Electrochemical Mechanical Combined Polishing of 3d Printed Parts
from web site
In a recent study published in the journal Additive Manufacturing, researchers from China developed a post-fabrication polishing method for the interior of 3d printed metallic parts that incorporated a combination of electrochemical and mechanical polishing (EMCP) processes.electrochemical machinе
Study: Combined electrochemical and mechanical polishing of interior channels in parts made by additive manufacturing. Image Credit: Moreno Soppelsa/Shutterstock. com
One of the common issues with freshly prepared 3d printed metal parts is their relatively poor surface qualities due to band protrusions, staircases, power adhesion, and balling that make them unsuitable for high-performance applications.
The purposed EMCP with electrochemical dissolution, and coarse and fine mechanical grinding, effectively removed the band protrusions, the passivation film and residue products generated during electrochemical machining, and the adhesive powders. With the highest contribution of 72. 2% from the electrochemical machining, the roughness values Sa and Sq were reduced by approximately 71. 2% and 68%, respectively.
Post-Fabrication Polishing of 3d Printed Metal Parts
3d printing of metal parts belongs to a class of metal additive manufacturing (MAM), which is used for rapid prototyping and integration of complex components. One such application is complex fluid channels of automobiles, aircraft, and rocket engines, in which interior surface morphology of the flow channels affects the desired streamline flow of fuel and air, causes attrition and influences combustion. Hence, post-fabrication polishing of these intricate fluid channels significantly improves the reliability and stability of the associated equipment.
