Since the introduction of Electro-Chemical Machining some ten years ago, the process has been used to good advantage for the difficult machining operations where machinability and geometry posed difficult problems. With this success, the use of ECM has grown into areas of many conventional operations.
The new concepts of better control, more accurate reliable machines, coupled with higher amperage power supplies, are putting this process on a competitive basis with normal milling operations.
To promote the acceptance of this process in industry, not only have new concepts of the machine tool been executed but much work has gone into tool development, research on electrolytes and surface effects.
Manufacturers now offer not only initial installation and training in your plant but also hold periodic formal training seminars and make tooling manuals available to their customers.
This paper offers a machine comparison with conventional machining; a brief description of the process; a discussion of ECM machine improvements and the types of industries presently using ECM.