Analysis of the electrochemical removal of aluminium matrix composites using multiphysics simulation

In the Collaborative Research Centre 692 at the Technische Universität Chemnitz several academic institutions work on aluminium matrix composites (AMCs). Such materials are investigated from development to machining. One possible method for machining AMCs is electrochemical machining. To characterise the electrochemical removal an analysing device was developed. Therefore two fully coupled 2D-models were built up with COMSOL Multiphysics to study the ECM process and to detect settings for the use of the analysing device. In the models the electric current, the non-isothermal flow and the deformed geometry interface were used. As a result of the first study suitable settings for the inlet velocity of the electrolyte and a constance of temperature were found. In the second study the anodic dissolution could be simulated. As a result a suitable feed rate for the analysing process was detected.