Electrochemical grinding electrode, and apparatus and method using the same

Abstract

An electrochemical grinding electrode comprises an electrically conductive material; an arc resistance material; and an abrasive material different from the arc resistance material. An electrochemical grinding apparatus and a method are also presented.

1 . An electrochemical grinding electrode, comprising:
 an electrically conductive material;   an arc resistance material; and   an abrasive material different from the arc resistance material.   
   
   
       2 . The electrochemical grinding electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material comprises Cu, Fe, or Al. 
   
   
       3 . The electrochemical grinding electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material comprises Cu. 
   
   
       4 . The electrochemical grinding electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the arc resistance material comprises ZrB 2 , TiB 2 , TiN, W, or Mo. 
   
   
       5 . The electrochemical grinding electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the arc resistance material comprises ZrB 2 , TiB 2 , or W. 
   
   
       6 . The electrochemical grinding electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the arc resistance material comprises TiB 2  or W. 
   
   
       7 . The electrochemical grinding electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the arc resistance material comprises TiB 2 . 
   
   
       8 . The electrochemical grinding electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive material comprises SiC, BN, WC, ZrO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , B 4 C, Si 3 N 4 , or diamond. 
   
   
       9 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive material comprises SiC, WC, or Al 2 O 3 . 
   
   
       10 . The electrochemical electrode of clam  1 , wherein the abrasive material comprises SiC or WC. 
   
   
       11 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive material comprises SiC. 
   
   
       12 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material is present in the electrode at a weight percentage in a range from about 10% to about 20%. 
   
   
       13 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the arc resistance material is present in the electrode at a weight percentage in a range from about 50% to about 80%. 
   
   
       14 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive material is present in the electrode at a weight percentage in a range from about 10% to about 30%. 
   
   
       15 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material, the arc resistance material, and the abrasive material are present in the electrode at weight percentages in ranges from about 10% to about 20%, from about 50% to about 80%, and from about 10% to about 30%, respectively. 
   
   
       16 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 15 , wherein the weight percentage of the electrically conductive material is about 20%, the weight percent of the arc resistance material is about 65%, and the weight percent of the abrasive material is about 15%. 
   
   
       17 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 1 , further comprising an ejection promoting material. 
   
   
       18 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 17 , wherein the ejection promoting material comprises epoxies, amines, silicon, alcohols, or hydroxides. 
   
   
       19 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 17 , wherein the ejection promoting material is present in the electrode at a weight percentage in a range from about 10% to about 30%. 
   
   
       20 . An electrochemical grinding apparatus, comprising:
 an electrode configured to machine a workpiece, and comprising an electrically conductive material; and arc resistance material; and an abrasive material different from the arc resistance material;   a power supply configured to energize the electrode and the workpiece to opposite electrical polarities; and   an electrolyte supply configured to pass an electrolyte between the electrode and the workpiece.   
   
   
       21 . The electrochemical grinding apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a motor configured to drive the electrode to move relative to the workpiece; and   a controller configured to control the power supply and the motor to perform electrochemical grinding of the workpiece.   
   
   
       22 . The electrochemical grinding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the electrically conductive material comprises Cu, Fe, or Al. 
   
   
       23 . The electrochemical grinding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the electrically conductive material comprises Cu. 
   
   
       24 . The electrochemical grinding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the arc resistance material comprises ZrB 2 , TiB 2 , W, or Mo. 
   
   
       25 . The electrochemical grinding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the arc resistance material comprises TiB 2 . 
   
   
       26 . The electrochemical grinding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the abrasive material comprises SiC, BN, WC, ZrO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , B 4 C, Si 3 N 4 , or diamond. 
   
   
       27 . The electrochemical grinding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the abrasive material comprises SiC. 
   
   
       28 . The electrochemical grinding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the electrically conductive material is present in the electrode at a weight percentage in a range from about 10% to about 20%. 
   
   
       29 . The electrochemical grinding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the arc resistance material is present in the electrode at a weight percentage in a range from about 50% to about 80%. 
   
   
       30 . The electrochemical grinding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the abrasive material is present in the electrode at a weight percentage in a range from about 10% to about 30%. 
   
   
       31 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 20 , wherein the electrically conductive material, the arc resistance material, and the abrasive material are present in the electrode at weight percentages in ranges from about 10% to about 20%, from about 50% to about 80%, and from about 10% to about 30%, respectively. 
   
   
       32 . The electrochemical grinding apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the weight percentage of the electrically conductive material is about 20%, the weight percent of the arc resistance material is about 65%, and the weight percent of the abrasive material is about 15%. 
   
   
       33 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 20 , further comprising an ejection promoting material. 
   
   
       34 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 32 , wherein the ejection promoting material comprises epoxies, amines, silicon, alcohols, or hydroxides. 
   
   
       35 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 32 , wherein the ejection promoting material is present in the electrode at a weight percentage in a range from about 10% to about 30%. 
   
   
       36 . An electrochemical grinding method, comprising:
 driving an electrode to move relative to a workpiece, and the electrode comprising an electrically conductive material; an arc resistance material;   and an abrasive material different from the arc resistance material; and   passing an electric current between the electrode and the workpiece while passing an electrolyte therebetween to perform electrochemical grinding of the workpiece.   
   
   
       37 . The electrochemical grinding method of  claim 28 , wherein the electrically conductive material comprises Cu, Fe, or Al; the arc resistance material comprises ZrB 2 , TiB 2 , W, or Mo; and the abrasive material comprises SiC, BN, WC, ZrO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , B 4 C, Si 3 N 4 , or diamond. 
   
   
       38 . The electrochemical grinding method of  claim 28 , wherein the electrically conductive material comprises Cu, the arc resistance material comprises TiB 2 , and the abrasive material comprises SiC. 
   
   
       39 . The electrochemical grinding method of  claim 38 , wherein the electrically conductive material, the arc resistance material, and the abrasive material are present in the electrode at weight percentages in ranges from about 10% to about 20%, from about 50% to about 80%, and from about 10% to about 30%, respectively. 
   
   
       40 . The electrochemical grinding method of  claim 39 , wherein the weight percentage of the electrically conductive material is about 20%, the weight percent of the arc resistance material is about 65%, and the weight percent of the abrasive material is about 15%. 
   
   
       41 . The electrochemical electrode of  claim 36 , further comprising an ejection promoting material, and wherein the ejection promoting material comprises epoxies, amines, silicon, alcohols, or hydroxides.