Project ADEPT - Advanced Dynamic Electrochemical Polishing Techniques to Improve Additive Manufactured Surface Conditions

**增材制造（AM）在我们客户中的兴起凸显了电化学加工（ECM）和相关电化学抛光（EP）的一些潜在新机遇。就其性质而言，增材制造最适合生产具有复杂几何形状的零件，这些零件使用传统方法（如成形/铸造和减法加工方法）是不可能/复杂/昂贵/耗时的。然而，增材制造零件往往具有需要几何校正的高制造公差，具有非常粗糙的表面，并且具有半粘附/烧结粉末的问题。传统的精加工技术要么昂贵/缓慢（“隆隆声和翻滚”），要么不适合（打磨/研磨）。ECM更适合，但需要为每个作业开发定制阴极，考虑到AM的小批量，高制造公差性质，这是昂贵的。Holtex Ltd是一家位于西约克郡的解决问题工程中小企业，主要为包括康明斯在内的汽车客户提供电化学机器（ECM）和相关服务。针对这些问题，我们开发了ElectroForm。目前处于概念验证阶段，正在申请专利，ElectroForm使操作员能够使工具符合单个增材制造组件的独特几何形状。这可以实现定制的几何校正和精细的表面粗糙度定位。在先进动态电化学抛光技术改善增材制造表面条件（ADEPT）项目中，我们将与哈德斯菲尔德大学（UoH）合作开发ElectroForm到TRL7/TRL8\。UoH EPSRC未来计量中心是最近创建的八个EPSRC未来制造研究中心之一。

**Vision for the project**The rise of Additive Manufacturing (AM) among our customers has highlighted some potential new opportunities for Electrochemical Machining (ECM) and the related Electrochemical Polishing (EP).By its nature, AM is best suited to producing parts with complex geometries that are impossible/complex/expensive/time-consuming to make using traditional methods such as forming/casting and subtractive machining methods. However, AM parts tends to have high manufacturing tolerances requiring geometry correction, have very rough surfaces, and have problems with semi-adhered/sintered powder.Traditional finishing techniques are either expensive/slow ("rumble-and-tumble") or not suited (sanding/lapping). ECM is better suited, but requires a bespoke Cathode to be developed for each job, which is expensive given the low volume, high manufacturing tolerance nature of AM.**Innovation**Holtex Ltd is a problem-solving engineering SME based in West Yorkshire, providing Electrochemical Machine (ECM) and related services, primarily to automotive customers including Cummins. In response to these problems, we have therefore developed ElectroForm. Currently at proof-of-concept stage with a patent pending, ElectroForm enables the operator to conform the tool to the unique geometry of individual AM components. This enables bespoke geometry correction and fine surface roughness targeting. In the Advanced Dynamic Electrochemical Polishing Techniques to Improve Additive Manufactured Surface Conditions (ADEPT) Project we will team with the University of Huddersfield (UoH) to develop ElectroForm to TRL7/TRL8\. The UoH EPSRC Future Metrology Hub is one of eight recently created EPSRC Future Manufacturing Research Hubs.