Effect on Material Removal Rate and Surface Finish in ECM Process When Machining Stainless Steel-316 with Cu Electrode

Abstract

Electrochemical Machining process is one of the popular non-traditional machining processes which is used to machine materials such as super alloys, Ti-alloys, stainless steel etc. Its working principle is based upon Faraday law of electrolysis. The aim of the present work is to optimize the ECM process parameters with the combination of SS 316 (job material) and Copper electrode (tool material). To explore the effect of ECM process parameters such as electrolyte concentration, voltage and current, feed rate on MRR and surface finish (Ra) of the job, total 27 experiments were conducted as per experimental scheme. The results of these experiments revealed that increase in electrolyte concentration decrease the mrr and surface roughness initially increases then decreases. Further, increase in current increases mrr initially and then decreases, surface roughness also increases. It is also noticed that increase in Feed rate mrr decreases and then increases, also surface roughness decreases then increases. Through RSM analysis it is found that the optimum conditions for maximum MRR, and minimum Surface roughness (Ra) is electrolyte concentration 150gm/lit, Voltage 13.5 V & feed 0.8 mm/min. The findings are discussed in the light of previous researches and subsequently conclusions are drawn.