure on a cylinder by using site directed power interruption(SDPI) in the ECM process is presented. A variable correction value of the power-off time was defined and optimized to obtain the ideal interval for better machining accuracy and stability.The electric field distribution and the simulated convex profiles show that the stray current density can be reduced effectively by using the proposed method. The correction value has an important influence on the machining accuracy. A suitable correction value in the range of 0.6–1.2 s can effectively improve the machining accuracy of the convex strips structure. Experiments were also conducted to verify the proposed method. Results have confirmed that the stray corrosion on the convex strips surface is significantly reduced and the machining accuracy of convex strips structure is remarkably improved by using the proposed method with a suitable correction value in the ECM process. Finally, a convex strip with a height of 2 mm on a thin-wall revolving part was also produced successfully using a correction value of 0.9.     

Experimental investigation of rotary sinking electrochemical discharge milling with high-conductivity salt solution and non-pulsed direct current

Electrochemical milling is a modified technique of traditional electrochemical machining (ECM) that can be used to manufacture some helicopter transmission system parts. The use of rotary tools and an inner-jet electrolyte supply pattern can greatly improve the material removal rate (MRR) in a single pass. However, the feed speed is generally limited to minimize the tool wear. To increase the MRR, electrical discharge machining (EDM) is introduced into the electrochemical milling process. The tool rotation is employed to interrupt the discharge and the high-conductivity salt solution and non-pulsed direct current power supply are also adopted to increase ECM, eventually, a new machining method is proposed, which can be called rotary sinking electrochemical discharge milling (RSECD milling). The mechanism of it is explored in this study by analyzing the machined current, MRR, surface morphology, and tool wear at different applied voltages and feed speeds. Besides, the RSECD milling using the tool with a larger diameter is also conducted to further verify the effectiveness. In particular, the MRR can be increased by 742.5% when using the tool with a diameter of 20 mm at the applied voltage of 20 V.     

Surface-improvement mechanism of hybrid electrochemical discharge process using variable-amplitude pulses

Superalloys are commonly used in aircraft manufacturing; however, the requirements for high surface quality and machining accuracy make them difficult to machine. In this study, a hybrid electrochemical discharge process using variable-amplitude pulses is proposed to achieve this target. In this method, electrochemical machining (ECM) and electrical discharge machining (EDM) are unified into a single process using a sequence of variable-amplitude pulses such that the machining process realizes both good surface finish and high machining accuracy. Furthermore, the machining mechanism of the hybrid electrochemical discharge process using variable-amplitude pulses is studied. The mechanism is investigated by observations of machining waveforms and machined surface. It is found that, with a high-frequency transformation between high- and low-voltage waveforms within a voltage cycle, the machining mechanism is frequently transformed from EDM to pure ECM. The critical discharge voltage is 40 V. When pulse voltages greater than 40 V are applied, the machining accuracy is good; however, the surface has defects such as numerous discharge craters. High machining accuracy is maintained when high-voltage pulses are replaced by low-voltage pulses to enhance electrochemical dissolution. The results indicate that the proposed hybrid electrochemical discharge process using variable-amplitude pulses can yield high-quality surfaces with high machining accuracy.     

基于电解扫掠成形原理的整体叶盘叶根加工方法

采用片状或管状阴极电解加工(ECM)后的整体叶盘由于加工运动、阴极形状等原因在叶根处会形成一定的加工残留,影响整体叶盘的加工精度。针对叶片电解加工后形成的叶根残留,开展去除叶根残留电解加工方法的研究,解决叶根电解加工的阴极结构、加工路径设计等难题。首先,分析了叶根的残留分布情况以及叶间通道的结构,采用了电解扫掠成形加工方案。其次,设计了阴极结构与加工路径,在阴极结构上采用了扇形流道并分析了电解液流速分布,通过增加引流槽、改变倾角等措施改善了流场;对阴极的运动路径进行了规划,利用专用仿真软件对阴极运动干涉与加工程序进行了检验;通过附加叶盘转动补偿了由于不同截面内叶间通道宽度与阴极刃口尺寸不一致给加工带来的不足。最后,制作了电解加工装置并通过试验对叶根电解加工方法进行了验证。试验结果表明,该加工方法有效去除了叶根残留,加工表面质量好,加工精度达到了要求。     

铣削加工透波性Si3N4陶瓷表面质量研究

为了探索透波性Si3N4陶瓷铣削中加工表面创成机理及加工工艺参数对其影响规律,对加工表面形貌和边缘破损特征,以及加工参数与切削力、表面粗糙度、边缘破损的映射关系等开展了试验研究。首先对加工表面形貌进行了分析,由于存在陶瓷粉末去除和破碎性颗粒去除两种形式,造成加工表面形貌结构一种体现为变化平缓,而另一种包含微裂纹、层状结构体等,且存在凹坑、沟槽等缺陷。其次研究了边缘破损形式及产生机理,当刀具运动到出口棱边处,刀尖应力集中处将产生微裂纹,并向工件侧面扩展,从而在加工表面和加工侧面诱导形成边缘破损。最后基于均匀设计试验,分析了工艺条件对加工性能的影响。结果表明:随着切削深度从0. 2增加到0. 5 mm和切削宽度从1增加到4 mm时,x轴切削力呈耦合增长,y轴切削力呈二次方增长;当切削深度和切削宽度分别为0. 2 mm和1 mm、进给速度为500 mm/min时,加工表面粗糙度值最小;转速为2 000 r/min、切削深度和切削宽度最小时,边缘破损幅值最小。此结果可为提高透波性Si3N4陶瓷铣削加工质量提供技术支撑。     

薄型中空电极振动电解切割TB6钛合金

TB6钛合金由于具有优越的性能,广泛地用于航空航天领域。然而从大余量的TB6钛合金锻铸件毛坯加工成复杂结构的零件,其加工效率低,刀具和机床成本高,造成了极大的浪费。为解决这一问题,提出了一种利用薄型中空电极进行快速大余量去除的电解加工(ECM)方法,即将零件与多余材料切割分离,有望较大程度提高加工效率,降低加工成本。为改善电解加工流场特性,提高加工精度,对电极施加振动,并对薄型中空电极的振动切割进行了建模分析和试验研究。试验结果表明,合适的振动幅值和频率(A=0.05mm,f=50Hz)可以使得各处电解液电导率趋于一致,从而提高加工的精度、稳定性和效率。复杂结构件的成功切割证明了薄型中空电极振动电解切割加工技术具有一定的适用性。