Localized Electrochemical Deburring of Cross Hole Using Gelatinous Electrolyte

Abstract

Burrs are formed in mechanical processes such as cutting and blanking, and can have a number of negative effects, such as reducing product life. Burr removal generally depends on manual treatment methods due to the various shapes and properties of burrs. Deburring is therefore considered a significant issue in terms of achieving efficient production and automation. Electrochemical machining (ECM) is commonly used in the deburring of internal cross holes because of its high efficiency and lack of surface residual stresses. However, in the electrochemical deburring process, stray corrosion may cause loss of machining precision and surface quality. We herein propose a localized electrochemical deburring process using a gelatinous electrolyte to solve the problem of stray corrosion. As the gelatinous electrolyte is in contact with the burr surface without macroscopic liquid flow, electrochemical corrosion is confined to the narrow bounds of the burr. Our results indicate that the proposed process can maintain the original machined precision and surface quality while preventing stray corrosion, which is not possible using traditional ECM.