Effect of process conditions and parameters on surface roughness in electrochemical grinding of corrosion-resistant steel

 This study examines the effect of electrochemical grinding conditions and parameters on the surface roughness of steel specimens machined using small-diameter cubic boron nitride (CBN) grinding heads. The research focused on cylindrical specimens (10 mm in diameter) made of 12Kh18N10T corrosion-resistant steel. The experiments were conducted using AW 6×10×3×60 (LKV50 125/100 100% ME-3) CBN heads on an experimental test bench developed by the authors to implement small-size electrochemical  grinding technology. Surface roughness was selected as the key performance criterion to characterize the quality of the machined surface. The study was carried out in two stages: the first stage evaluated the impact of mechanical parameters (depth of cut, feed rate, and cutting speed), while the second stage focused on the combined process conditions (electrolyte temperature, etching current density, and NaCl concentration in aqueous electrolyte solution). Levels and ranges for these factors were selected drawing on the authors’ preliminary studies. A full factorial design was employed for experiment planning and data processing. The results indicate that the minimum surface roughness for 12Kh18N10T steel specimens is observed at a depth of cut of 0.04 mm, a feed rate of 230 mm/min, a cutting speed of 11 m/s, an electrolyte temperature of 50°C, an etching current density of 0.3 A/mm², and a 0.9 % NaCl concentration in the electrolyte. Consequently, empirical models were developed to evaluate surface roughness depending on the cutting parameters and combined process conditions. Within the specified constraints, the models provide a means to optimize the machining process to minimize surface roughness, evaluate the effect of factors on the selected performance criterion, and predict system behavior during the electrochemical grinding of 12Kh18N10T corrosion-resistant steel parts using small-diameter CBN heads. 

1. Rastorguev G.A. The peculiarities of technological inheritance in machinery production. Handbook. An Engineering Journal. 2013;9:8-17. (In Russ.).

2. Lobanov D.V., Arkhipov P.V., Yanyushkin A.S., Skeeba V.Yu. Research of influence electric conditions combined electrodiamond processing by on specific consumption of wheel. In: Materials Science and Engineering: IOP Conference Series. 2016;142:12081. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/142/1/012081. EDN: XDOXPV.

3. Borisov M.A., Mishin V.A. Process control of the electrochemical grinding process in the absence of an autonomous tool dressing circuit: monograph. Cheboksary: Polytech; 2019, 134 p. (In Russ.). EDN: RNAYCN.

4. Kharchenko A., Chasovitina A., Bratan S. Modeling of regularities of change in profile sizes and wear areas of abrasive wheel grains during grinding. In: International Conference on Modern Trends in Manufacturing Technologies and Equipment. 7–11 September 2020, Sevastopol. Sevastopol: Elsevier Ltd; 2021, p. 2088- 2091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.10.154. EDN: MNNNGR.

5. Nosenko S.V., Nosenko V.A., Kremenetskii L.L. The condition of machined surface of titanium alloy in dry grinding. In: International Conference on Industrial Engineering, ICIE 2017. 16–19 May 2017, SaintPetersburg. Saint-Petersburg: Elsevier Ltd; 2017, p. 115-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.10.446. EDN: XOGXAA.

6. Gusev V.V., Roshchupkin S.I., Moiseev D.A., Melnikova E.P. Analysis of grinding process with the use of field theory. In: Materials Science and Engineering: IOP Conference Series. 9–13 September 2019, Sevastopol. Sevastopol: Institute of Physics; 2019, vol. 709, iss. 2, р. 022001. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/709/2/022001.

7. Rechenko D.S. The study of the process of difficult-to-machine materials cutting at the micro-level. Metal Working and Material Science. 2019;21(2):18-25. https://doi.org/10.17212/1994-6309-2019-21.2-18-25. (In Russ.). EDN: ZQYAVF.

8. Rechenko D.S., Popov A.Y., Titov Y.V., Balova D.G., Gritsenko B.P. Ultra-high-speed sharpening and hardening the coating of carbide metal-cutting tools for finishing aircraft parts made of titanium alloys. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 2019;1260(6):062020. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1260/6/062020. EDN: VBUPAA.

9. Kozlov A.M., Kozlov A.A. Shaping the surface topology of cylindrical components by means of an abrasive tool. Russian Engineering Research. 2009;29(7):743-746. https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068798X09070223. EDN: LLRCMB.

10. Soler Ya.I., Kazimirov D.Yu. Predicting the supporting area of microrelief in machine parts of variable rigidity during plane grinding. Journal of Machinery Manufacture and Reliability. 2006;35(3):260-265. EDN: TXEHQP.

11. Niu L., Jin Z., Zhou Z., Dong Z., Zhu X. Study on electrochemical effect in electrochemical grinding of tungsten alloy. In: ISAAT 2018 - 21st International Symposium on Advances in Abrasive Technology. 14–16 October 2018, Toronto. Toronto; 2018. EDN: LGSJLJ.

12. Borisov M.A., Mishin V.A. The effect of current pulse duration on the intensity of electrochemical grinding. Actual Problems in Machine Building. 2019;6(1-4):48-52. (In Russ.). EDN: NCRQHK.

13. Gusev V.V., Moiseenco D.A. Estimation of the parameters of working surface of diamond grinding wheel. Progressive technologies and systems of mechanical engineering. 2017;4:11-17. (In Russ.). EDN: ZHRVKJ. 14. Nosenko V.A., Nosenko S.V. Metal grinding technology. Stary Oskol: OOO “Tonkie naukoemkie tekhnologii”; 2022, 616 p. (In Russ.). EDN: QTITIC.

14. Zaborski S., Łupak M., Poroś D. Wear of cathode in abrasive electrochemical grinding of hardly machined materials. Journal of Materials Processing Technology. 2004;149(1-3):414-418. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2004.02.015. EDN: KLRAKB.

15. Mogilnikov V.A., Chmir M.Ya., Timofeev Yu.S., Poluyanov V.S. Diamond - ECM grinding of ceramicmetal tungsten. In: Proceedings of the Seventeenth CIRP Conference on Electro Physical and Chemical Machining. 8–12 April 2013, Leuven. Leuven; 2013, p. 407-409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2013.03.104. EDN: RFQDBR.

16. Gantsev R.Kh., Gunderov D.V., Atroschenko V.V., Taymasova L.A., Vatuev M.V. Improving the quality of abrasive electrochemical grinding of high-temperature nickel-based alloys. In: Oil and Gas Technologies and New Materials. Problems and Solutions: Collection of scientific papers. Ufa: ООО “Monografiya”; 2019, Iss. 8, р. 322-326. (In Russ.). EDN: WAPKFM.

17. Zhetesova G.S., Bulatov D.J. Determination of the most optimal parameters and conditions of electromechanical processing. Trudy universiteta. 2014;1:24-26. (In Russ.). EDN: TJGWMV.

18. Medvedeva O.I., Yanyushkin A.S., Popov V.Y. An influence of hard alloys electro-diamond grinding parameters on the amount of dissolved material. Metal Working and Material Science. 2014;3:68-75. EDN: SKXODL.

19. Kozlov A.M., Ambrosimov S.K., Kozlov A.A. Modeling abrasive grain interaction with machined surface. In: 6th International Conference on Industrial Engineering: Conference proceedings. 18–22 May 2020, Sochi. Sochi: Springer; 2021, p. 953-960. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54817-9_110. EDN: ICBWUH.

20. Bratan S., Bogutsky B., Roshchupkin S. Development of mathematical model of material removal calculation for combined grinding process. In: Proceedings of the 4th International conference on industrial engineering ICIE 2018: Lecture notes in mechanical engineering. 15–18 May 2018, Moscow. Moscow: Springer International Publishing; 2019, р. 1759-1769. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95630-5_189. EDN: LEINVE.

21. Gutsalenko Y., Bratan S., Roshchupkin S., Dyadichev V., Menyuk S. Investigation of the structure and properties of copper-tin bonding M2-01 in diamond grinding wheel introducing additional energy in the form of electric discharges into the processing zone. In: Materials Today: Proceedings. 10–14 September 2018, Sevastopol. Sevastopol: Elsevier Ltd; 2019, vol. 11, p. 586-590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.01.033. EDN: AYRJLP.

22. Yanyushkin А.S., Аrkhipov P.V., Eresko S.P. Surface quality of carbide material in combined electric diamond grinding with continuous dressing. Science intensive Technologies in Mechanical Engineering. 2012;5:26-31. (In Russ.). EDN: OYOXKT.

23. Lobanov D., Borisov M., Yanyushkin A., Skeeba V. Ways to implement hybrid finishing technology with a hand-held rotary tool. In: Materials Science and Engineering: International Conference on Modern Trends in Manufacturing Technologies and Equipment: IOP Conference Series. 2020;709(4):044075. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/709/4/044075. EDN: FPZGAE.

24. Nadezhdina O., Borisov M. Influence of stainless steel grinding process parameters on surface roughness. Actual Problems in Machine Building. 2025;12(3-4):7-13. (In Russ.). EDN: HSAPCG.

25. Zvorygin A.S., Borisov M.A., Rafanova O.S. Stand for research of the process of electrochemical grinding. In: Modern technologies: problems and prospects: Collected articles of All-Russian scientific and practical conference for graduate students, students and young scientists. 19–22 May 2020, Sevastopol. Sevastopol: Sevastopol State University; 2020, р. 64-69. (In Russ.). EDN: CVBYXG.

26. Borisov M.A., Mishin V.A., Dementyev D.A. Device for electroabrasive machining. Avtomatizirovannoe proektirovanie v mashinostroenii. 2016;4:101-102. (In Russ.). EDN: XASWNN.

27. Borisov M.A., Lobanov D.V., Zvorygin A.S., Skeeba V.Yu. Adaptation of the CNC system of the machine to the conditions of combined processing. Metal Working and Material Science. 2024;26(1):55-65. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17212/1994-6309-2024-26.1-55-65.

28. Borisov M.A., Lobanov D.V., Skeeba V.Y., Nadezhdina O.A. Development of a device for studying and simulating the electrochemical grinding process. Metal Working and Material Science. 2025;27(1):93-105. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17212/1994-6309-2025-27.1-93-105.