ELECTROCHEMICAL SMALL DIAMETER DEEP HOLE DRILLING OF POWDER METAL STEEL

Abstract

In this study, a new hybrid electrochemical drilling (ECD) method is proposed. The method makes use of a tubular tool capable of rotating and an electrolyte flushing through the inner hole at the same time. The designed and manufactured small size ECD machine's most important features are the regulation of the tool feed rate via current feedback control and the use of a rotating tubular tool with internal electrolyte flushing. The powder metal (PM) FLN2 4405 steel was drilled by using a brass tubular tool with various combinations of machining parameters such as machining voltage, electrolyte concentration and flushing pressure, and tool rotation speed. The machining performance outputs, namely, material removal rate (MRR), average radial overcut (RADOC), conicity (CO) and hole geometries were calculated and compared in different machining conditions. The results have shown that the aforementioned variables had a direct impact on the machining performance outputs in ECD. In all experiments, MRR increased with an in increase in machining voltage, tool rotational speed, electrolyte concentration and flushing pressure. RADOC values decreased with the rotational speed of the tool. The present study shows that deep holes with precise geometries and dimensions can be drilled successfully by employing the proposed hybrid ECD method. The method is economical and environmentally friendly since it requires low machining current values (0.1 to 0.7A) and a small amount of non-hazardous halide salt solutions instead of acidic solutions throughout the drilling process.