As demand for microcomponents has escalated in diverse areas of automotive,
medicine, communications, electronics, optics, biotechnology, and avionics
industries, there is a need for hybrid manufacturing techniques that can
effectively micromachine hard and brittle materials. Electrochemical discharge
machining (ECDM) is an advanced manufacturing process for machining
difficult-to-cut materials. With a need for precision and accuracy, tool
kinematics is a potential research area in ECDM for achieving geometrical
dimensioning and tolerances (GD&T). Therefore, the present study reviews the
ultrasonic vibration–assisted ECDM (UA-ECDM) hybrid process and the performance
of its process parameters (voltage, electrolyte type and its concentration,
electrode material, pulse duration, and amplitude) on the material removal rate
(MRR), tool electrode wear (TEW), surface integrity, and difficult-to-cut
materials. Also, the present work mentions current problems (debris and bubbles
trapped, electrolyte circulation, and gas film formation) faced and future
research directions to increase the process capabilities based on published
research in the UA-ECDM process.
