Energy distribution modulation by mechanical design for electrochemical jet processing techniques

The increasing demand for optimised component surfaces with enhanced chemical and geometric complexity is a key driver in the manufacturing technology required for advanced surface production. Current methodologies cannot create complex surfaces in an efficient and scalable manner in robust engineer...

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Main Authors: Mitchell-Smith, Jonathon, Speidel, Alistair, Gaskell, Jennifer, Clare, Adam T.
Format: Article
Published: Elsevier 2017
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Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43433/
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author Mitchell-Smith, Jonathon
Speidel, Alistair
Gaskell, Jennifer
Clare, Adam T.
author_facet Mitchell-Smith, Jonathon
Speidel, Alistair
Gaskell, Jennifer
Clare, Adam T.
author_sort Mitchell-Smith, Jonathon
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description The increasing demand for optimised component surfaces with enhanced chemical and geometric complexity is a key driver in the manufacturing technology required for advanced surface production. Current methodologies cannot create complex surfaces in an efficient and scalable manner in robust engineering materials. Hence, there is a need for advanced manufacturing technologies which overcome this. Current technologies are limited by resolution, geometric flexibility and mode of energy delivery. By addressing the fundamental limitations of electrochemical jetting techniques through modulation of the current density distribution by mechanical design, significant improvements to the electrochemical jet process methods are presented. A simplified 2D stochastic model was developed with the ability to vary current density distribution to assess the effects of nozzle-tip shape changes. The simulation demonstrated that the resultant profile was found to be variable from that of a standard nozzle. These nozzle-tip modifications were then experimentally tested finding a high degree of variance was possible in the machined profile. Improvements such as an increase in side-wall steepness of 162% are achieved over a standard profile, flat bases to the cut profile and a reduction of profile to surface inter-section radius enable the process to be analogous to traditional milling profiles. Since electrode design can be rapidly modified EJP is shown to be a flexible process capable of varied and complex meso-scale profile creation. Innovations presented here in the modulation of resistance in-jet have enabled electrochemical jet processes to become a viable, top-down, single-step method for applying complex surfaces geometries unachievable by other means.
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institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
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publishDate 2017
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spelling nottingham-434332020-05-04T19:54:43Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43433/ Energy distribution modulation by mechanical design for electrochemical jet processing techniques Mitchell-Smith, Jonathon Speidel, Alistair Gaskell, Jennifer Clare, Adam T. The increasing demand for optimised component surfaces with enhanced chemical and geometric complexity is a key driver in the manufacturing technology required for advanced surface production. Current methodologies cannot create complex surfaces in an efficient and scalable manner in robust engineering materials. Hence, there is a need for advanced manufacturing technologies which overcome this. Current technologies are limited by resolution, geometric flexibility and mode of energy delivery. By addressing the fundamental limitations of electrochemical jetting techniques through modulation of the current density distribution by mechanical design, significant improvements to the electrochemical jet process methods are presented. A simplified 2D stochastic model was developed with the ability to vary current density distribution to assess the effects of nozzle-tip shape changes. The simulation demonstrated that the resultant profile was found to be variable from that of a standard nozzle. These nozzle-tip modifications were then experimentally tested finding a high degree of variance was possible in the machined profile. Improvements such as an increase in side-wall steepness of 162% are achieved over a standard profile, flat bases to the cut profile and a reduction of profile to surface inter-section radius enable the process to be analogous to traditional milling profiles. Since electrode design can be rapidly modified EJP is shown to be a flexible process capable of varied and complex meso-scale profile creation. Innovations presented here in the modulation of resistance in-jet have enabled electrochemical jet processes to become a viable, top-down, single-step method for applying complex surfaces geometries unachievable by other means. Elsevier 2017-11 Article PeerReviewed Mitchell-Smith, Jonathon, Speidel, Alistair, Gaskell, Jennifer and Clare, Adam T. (2017) Energy distribution modulation by mechanical design for electrochemical jet processing techniques. International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, 122 . pp. 32-46. ISSN 0890-6955 Electrolyte Jet Machining Electrochemical Jet Machining Electrochemical Machining Precision Manufacturing Surface Texturing Inconel 718 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890695516306393 doi:10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2017.05.005 doi:10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2017.05.005
spellingShingle Electrolyte Jet Machining
Electrochemical Jet Machining
Electrochemical Machining
Precision Manufacturing
Surface Texturing
Inconel 718
Mitchell-Smith, Jonathon
Speidel, Alistair
Gaskell, Jennifer
Clare, Adam T.
Energy distribution modulation by mechanical design for electrochemical jet processing techniques
title Energy distribution modulation by mechanical design for electrochemical jet processing techniques
title_full Energy distribution modulation by mechanical design for electrochemical jet processing techniques
title_fullStr Energy distribution modulation by mechanical design for electrochemical jet processing techniques
title_full_unstemmed Energy distribution modulation by mechanical design for electrochemical jet processing techniques
title_short Energy distribution modulation by mechanical design for electrochemical jet processing techniques
title_sort energy distribution modulation by mechanical design for electrochemical jet processing techniques
topic Electrolyte Jet Machining
Electrochemical Jet Machining
Electrochemical Machining
Precision Manufacturing
Surface Texturing
Inconel 718
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43433/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43433/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43433/