Snake robot for electrochemical machining

A system for drilling a curved drill hole in a workpiece using electrochemical machining (ECM), the system comprising:

• an apparatus for forming the curved drill hole in the workpiece by ECM, the apparatus including:
• an ECM drill head,
• a snake robot, wherein the ECM drill head is attached to a first end of the snake robot, the snake robot including:
• a movement control assembly adapted to control movement of the snake robot and the ECM drill head attached thereto, and
• a plurality of conduits extending within and along a length of the snake robot, including a first conduit of the plurality of conduits adapted to deliver an electrolyte solution to the ECM drill head and a second conduit of the plurality of conduits adapted to remove debris from the ECM drill head, and
• an insulative material surrounding the snake robot;
• and
• the electrolyte solution.

A method of performing electrochemical machining (ECM) to create a curved drill hole in a workpiece, the method comprising:

• identifying one or more dimensions of a desired curved drill hole in the workpiece, wherein the one or more dimensions are based on a specification;
• based on the one or more dimensions, selecting a snake robot adapted to move and provide physical support to an ECM drill head through the workpiece while performing ECM;
• selecting the ECM drill head adapted to result in a desired cross-sectional shape of the desired curved drill hole;
• providing a system including:
• an apparatus for forming the curved drill hole in the workpiece by ECM, the apparatus including:
• the ECM drill head,
• the snake robot, wherein the ECM drill head is attached to a first end of the snake robot, the snake robot including:
• a movement control assembly adapted to control movement of the snake robot and the ECM drill head attached thereto, and
• a plurality of conduits extending within and along a length of the snake robot, including a first conduit of the plurality of conduits adapted to deliver an electrolyte solution to the ECM drill head and a second conduit of the plurality of conduits adapted to remove debris from the ECM drill head, and
• an insulative material surrounding the snake robot,
• the electrolyte solution;
• drilling the workpiece using the system;
• and
• creating the curved drill hole.