Viscous Layer Formation in Electrochemical Polishing Laser-Powder Bed Fusion Parts with Different Surface Profiles

Zhu, Haitao and Tian, Yingtao and Rennie, Allan (2023) Viscous Layer Formation in Electrochemical Polishing Laser-Powder Bed Fusion Parts with Different Surface Profiles. In: Springer Tracts in Additive Manufacturing : Proceedings of CASICAM 2022. Springer Tracts in Additive Manufacturing . Springer Nature, MAR, pp. 219-228. ISBN 9783031329265

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Abstract

The viscous layer generated on the anode surface during electrochem-ical polishing is essential for obtaining a smooth, mirror-like surface. However, the growth of the viscous layer for polishing Laser-Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) components with rough surface features of several hundred microns in height and wavelength differs from the micron/nanoscale surface finish. This study employed a Spatial Frequency Method to model rough L-PBF surfaces. The effect of height and frequency distribution parameters on the viscous layer thickness, geometry and uniformity was numerically investigated. NaCl-Ethylene Glycol-Ethanol and commercial A2 electrolytes were utilised to polish L-PBF 316L stainless steel for verification purposes. The results show that the viscous layer of the high-frequency surfaces is more homogeneous than the low-frequency surfaces, and the roughness reduction can reach 97.6% compared to 64% for the low-frequency surfaces.