Mirror-like finishing by electrolyte jet machining

This paper describes a mirror-like finishing technique by electrolyte jet machining. When the jet is still, the workpiece area where it collides into can be selectively finished to a mirror-like surface due to high current density at the center of the jet. When the jet is being translated, the low current density in the radial flow of the impinging jet deteriorates the surface roughness while the jet is passing over the surface. This problem can be resolved by reciprocating the jet at a high translating speed. Pulsed current and bipolar pulse also realizes mirror-like finishing even at low translating speeds. (C) 2015 CIRP.