Method for electrochemical machining using sympathetic waveform interactions

Abstract

A system and method for combining the effects of magnetic field waveforms, ultrasonic motion and pulsed electric field waveforms in an electrolytic cell creates a sympathetic interaction among the three waveforms that improves the electrochemical machining process. Precisely controlling the coupled effects of simultaneously applying at least two of the three waveforms to the electrochemical cell improves the metal removal rate of the process and the surface finish of the resulting piece. The coupled effects are termed a sympathetic interaction as they can be damped or amplified by modifying the phasing, frequency, orientation or amplitude of the waveforms. In an electrochemical machining process aided by an external magnetic field and periodic ultrasonic relative motion between the tool and working piece, improvements are realized by utilizing for at least two of the magnetic field waveform, electric waveform and ultrasonic waveform, a common frequency and a chosen phase lag between the two waveforms.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.