EMAG Electrochemical Machining (ECM) Technology

The development of aircraft structures is under tremendous pressure, the most prominent of which is the standard requirements for legislation to increase the carbon dioxide emissions of aircraft, and the rapid increase in market attention to this standard. Therefore, the aircraft engine has naturally become the focus of the industry development, while ensuring the fuel consumption at the same time, but also to ensure faster speed of the advancement value. This puts higher demands on the components used in the engine, such as the need to select special materials with high bearing capacity. So how can a machine guarantee the speed, accuracy and integrity of the process when processing these materials? EMAG experts here give an optimal solution: EMAG electrochemical machining technology, mechanical cutting technology can no longer be considered when making decisions. It can be said that EMAG electrochemical processing technology has brought new vitality to the development of technology in the field of aero-engine manufacturing.

There is an important interrelationship in the aero engine manufacturing process, that is, the higher the temperature generated by the engine, the higher the efficiency. That is to say, the higher the engine temperature, the farther the aircraft can fly, while consuming relatively little fuel. This corresponds to the material used inside the aeroengine, which means that extremely wear-resistant materials that perform better under pressure must be selected. But the choice of good materials is only "half a success", because at the same time, many components will become more complex and require a highly sophisticated process to complete. Therefore, the aero engine department wants to achieve the goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption by 20% in the next decade, and it is necessary to complete the above. I believe this is the only way.

Electrochemical processing, the inevitable choice for the development of aero-engine manufacturing

Of course, this is completely different from the development of the automotive field. This development of aircraft engines has a milestone historical significance for the aircraft industry. Today, the industry has reached a crossroads, and experts predict that in the next two decades, air traffic demand will increase at a rate of 5% per year. Airbus also said that the market demand for new engines in the aviation market will reach 7,600 units in the next ten years. This provides a huge opportunity for the development of the aviation industry, but it also puts new demands on the aero engine manufacturer. While the new engine is constantly meeting market demands, it must constantly optimize its technical level and product quality.

For aero engine manufacturers, what kind of machining solution can be selected to efficiently and accurately produce this new energy-efficient engine component? EMAG Electrochemical Machining (ECM) and Precision Electrochemical Machining (PECM) technologies are arguably the best choice, although many developers and design engineers have not yet realized this. However, the use of this technology for the processing of high-strength alloys and similar materials, the complex parts, not only make the processing tool (here, the cathode consumption is basically negligible) to achieve the minimum degree of wear, and the surface of the processed parts has a more For superior quality, such as no burrs, no microstructural changes (intercrystalline structure of materials). In contrast, the cutting process creates many problems, such as the temperature generated adversely affects the microstructure of the material; the tool used for machining high-strength materials has a short life; the high-feed machining process is cost-effective. However, it is impossible to process precise geometric shapes and so on. These problems undoubtedly indirectly promote the increasing demand for ECM technology in the aero-engine manufacturing industry. Since EMAG began researching this technology in 2009, it has provided a large number of equipment and technology for aero engine manufacturers, and is mainly used in the production and manufacture of core components for aircraft engines, such as high-precision nickel-based alloy materials for high-precision overall manufacture. Leaf discs, with dovetail slots and individual blades.

Insist on innovation, EMAG develops more sophisticated PECM technology

The ECM process ensures that the material is removed very well. During processing, the workpiece acts as an anode and the tool acts as a cathode. The electrolyte can dissolve metal ions on the workpiece between the two electrodes. The cathode profile is matched to the workpiece, charge exchange occurs, and the anode workpiece is dissolved to ensure removal of the desired shape of the part on the workpiece. Different workpiece profiles, annular channels, straight grooves and annular grooves can be formed without touching the workpiece, with high precision and low tool wear. At the same time, EMAG further optimized the technology of ECM technology and developed more sophisticated PECM technology. In the PECM technology process, the machining gap between the workpiece and the cathode is very small. In order to achieve sufficient exchange of the electrolyte under such a small processing gap, the process mainly optimizes the flow of the electrolyte by mechanical oscillation. This ensures effective and subtle molding removal of the material. For example, PECM is used to process and manufacture the whole leaf disc, which fully demonstrates the technical superiority of precision electrochemical processing.

For the machining of the turbine disc DISC, EMAG experts have developed an ECM machining system with 11 station drilling, oil hole contouring, port chamfering and polishing. In this processing system, the superalloy material is drilled at a feed rate of 5 mm per minute with no burrs or any thermal stress, and the machining tolerance is between 0.1 and 0.3 mm. Compared to the cutting process, the tool (electrode) of the ECM process has a longer service life, which effectively reduces the tool production cost.

The EMAG PO 900 BF model is undergoing integral leaf disc machining.

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