Electrolytic processing apparatus and method

Abstract

There is provided an electrolytic processing apparatus and method that can effect processing of a workpiece with high processing precision and can produce an intended form of processed workpiece with high accuracy of form. The electrolytic processing apparatus includes: a processing electrode which can come close to a workpiece; a feeding electrode for feeding electricity to the workpiece; an ion exchanger disposed in at least one of the space between the workpiece and the processing electrode and the space between the workpiece and the feeding electrode; a fluid supply section for supplying a fluid to the space between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and a power source for supplying an electric power between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode while arbitrarily controlling at least one of a voltage and an electric current.

1 . An electrolytic processing apparatus, comprising: 
 a processing electrode which can come close to or in contact with a workpiece;    a feeding electrode for feeding electricity to the workpiece;    an ion exchanger disposed in at least one of the space between the workpiece and the processing electrode and the space between the workpiece and the feeding electrode;    a fluid supply section for supplying a fluid to the space between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, in which the ion exchanger is present; and    a power source for supplying an electric power between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode while arbitrarily controlling at least one of a voltage and an electric current.    
     
     
         2 . The electrolytic processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the power source supplies a constant voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode.  
     
     
         3 . The electrolytic processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the power source supplies an electric power between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, while changing at last one of the voltage and the electric current with time.  
     
     
         4 . The electrolytic processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the power source supplies constant voltages or constant electric currents with changing values sequentially between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode.  
     
     
         5 . The electrolytic processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the power source supplies a constant electric current and a constant voltage sequentially between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode.  
     
     
         6 . The electrolytic processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the power source first supplies constant electric currents with changing values sequentially, and then supplies constant voltages with changing values sequentially between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode.  
     
     
         7 . An electrolytic processing method, comprising: 
 providing a processing electrode, a feeding electrode and an ion exchanger disposed in at least one of the space between a workpiece and the processing electrode and the space between the workpiece and the feeding electrode;    allowing the processing electrode to be close to or in contact with the workpiece while feeding electricity from the feeding electrode to the workpiece;    supplying a fluid to the space between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, in which the ion exchanger is present; and    supplying an electric power between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode while arbitrarily controlling at least one of a voltage and an electric current.    
     
     
         8 . The electrolytic processing method according to  claim 7 , wherein a constant voltage is supplied between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode.  
     
     
         9 . The electrolytic processing method according to  claim 7 , wherein the power source applies an electric power between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, while at least one of the voltage and the electric current changing with time.  
     
     
         10 . The electrolytic processing method according to  claim 7 , wherein the power source applies constant voltages or constant electric currents with changing values sequentially between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode.  
     
     
         11 . The electrolytic processing method according to  claim 7 , wherein the power source applies a constant current and a constant voltage sequentially between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode.  
     
     
         12 . An electrolytic processing apparatus, comprising: 
 a processing electrode which can come close to or in contact with a workpiece;    a feeding electrode for feeding electricity to the workpiece;    an ion exchanger disposed in at least one of the space between the workpiece and the processing electrode and the space between the workpiece and the feeding electrode;    a fluid supply section for supplying a fluid to the space between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, in which the ion exchanger is present; and    an electricity amount integrator for measuring the integrated amount of an electricity supplied between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode.    
     
     
         13 . An electrolytic processing method, comprising: 
 providing a processing electrode, a feeding electrode and an ion exchanger disposed in at least one of the space between a workpiece and the processing electrode and the space between the workpiece and the feeding electrode;    allowing the processing electrode to be close to or in contact with the workpiece while feeding electricity from the feeding electrode to the workpiece;    supplying a fluid to the space between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, in which the ion exchanger is present; and    measuring the integrated amount of an electricity supplied between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, and detecting the progress of processing of the workpiece and/or the end point of processing based on the measured integrated amount of electricity.    
     
     
         14 . An electrolytic processing apparatus, comprising: 
 a holder for detachably holding a workpiece;    a processing electrode that can come close to or into contact with the workpiece held by the holder;    a feeding electrode for feeding electricity to the workpiece held by the holder;    an ion exchanger disposed in at least one of the space between the workpiece and the processing electrode and the space between the workpiece and the feeding electrode;    a fluid supply section for supplying a fluid between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, in which the ion exchanger is present;    a power source for supplying an electric power between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode while controlling at least one of a voltage and an electric current;    a drive section for allowing the workpiece held by the holder and the processing electrode to make a relative movement; and    a numerical controller for effecting a numerical control of the drive section and the power source.    
     
     
         15 . The electrolytic processing apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising an electricity amount monitor for monitoring and measuring the amount of electricity during the progress of processing.  
     
     
         16 . The electrolytic processing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the numerical controller controls the power source according to the coordinate difference between coordinate data on a measured form of the workpiece as measured before processing and coordinate data on an intended form of the workpiece after processing.  
     
     
         17 . The electrolytic processing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the numerical controller controls the power source according to the coordinate difference between coordinate data on a measured form of the workpiece as measured during the progress of processing and coordinate data on an intended form of the workpiece after processing.  
     
     
         18 . The electrolytic processing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the numerical controller determines the end point of processing based on a measured value obtained in the electricity amount monitor.  
     
     
         19 . An electrolytic processing method, comprising: 
 providing a processing electrode, a feeding electrode and an ion exchanger disposed in at least one of the space between a workpiece held by a holder and the processing electrode and the space between the workpiece and the feeding electrode;    allowing the processing electrode to be close to or in contact with the workpiece held by the holder while feeding electricity from the feeding electrode to the workpiece;    supplying a fluid to the space between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, in which the ion exchanger is present;    supplying an electric power between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode while numerically controlling at least one of a voltage and an electric current by an numerical controller; and    allowing the workpiece held by the holder and the processing electrode to make a relative movement while numerically controlling the movement by the numerical controller.    
     
     
         20 . The electrolytic processing method according to  claim 19 , comprising: 
 measuring the form of the workpiece before processing;    inputting coordinate data on the measured form and on an intended form after processing of the workpiece to the numerical controller; and    supplying an electric power between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode while controlling at least one of a voltage and an electric current according to the coordinate difference between the measured form and the intended form.    
     
     
         21 . The electrolytic processing method according to  claim 19 , comprising: 
 measuring the form of the workpiece during the progress of processing;    inputting coordinate data on the measured form and on an intended form after processing of the workpiece to the numerical controller; and    supplying an electric current between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode while controlling at least one of a voltage and an electric current according to the coordinate difference between the measured form and the intended form.