US 12,097,567 B2
Methods and apparatuses of oscillatory pulsed electrochemical machining
Daniel Herrington, Raleigh, NC (US); and Eric Rountree, Raleigh, NC (US)
Assigned to Voxel Innovations, Inc., Raleigh, NC (US)
Filed by Voxel Innovations, Inc., Raleigh, NC (US)
Filed on Dec. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/565,817.
Application 17/565,817 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2020/040819, filed on Jul. 3, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/870,882, filed on Jul. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0119982 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. B23H 3/04 (2006.01); B22F 10/62 (2021.01); B23H 7/28 (2006.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); C25F 3/16 (2006.01); C25F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC B23H 3/04 (2013.01) [B22F 10/62 (2021.01); B23H 7/28 (2013.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); C25F 3/16 (2013.01); C25F 7/00 (2013.01); B23H 2400/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of electrochemical machining, the method comprising:
designing a tool electrode to be used for removing material from a target workpiece, wherein the shape of the tool electrode is based on the shape of the target workpiece;
fixing the target workpiece into a first platform of a processing machine;
fixing the tool electrode into a second platform of the processing machine;
wherein the target workpiece and the tool electrode are aligned when fixed into the processing machine such that there is a gap between a surface of the target workpiece and a surface of the tool electrode; and
removing material from the target workpiece by causing the tool electrode to oscillate while moving in a predetermined motion path relative to the target workpiece while applying a voltage across the gap between the surface of the target workpiece and the surface of the tool electrode,
wherein the predetermined motion path provides motion in three dimensions along a Hamiltonian path around the target workpiece.