IMPROVEMENT OF ELECTROPOLISHING AND CLEANING PROCESS

ELECTROPOLISHING (EP) IS AN IMPORTANT METAL FINISHING PROCESS WHICH IS USED WIDELY IN INDUSTRY ESPECIALLY IN THE CASES, WHERE MECHANICAL POLISHING IS NOT SUITABLE OR UNECONOMICAL E.G. IN CASE OF HARD METALS AND ALLOYS, THIN WALLED EASILY DEFORMABLE COMPONENTS, AND COMPLEX SHAPES, THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF THE COMPONENTS , SHARPENING TOOLS, SMOOTHING OF MACHINE PARTS EXPOSED TO FRICTION, REMOVAL OF SURFACE INCLUSIONS AND CORROSION PRODUCTS, AND REMOVAL OF BURRS AFTER MECHANICAL MACHINING. IN THIS METHOD, THE WORKING ELECTRODE IS USED AS ANODE IN AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL CONTAINING LEAD ELECTRODE REPRESENT THE CATHODE. FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE PROCESS , SOME ORGANIC ADDITIVES WERE ADDED TO THE ELECTROLYTE SOLUTION SUCH AS METHYL ALCOHOL, ETHYLENE GLYCOL, STARCH, OR GLUCOSE. BOTH ELECTRODES ARE CONNECTED TO A SUITABLE DC POWER SUPPLY BY ELECTRIC CABLES WHERE THE CURRENT INTENSITY AND POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE CAN BE CONTROLLED