ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING OF OIL GROOVED BUSHINGS

Abstract

Bushings (sleeves) with oil grooves are parts made of high hardness material
(52 - 60HRC) and work in high pressure environments. The oil grooves are specially
designed coolant channels on the inner cylindrical surface of the bushings to
provide lubrication and cooling for the mechanical members. Currently, in order
to machine these grooves in holes, mechanical cutting methods such as: turning,
broaching, slotting... can commonly used. The disadvantages of these
conventional methods are low productivity, low accuracy and the product quality
depend heavily on worker skills. In this study, electrochemical machining method
is used to machine oil grooves to achieve a high productivity and quality with a
reasonable cost. This article presents the calculation and experimental selection
of main parameters when designing and manufacturing electrochemical
cathodes. Through calculations and experiments, based on existing equipment
conditions, the article has determined a reasonable set of technological
parameters for machining oil grooves: electrode gap  = 1mm; flow pressure P =
6at; NaCl 11%; machining time t = 125s and Im = 70A.