Frameworks for advancing the use of in-process current pulse data for process analysis of electrochemical machining and its hybrid variants

Electrochemical machining (ECM) removes material primarily through anodic dissolution, but various accompanying multi-physical phenomena occur in the interelectrode gap (IEG) which require investigations to improve process understanding from a manufacturing perspective. This requires development of frameworks based on in-process current pulse data for quantitative and interpretable process analysis, since traditional methods like potentiometry and metallography cannot capture process history nor can they be directly implemented on the machine-tool. Additionally, with the development of hybrid ECM processes there is a need for a flexible process analysis approach for conclusive interpretation of process mechanisms. Therefore, this paper highlights the limitations of current experimental methods and demonstrates the potential of frameworks based on high frequency in-process current pulse data by presenting two case studies for quantitative on-machine analysis of passivation and process regimes during ECM and hybrid laser-ECM (LECM).