Technological and economical capabilities of manufacturing titanium- and nickel-based alloys via Electrochemical Machining (ECM)

In this paper technological and economical capabilities of manufacturing titanium- and nickel-based alloys via unpulsed Electrochemical Machining (ECM) are presented. A standardized test to receive typical workpiece material removal properties according to its electrochernical machinability is introduced. First of all the experimental setup of this test is described in detail. The test results for the materials Ti-6Al-4V and Inconel 718 are presented and discussed. Here the feed rate - current density- and surface roughness - current density curves are in focus. With help of these two functions as an example out of many possible applications the capability of blisk manufacturing by electrochemical machining is quantified. Therefore the theoretical machining times for both materials of substituted blisk geometry are calculated. Finally on this basis an economical comparison between ECM and milling as rough estimation is executed.