Micro wire electrode electrochemical cutting with low frequency and small amplitude tool vibration

For removing electrolysis products and renewing electrolyte, the low frequency and small amplitude micro-tool vibration which direction is parallel to wire electrode axis is adopted. A wire electrochemical micro-machining system with micro-tool vibration unit has been developed. A mathematical model of overcut is presented. The micrometer scale wire electrodes of 10, 5, and 2 mu m in diameter have been electrochemically in situ fabricated. The influence of micro-tool vibration on processing stability, overcut, machining accuracy, and repeatability accuracy of micro wire electrode electrochemical cutting is investigated. With electrodes in various diameters, influence of electrode diameter on overcut is experimentally studied. To investigate the influence of machining parameters and work-piece thickness on the machining, comparative experiments are carried.