Improving the machined surface in electrochemical mill-grinding by particle tracking fluid simulation and experimental research

The hybrid machining method called electrochemical mill-grinding is an advanced machining technology, which can achieve high-quality processing of various difficult-to-cut materials. However, achieving rapid transportation and removal of processed products within a small machining gap is a key challenge, which directly affects the final machined surface quality. In this paper, the product transport under different flushing modes was studied through numerical simulation of the flow field. By using the particle tracking method, the time required for the removal of machining products from the machining gap was dynamically simulated. The analysis results indicated that the removal speed of machining products could be significantly improved when the flushing pressure was 0.8 MPa and the electrolyte jet angle was 30 degrees. In addition, machining experiments were conducted. The machining experiment results showed that the machined surface had a metallic luster with clear edge contours. The grinding marks on the machined surface indicated the grinding effect. The continuous machining of complex patterns demonstrated the reliability of this hybrid machining process.