Design of Electrochemical Machining Processes by Multiphysics Simulation

M. Hackert-Oschätzchen, S. F. Jahn, and A. Schubert
Chemnitz University of Technology
Chemnitz, Germany
Published in 2011

The principle of electrochemical machining (ECM) is the anodic dissolution of a metallic workpiece at the interface to a liquid ionic conductor under the influence of electric charge transport. This erosion principle works independently from the mechanical hardness of the workpiece and is free of mechanical forces.

The design of electrochemical machining processes is still performed empirically because the material erosion in EC processes depends on an interaction of a multitude of chemical and physical properties. Therefore the application of multiphysics simulations can be an effective method for designing EC processes. In this study the actual limits and possibilities of multiphysics simulations of electrochemical machining processes are systematized and demonstrated.