BASIC RESEARCH IN ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING—PRESENT STATUS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

SUMMARY The contributions of a number of investigators in the United States and abroad have provided more fundamental understanding of the process of precision removal of anode material by electrolytic dissolution at high current densities, known industrially as electrochemical machining. However, much remains to be done to achieve complete knowledge and corresponding control of the process. This will involve consideration of electrochemical, heat and mass transfer relationships and the complex interaction of variables affecting conditions in the electrode gap such as current density, temperature, pressure and viscosity.