Study on Material Removal Process in Electrolytic Grinding

In this paper, the material removal mechanism in electrolytic grinding process is experimentally investigated by analyzing the stock removal due to electrolytic phenomenon and to grinding phenomenon in electrolytic grinding process, taking the inevitable accumulation phenomenon of interference depth of wheel into consideration. The material removal effect in electrolytic grinding is also discussed from the viewpoint of machining energy. Main conclusions obtained in this paper are as follows: (1) The electric current in electrolytic grinding process increases from beginning of wheel interference because of the momentary short circuit or electric discharge through generated chips at smaller concentration of electrolyte or applied voltage. Therefore all electric current isn't always consumed for the electrolytic effect. (2) There exists the critical electrolytic conditions from which the electrolytic effect in electrolytic grinding process intensifies. (3) The total consumed energy reduces with the increase of concentration of electrolyte or the applied voltage, but the effective energy rate for material removal decreases at about 7V in applied voltage.