# US 2023/0264265 A1 · In-situ electrochemical polishing of additively manufactured parts > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0264265 A1 - Document ID: US20230264265A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/675,467 - Filed: 2022-02-18 - Published: 2023-08-24 - Earliest claimed: 2022-02-18 - Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Inventors: Cody Coogan; Eric W. Karlen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230264265A1 ## CPC - B22F 10/62: by chemical means - B22F 5/10: of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups - B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] - B29C 64/30: Auxiliary operations or equipment - B29C 64/40: Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 40/20: Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - C25F 3/16: Polishing - C25F 3/20: of aluminium - C25F 3/24: of iron or steel - C25F 3/26: of refractory metals - C25F 7/00: Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells for electrolytic removal of material from objects (for both electrolytic coating and removal C25D); Servicing or operating - B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - C25F: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC REMOVAL OF MATERIALS FROM OBJECTS; APPARATUS THEREFOR - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract An additively manufactured intermediate part includes a body and at least one sacrificial electrode formed within or upon the body. The body includes a plurality of layers and at least one surface having a region to be smoothed in a near-finished state of the additively manufactured intermediate part. The at least one sacrificial electrode is adjacent to the body along the at least one surface, such that at least one of the plurality of layers is adjacent to the at least one sacrificial electrode in the region to be smoothed in the near-finished state of the additively manufactured intermediate part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An additively manufactured intermediate part, the additively manufactured intermediate part comprising: a body having a plurality of layers and at least one surface having a region to be smoothed in a near-finished state of the additively manufactured intermediate part; and at least one sacrificial electrode formed within or upon the body; wherein the at least one sacrificial electrode is adjacent to the body along the at least one surface, such that at least one of the plurality of layers is adjacent to the at least one sacrificial electrode in the region to be smoothed in the near-finished state of the additively manufactured intermediate part. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The additively manufactured intermediate part of claim 1, wherein the at least one sacrificial electrode is internal to the body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The additively manufactured intermediate part of claim 2, wherein the at least one sacrificial electrode has a shape which is selected from the group comprising: a straight line, a curved line, and a coil. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The additively manufactured intermediate part of claim 1, wherein the at least one sacrificial electrode comprises a sacrificial shell electrode which conforms to an external surface of the body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The additively manufactured intermediate part of claim 4, wherein the sacrificial shell electrode covers a portion of the external surface of the body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The additively manufactured intermediate part of claim 1, wherein the at least one sacrificial electrode comprises a sacrificial electrode screen which conforms to an external surface of the body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The additively manufactured intermediate part of claim 1, wherein the body and the at least one sacrificial electrode are both formed of a material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The additively manufactured intermediate part of claim 1, wherein: the body is formed of a first material; the at least one sacrificial electrode is formed of a second material which is different than the first material; and the second material can be selectively dissolved. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The additively manufactured intermediate part of claim 1, wherein the additively manufactured intermediate part is selected from the group comprising: a pump housing, a gearbox housing, a generator housing, an impeller, and components thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The additively manufactured intermediate part of claim 1, wherein the additively manufactured intermediate part is comprised of a material selected from the group comprising: aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium. ### Claim 11 A method of manufacturing a part, the method comprising: additively manufacturing the part, wherein additively manufacturing the part comprises: building a body, wherein the body comprises a plurality of layers and at least one surface having a region to be smoothed in a near-finished state of the part; and building at least one sacrificial electrode within or upon the body, wherein the at least one sacrificial electrode is adjacent to the body along the at least one surface such that at least one of the plurality of layers is adjacent to the at least one sacrificial electrode in the region to be smoothed in the near-finished state of the part; utilizing the at least one sacrificial electrode to electrochemically polish the region of the at least one surface of the body; removing the at least one sacrificial electrode from the body; and performing at least one finishing process on the body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein removing the at least one sacrificial electrode comprises selectively dissolving the at least one sacrificial electrode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein selectively dissolving the at least one sacrificial electrode comprises applying an acid to the part. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the acid is nitric acid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein selectively dissolving the at least one sacrificial electrode comprises applying a base to the part. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein removing the at least one sacrificial electrode comprises reversing the polarity of the at least one sacrificial electrode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein additively manufacturing the part comprises using powder bed fusion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein removing the at least one sacrificial electrode forms at least one internal cavity within the body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one internal cavity comprises at least one internal passage through the body. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising applying a non-conductive layer to the at least one surface of the body.