EFFECT OF ELECTROCHEMICAL PROCESS PARAMETERS ON THE HASTELLOY C-276 ALLOY FOR MACHINING SPEED AND SURFACE-CORROSION FACTOR

Abstract

Electrochemical micromachining (ECMM) is a well know for manufacturing hard-to-cut materials, e.g., nickel-based alloys, titanium alloys and metal-matrix composites. For this reason it finds application in aerospace, automobile and biomedical industries. In this research Hastelloy C-276 is used as a workpiece and stainless-steel electrode coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to avoid stray current. The effect of process parameters such as voltage, duty cycle and electrolyte concentration on the machining speed and the surface-corrosion factor were studied. The range of 9–11 V has an impact on the machining speed. The electrolyte concentration range of 25–35 g/L shows a linear increase in the machining speed and the surface-corrosion factor is found to be highest at 1.1449 for an electrolyte concentration of 15g/L. The surface roughness depth profile depicts the values of Rz, Rt, Ra are 16.3 µm, 99.1 µm and 1.90 µm, and 15.4 µm, 50.6 µm and 1.49 µm, respectively.