POLISHING ECM
ECM technology is ideal for polishing metals due to the excellent surface finish and fast stock removal rates. We have built machines capable of polishing parts that save a significant number of man hours over manual polishing systems. Tubular fittings are machined to better than ASME BPE standards. Applications include the inside of stainless BPE fittings, diaphragm valves and pump impellers.
Tubular fittings – machined and polished in seconds
The surface shown is direct from the process.
Tube polishing for many applications
ECM machine for tubular fittings
Dual station, high capacity polishing system
DIAPHRAGM VALVES
Machining the D sections and tube ends in one set up means a 1″ valve body can be machined in less than 4 minutes. From casting or rough milled forging to a polished finish in a fraction of the time to hand polish
Diaphragm valve bodies – machined & polished in 4 mins
Tubular fittings – machined and polished in seconds
For the machining of tubular fittings
System for machining diaphragm valves
IMPULSE ECM
PECM Systems have produced machines with an oscillating electrode timed to pulse generation – ‘Impulse ECM’. This allows a high stock removal rate and simultaneous high definition surface finish. Impulse ECM machines with very small gaps, <25 micron for certain applications, this allows intricate levels of detail while still maintaining a high rate of stock removal and a submicron surface finish.
We have supplied machines for producing tips of tablet compression punches, where dimensional control is critical as it will affect ‘dosage’ and surface finish has to be sub micron to ensure no particles stick to the punch.
PECM Systems also has a customer producing forging punches with ECM. Fine detail that is very robust is critical here so ECM excels as no brittle recast layer occurs.
Tablet compression tooling
Forging punches
Split tablet punch
Precision mould tool
Precision mould tool
AEROSPACE SOLUTIONS
PECM Systems have supplied Electro Chemical Machining Systems around the world.
Over 95% of the wests military aircraft, including Stealth fighters, Apache Helicopters, and Eurofighters have critical components manufactured on PECM Systems’ machines.
We have produced multi-axis machines capable of machining platforms and shrouds of turbine blades at the same time as machining the airfoils. Leading and trailing edges machined to finished drawing dimensions.
HPC BLADES AND VANES
PECM Systems have developed a technology together with our consultants, who are specialists in Compressor Blade manufacturing, to enable the rapid production of High Pressure Compressor blades and vanes by ECM. Traditionally blades of this type are produced by making an oversized forging and then finishing to the final dimensions normally by milling or traditional ECM. PECM (Precision Electro Chemical Machining) removes the need for the final, most critical stage of the forging process and produces a polished blade to drawing dimensions. Typically the surface finish after the process is 16 µin or better, the airfoil tolerance band will be 0.1mm or better and the airfoil SPC – Cpk will be better than 1.33.
The benefits of PECM are:
• Minimal electrode development
• Leading & trailing edges machined directly to final drawing requirements
• Mechanical strength of final forging
• No extensive mass media processing to remove forging/milling defects or milling pattern
• No post production chemical milling to remove alpha case on Titanium alloys
• No thickness control of Nickel alloy final forging
• No manual twist and bow work as is usually done on final forgings
• Short cycle times compared to milling from oversize forging or barstock, or traditional ECM of oversize forging or barstock
The technology can be applied to dual/triple axis machines to allow the simultaneous machining of the convex and concave faces of the blade, and finishing of leading and trailing edges.
Compressor Blade
Stealth bombers have parts made with pECM machines
Brush seal
Tri-ram ECM machine for turbine blades
Tri-ram ECM machine installation, showing controller
MEDICAL SOLUTIONS
Our technology can be applied to a wide range of medical application. Orthopaedic implants, Laparoscopic tooling, precision instrumentation. One operation to produce macroform and cutting edge of less than 1μm.
PECM Systems’ machines can produce features and profiles not possible by any other method.
Machining and polishing of orthopaedic implants
Scalpels for eye surgery
Scalpels can have a cutting edge of less than 1μm
Laparoscopic gripper
Implant Manufacturing Machine
OTHER SYSTEMS ENGINEERED
NDAs restrict the amount of detail that can be published. However, we can give overviews of the uses that PECM Systems ECM machines have been applied to.
- Medical implants
- High Capacity ECM for diaphragm production.
- Steerable ECM drill.
- Electro-Chemical Grinding System for the machining of LP and HP honeycomb seals.
- Impulse ECM used for the production of high definition precision components.
- ECM/EDM Hybrid machine.
- Digital EDM Systems, manual and 4 axis CNC including automatic pallet changes.
- 6 Headed EDM machine for cooling holes in compressor blades.
- STEM drilling – simultaneous machining of multiple turbulated holes in large turbine blades.
- We have developed a machine capable of cutting and steering small bore holes up to 3m via ultrasonic sensors.
Machining and polishing of orthopaedic implants
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WELD REMOVAL AND EXHAUST MANIFOLDS
Weld removal & Exhaust manifolds
As with this polishing example, welding can produce areas where product or contamination can build up on a surface. Removing the excess weld with ECM is a fast way to blend the weld in to the surrounding parts. ECM removes the weld and simultaneously polishes the part and thus any areas for contamination to build up are removed. This can be improved further by integrating a scotch polishing stage into the process. AA-ECM
Exhaust manifolds
Any surface imperfections such as welds or discontinuities are blended together to create a single flowing surface for increased throughput of gases. We also have experience of polishing around corners/bends in long complex tubes.
This technique can be refined further to produce mirror finish surfaces using a unique non acidic electro polishing process.
Weld removal
JUMP BACK UP TO: Polishing ECM | Diaphragm Valves | Impulse ECM | Aerospace Solutions | Medical Solutions | Other Systems Engineered | Weld Removal & Exhaust Manifolds
拋光 – Polieren – 세련 – полировка – ขัด – polijsten
隔膜閥 – Membranventile – 다이어프램 밸브 – Мембранные клапаны – ไดอะแฟรมวาล์ว – Membraanventielen
衝動 – Impuls – 충동 – Импульс – แรงกระตุ้น