Module-3: ADVANCED MATERIAL REMOVAL PROCESSES

Lecture No-16

Electro-Chemical Grinding
Electro-chemical grinding (ECG) is a variant process of the basic ECM. It is a
burr free and stress free material removal process, wherein material removal of
the electrically conductive material takes place through mechanical (grinding)
process and electro-chemical process. The abrasive laden grinding wheel is
negatively charged and the workpiece is positively charged. They are separated by
an electrolyte fluid. The fine chips of the material that is removed from the
workpiece (debris) stays in the electrolyte fluid, which is further filtered out.
Electrochemical grinding and electrochemical machining are similar processes
with a difference that a wheel substitutes the tool used in ECM. The wheel shape
is similar to the desired work shape. The schematic of the electrochemical
grinding is shown in fig. 3.16.1
Process of Grinding in ECM
The main feature of electrochemical grinding (ECG) process is the use of a
metallic grinding wheel which is embedded with insulating abrasive particles such
as diamond, set in the conducting material. Copper, brass, and nickel are the most
commonly used materials while aluminum oxide is a typical abrasive used while
grinding steels.
The commutator is an electrolytic spindle having carbon brushes and holds the
grinding wheel. It receives a negative charge from the DC power supply and the
workpiece is given a positive charge. In ECG process, the grinding wheel slightly
touches the workpiece. Electrolyte is supplied on-to the grinding wheel near the
workpiece such that the wheel carries it through the cutting process thereby
resulting in an electro-chemical action. A nozzle similar to the one which carries
coolant in a conventional grinding process is provided, which enables the flow of

the electrrolytic fluid to the worrk-tool contaact area. Thhe electrolytte along witth
wheel wo
orks simultan
neously in th
he process oof cutting. T
The electro-cchemical cells
thus form
med further oxidize
o
the su
urface of thee workpiecee. The wheell carries awaay
the formeed oxides theereby exposing the fresh metal layerss beneath thee workpiecee.
In this prrocess of EC
CG, the majjor material removal acctivity takes place by thhe
electrolytic action (arround 90%). Rest of the metal removval takes plaace due to thhe
ng with abrasives use d (embeddeed in the wheel). This
grinding action alon
mechanical action contributes to
t around 110% due too abrasive aaction of thhe
conductin
ng grinding wheel. The pressure appplied on thhe grinding w
wheel is alsso
much lessser than the conventionaal grinding pprocess. Thuss the very baasic necessitty
of frequen
nt wheel dreessings and truing as inn the case off conventionnal process is
also elimiinated.
The schem
matic of the electrochem
mical grindingg process is shown in Fiig. 3.16.1

Process Characteristics
The life of grinding wheel in ECG process is very high as around 90% of the
metal is removed by electrolysis action and only 10% is due to the abrasive
action of the grinding wheel.
The ECG process is capable of producing very smooth and burr free edges
unlike those formed during the conventional grinding process (mechanical).
The heat produced in the ECG process is much less, leading to lesser distortion
of the workpiece.
The major material removal activity in ECG process occurs by the dissolving
action through the chemical process. There is very little tool and workpiece
contact and this is ideally suited for grinding of the following categories:
Fragile work-pieces which otherwise are very difficult to grind by the
conventional process
The parts that cannot withstand thermal damages and
The parts designed for stress and burr free applications.
Applications
The applications of ECG process include the following:
In production of tungsten carbide cutting tools.
In burr-free sharpening of hypodermic needles.
In grinding of super-alloy turbine blades.
In form grinding of aerospace honeycomb metals.
In removal of fatigue cracks from steel structures that have been used for
underwater applications.
The ECG process can be applied to the following common methods of grinding.
1. Face Wheel Grinding.
2. Cone Wheel grinding.
3. Peripheral or Surface grinding.
4. Form Wheel or Square grinding.