• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.22 no.5 s.170
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• pp.37-44
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• 2005

In this paper, wire electrochemical machining (Wire ECM) with ultra short pulses is presented. Platinum wire with $10{\mu}m$ diameter was used as a tool and 304 stainless steel was locally dissolved by electrochemical machining in 0.1M $H_{2}SO_4$ electrolyte. Wire ECM can be easily applied to the fabrication of arbitrarily shaped micro-grooves without tool wear. The change of machining gap according to applied pulse voltage, pulse on-time and pulse period was investigated and the optimal pulse condition for stable machining was obtained. Using this method, various micro-grooves with less than $20{\mu}m$ width were fabricated.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.251-256
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• 2011

The radial overcut in micro electrochemical machining was investigated. The prediction of overcut is important not only for the machining accuracy but also for the shape control of micro structures. In micro ECM, machining gap or overcut depends on electrolyte, pulse voltage, pulse duration and dissolution time etc. Understanding of electrochemical dissolution rate is necessary for the overcut prediction. In this paper, the radial overcut of micro electrochemical machining according to pulse duration and dissolution time was simulated using electrochemical principles and also experimentally estimated.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.101-108
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• 2002

A specially-built EMM (Electrochemical Micro Machining) / PECM (Pulse Electrochemical Machining) cell, a electrode tool filled with non-conducting material, a electrolyte flow control system and a small & stable gap control unit are developed to achieve accurate dimensions of recesses. Two electrolytes, aqueous sodium nitrate and aqueous sodium chloridc arc applied in this study. The farmer electrolyte has better machine-ability than the latter one because of its appropriate changing to the transpassive state without pits on the surface of workpiece. It is easier to control the machining depth precisely by micrometer with pulse current than direct current. This paper also presents an identification method for the machining depth by in-process analysis of machining current and inter electrode gap size. The inter electrode gap characteristics, inc1uding pulse current, effective volumetric electrochemical equivalent and electrolyte conductivity variations, are analyzed based on the model and experiments.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.942-945
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• 2001

Pulse electrochemical micromachining offers significant improvements in dimensional accuracy as compared with conventional electrochemical machining. One primary issue in pulse electrochemical micromachining is to identify and control machining depth as well as interelectrode gap size. This paper presents an identification method for the machining depth by in-process analysis of machining current and interelectrode gap size. The inter electrode gap characteristics, including pulse current, effective volumetric electrochemical equivalent and electrolyte conductivity variations, are analysed based on the model and experiments.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.134-140
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• 2008

Micro electrochemical machining (ECM) is conducted on stainless steel 304 using non-toxic electrolyte of citric acid. Electrochemical dissolution region is minimized by applying a few hundred second duration pulses between the tungsten SPM tip and the work material. ECM characteristics according to citric acid concentration, feeding velocity and electric conditions such as pulse amplitude, pulse frequency, and offset voltage are investigated through a series of experiments. Micro holes of $60{\mu}m$ in diameter with the depth of $50{\mu}m$ and $90{\mu}m$ in diameter with the depth of $100{\mu}m$ are perforated. Square and circular micro cavities are also manufactured by electrochemical milling. This research can contribute to the development of safe and environmentally friendly micro ECM process.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.308-314
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• 2011

In micro electrochemical machining (micro ECM), machining conditions have been determined to maintain a small side gap and to machine a workpiece stably However, machining speed is slow. To improve machining speed while maintaining the form accuracy, the paper investigates machining parameters such as pulse amplitude, duty ratio, pulse on-time, and the electrolyte's temperature and concentration. The experiment in this study shows that the electrolyte's concentration is the key factor that can reduce machining time while maintaining the form accuracy Micro square columns were fabricated to confirm the machining parameters' effects.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.22 no.12 s.177
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• pp.163-169
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• 2005

Micro hole is ode of basic elements for micro device or micro parts. Micro electrochemical machining (ECM) can be applied to the machining of micro holes less than 50 ${\mu}m$ in diameter, which it is not easy to apply other techniques to. For the machining of passivating metals such as stainless steel, machining conditions should be chosen carefully to prevent a passive layer. The machining conditions also affect the machining resolution, In this paper, machining characteristics of micro ECM were investigated according to machining conditions such as electrolyte concentration and pulse conditions. From the investigation, optimal machining conditions were suggested for micro ECM of stainless steel.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.1202-1205
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• 2005

Micro hole is one of basic elements for micro device or micro parts. By micro ECM, micro holes less than $50\mu{m}$ in diameter can be machined easily. Machining characteristics of micro ECM were investigated according to machining conditions such as electrolyte concentration and pulse conditions. From the investigation, optimal machining conditions were suggested for micro ECM of stainless steel. For the micro machining with high resolution, the change of machining gap should be predicted. By using electrochemical principle equations, the change of machining gap was simulated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.918-921
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• 2002

Some investigators who have tried to achieve the highly smooth surface finish using electrochemical processes have reported that high current density produced lustrous surfaces while the opposite conditions produced a passive layer and had a tendency to produce a black surface. However, processing at a low current density may produce a non-lustrous surface but the improvement of dimensional accuracy of the surface is significant. The surface with pulse process was a bit more lustrous than with continuous current but the black passive layer still could be found at grooved surface. There are two ways to achieve highly smooth surface finish. One is brushing it with a brush the other is electrochemical machining (ECM) with high current. The former method is the most common polishing practice, but not only may the surface obtained differ from operator to operator, but precision smooth surface on micro grooves are difficult to obtain. The latter one recently has been used to produce a highly smooth surface after EDM process. However, the material removal rate in ECM with high current is relatively high. Hence the original shape of the micro grooves, which was formed by electrochemical micro-machining (EMM) process, may be destroyed. In this study, an electrochemical polishing process using pulse current is adopted as a possible alternative process when micro grooves formed by EMM process should be polished. Mirror-like micro grooves with lustrous and smooth surface can be produced electrochemically with pulse current because the voltage and current used can be lower than the case of continuous current. This study will discuss the accurate control of physical and electrical conditions so as to achieve mirror-like micro grooves with lustrous and smooth surface without destroying the original shape of micro grooves.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.105-112
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• 2007

Tungsten wire micro electrochemical machining (W-wire micro ECM) with ultra-short pulses enables precise micro machining of metal. In wire micro ECM, platinum wire has been used because it is electrochemically stable. However, the micro metal wire with low strength is easily deformed by hydrogen bubbles which are generated during the machining. The wire deformation decreases the machining accuracy. To reduce the influence of hydrogen bubbles, in this paper, the use of tungsten wire was investigated. To improve machining accuracy, suitable pulse conditions which affect generation of bubbles were also investigated. The tungsten wire micro ECM can be applied to the fabrication of various shapes. Using this method, various micro-parts and shapes were fabricated.