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Electrochemical machining (ECM) is a non-conventional machining process which allows the contactless manufacturing of high-strength and hard to machine polycrystalline materials without inducing residual stresses or thermo-mechanical surface changes in the workpiece [1]. Furthermore, since the ECM technology allows high productivity rates, it is used to machine high-precision components in the aerospace and automotive industries. However, determining the optimal machining parameters, such as the required tool shape, the composition and flow rate of the electrolyte and the strength of the electric current, is time-consuming and cost-intensive. Hence, the ECM process is predominantly used for applications requiring large batch sizes. To extend its industrial applicability, for example by numerically predicting the desired machining parameters in advance, detailed knowledge and a deep understanding of the machining process is required. In this context, van der Velden et al. [2] introduced a thermoelectrically coupled finite element simulation approach where the anodic dissolution process is modeled using effective material parameters. The dissolution state of the finite elements is indicated by a dissolution variable which evolves according to Faraday’s law. The contact between the workpiece and the electrolyte, which is required for the material to dissolve, is ensured by an activation function which introduces a mesh-dependency to the simulation approach. In order to avoid this mesh-dependency, in this work the anodic dissolution process is described by means of a phase-field approach, where the dissolution variable serves as the scalar phase-field variable and its evolution in time follows the Allen-Cahn equation. The applicability of the proposed model is demonstrated by different numerical examples.
[1] Klocke, F; Zeis, M; Klink, A; Technological and Economical Capabilities and Manufacturing Titanium- and Nickel-Based Alloys via Electrochemical Machining (ECM). Key Engineering Materials, Vol. 504 – 506, pp. 1237 – 1242, 2012
[2] van der Velden, T.; Rommes, B.; Klink, A.; Reese, S.; Waimann, J; A novel approach for the efficient modeling of material dissolution in electrochemical machining. International Journal of Solids and Structures, Vol. 229, 111106, 2021
