Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

High-Quality Surface Finishing of Industrial Three-Dimensional Metal Additive Manufacturing Using Electrochemical Polishing

  • Regular Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) additive manufacturing technologies are useful for building various and complicated shapes. Representative technologies include laser metal deposition and selective laser sintering that make metal powders melt in order to form diverse 3D structures. Although numerous well-known advantages of 3D additive manufacturing, they still have some difficulties in surface quality improvement for further applications such as food or biomedical industries because they cause rough surfaces, discoloration, unmelted particles by repeated instant dissolution and solidification of metal particles. This paper introduces an electrochemical polishing (or electropolishing, ECP) process as a possible finishing process for 3D printed parts. Conventional finishing processes including mechanical finishing can hardly polish 3D curved surface readily. In ECP, the tool electrode and the work sample are not in contact with each other. All electrically connected surface exposed to electrolyte are subject to be polished. The printed product performs in a current density region higher than the conventional current density, thereby activating the electrochemical reaction and promoting the dissolution of the metal surface, thereby smoothly polishing a very rough surface. Surface quality including roughness, splashed particle spots, smoothness, brightness, light reflection and corrosion resistance were improved by ECP. Experimental results were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, optical and detailed atomic force microscopy images according to various ECP electrical conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ko, H., Moon, S. K., & Hwang, J. (2015). Design for additive manufacturing in customized products. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing, 16(11), 2369–2375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Chua, Z. Y., Ahn, I. H., & Moon, S. K. (2017). Process monitoring and inspection systems in metal additive manufacturing: Status and applications. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology, 4(2), 235–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Lee, J., Kim, H. C., Choi, J. W., & Lee, I. H. (2017). A review on 3D printed smart devices for 4D printing. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology, 4(3), 373–383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Zhang, K., Liu, W., & Shang, X. (2007). Research on the processing experiments of laser metal deposition shaping. Optics & Laser Technology, 39(3), 549–557.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Hong, C., Gu, D., Dai, D., Gasser, A., Weisheit, A., Kelbassa, I., et al. (2013). Laser metal deposition of TiC/Inconel 718 composites with tailored interfacial microstructures. Optics & Laser Technology, 54, 98–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Khademzadeh, S., Parvin, N., & Bariani, P. F. (2015). Production of NiTi alloy by direct metal deposition of mechanically alloyed powder mixtures. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing, 16(11), 2333–2338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Agarwala, M., Bourell, D., Beaman, J., Marcus, H., & Barlow, J. (1995). Direct selective laser sintering of metals. Rapid Prototyping Journal, 1(1), 26–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Das, S. (2003). Physical aspects of process control in selective laser sintering of metals. Advanced Engineering Materials, 5(10), 701–711.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Lee, H., Lim, C. H. J., Low, M. J., Tham, N., Murukeshan, V. M., & Kim, Y. J. (2017). Lasers in additive manufacturing: A review. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology, 4(3), 307–322.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Nowotny, S., Scharek, S., Beyer, E., & Richter, K. H. (2007). Laser beam build-up welding: Precision in repair, surface cladding, and direct 3D metal deposition. Journal of Thermal Spray Technology, 16(3), 344–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Chua, Z. Y., Ahn, I. H., & Moon, S. K. (2017). Process monitoring and inspection systems in metal additive manufacturing: Status and applications. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology, 4(2), 235–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Park, J. W., & Lee, D. W. (2009). Pulse electrochemical polishing for microrecesses based on a coulostatic analysis. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 40(7–8), 742–748.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Habibzadeh, S., Li, L., Shum-Tim, D., Davis, E. C., & Omanovic, S. (2014). Electrochemical polishing as a 316L stainless steel surface treatment method: Towards the improvement of biocompatibility. Corrosion Science, 87, 89–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Gomez-Gallegos, A. A., Mill, F., & Mount, A. R. (2016). Surface finish control by electrochemical polishing in stainless steel 316 pipes. Journal of Manufacturing Processes, 23, 83–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Baicheng, Z., Xiaohua, L., Jiaming, B., Junfeng, G., Pan, W., Chen-nan, S., et al. (2017). Study of selective laser melting (SLM) Inconel 718 part surface improvement by electrochemical polishing. Materials and Design, 116, 531–537.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Kim, Y. B., Jeong, S. H., & Park, J. W. (2013). Adsorption characteristics of micro algae on surface-modified photobioreactor system. Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy, 7(1), 80–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kim, Y. B., & Park, J. W. (2012). Effect of pulse time on surface characteristics and corrosion resistance during pulse electrochemical polishing. Transactions of the Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 22, s876–s880.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Rokosz, K., Lahtinen, J., Hryniewicz, T., & Rzadkiewicz, S. (2015). XPS depth profiling analysis of passive surface layers formed on austenitic AISI 304L and AISI 316L SS after high-current-density electropolishing. Surface and Coatings Technology, 276, 516–520.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was partially supported by research fund from Chosun University 2017 and Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2017R1D1A1B03031463).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical System Engineering, Chosun University, 309, Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 61452, South Korea

    Uk Su Kim

  2. School of Mechanical System and Automotive Engineering, Chosun University, 309, Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 61452, South Korea

    Jeong Woo Park

Authors
  1. Uk Su Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jeong Woo Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeong Woo Park.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kim, U.S., Park, J.W. High-Quality Surface Finishing of Industrial Three-Dimensional Metal Additive Manufacturing Using Electrochemical Polishing. Int. J. of Precis. Eng. and Manuf.-Green Tech. 6, 11–21 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40684-019-00019-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40684-019-00019-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation