Electrolytic deburring apparatus and method

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for toolless electrolytic deburring are disclosed in which a charged electrolyte stream flows through a hose and nozzle and can be selectively directed at a desired portion of an external or internal surface of a workpiece. The nozzle or the workpiece can be manipulated to vary the electrolytic deburring working gap so as to control the intensity of the electrolytic deburring and the portion of the workpiece that is electrolytically deburred. The electrolytic deburring is preferably performed in an enclosure having a glove which has an electrical contact that can be used to electrically connect the workpiece to the DC power supply anode simply by gripping the workpiece.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to apparatuses and methods for the toolless electrolytic deburring of metal workpieces.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Electrochemical surface machining (“ECM machining”) may be used to remove small amounts of metal from the surfaces of metal workpieces. ECM machining has long been used for deburring, polishing, cleaning, passivating, and stress-relieving the surfaces of metal parts by electrochemically dissolving away the irregularities at the metal surface atom-by-atom. For simplicity of expression, these five different uses will be referred to singly and collectively hereinafter and in the appended claims as “deburring.” The form of ECM machining that is used for deburring is sometimes referred to as “electrochemical deburring” and “electrolytic deburring.” The latter term will be used hereinafter and in the appended claims to refer to ECM machining that is used for deburring.[0003]In general, there are two kinds of conve...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The present invention provides toolless electrolytic deburring methods and associated apparatuses that overcome at least some of the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art. In particular, the methods and apparatuses of the present invention are particularly well-suited for toolless electrolytic deburring of individual workpieces, especially those which have areas that need more processing than other areas. The present invention makes it possible to toolless electrolytic deburr a workpiece without immersing it in a bath of electrolyte and without the use of a conventional working cathode. Moreover, the present invention allows the gap between its novel working cathode and a workpiece to be selectively varied in order to locally intensify or diminish the degree of deburring of a selected portion of the workpiece's internal or external surface.

[0009]The present invention accomplishes these objectives by associating a novel working cathode with a flexible hose and nozzle from which flows a stream of electrolyte that can be selectively directed at any desired portion of the workpiece, including into or through internal cavities of the workpiece. The nozzle of the hose can be manipulated to vary the gap between the novel working cathode and the workpiece. In some embodiments of the present invention, the workpiece also can be selectively manipulated during the electrolytic deburring process to enable even more control over the intensity of the electrolytic deburring and the portion of the workpiece that is electrolytically deburred.

Problems solved by technology

A significantt amount of electrolyte loss may occur when the workpieces are pulled out of the electrolyte bath.

Another drawback is that fixturing is usually necessary to hold the workpiece in place during the process.

The fixtures gradually electrochemically dissolve away during use and scratches and other surface defects on a fixture can locally accelerated the electrochemical dissolution rate, shortening the fixture's useful lifetime.

Another drawback is that while the conventional toolless electrolytic deburring process is well-suited to the simultaneous processing of multiple workpieces in production quantities, the cost of fixturing makes it is less-well suited to the processing of small quantities of workpieces.

More than a dozen years ago, an uncommercialized, abortive effort was made to overcome the need to immerse the workpiece in an electrolyte bath for toolless electrolytic deburring.

However, the paper does not appear to disclose how the power supply cathode or anode were intended to be electrically connected into the electrical circuit necessary to accomplish the electrolytic deburring of the workpieces.

The paper also does not disclose whether or not the fixture was ever successfully used for its intended purpose.

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