INTRODUCTION OF TECHNOLOGY OF ELECTROLYTIC-PLASMA POLISHING OF METAL GOODS

Modern methods of final polishing of complex-surface goods are labor-consuming and unsustainable. Nowadays, the method of electrolytic-plasma polishing is developed intensively. This method is the high-efficiency process of conductive goods treatment in the environmentally safe aqueous solutions of inorganic salts of weak concentration. Commercial application of electrolytic-plasma polishing method is impeded in engineering due to its poor exploration. The authors studied the influence of multistep polishing and electrolyte composition on the process technological parameters and surface roughness of plate specimens of 08H18N10T austenitic stainless steel processed using laboratory machine. The authors carried out the comparing study of surface roughness of specimens processed according to the suggested modes and the specimens processed according to the known modes of polishing in the widely used aqueous solutions of ammonium sulfate-based (4 % (NH4)2SO4) and sodium carbonate-based (12 % Na2CO) electrolytes. The study showed that the introduction of 0,05–0,45 % chlorine hydride to the electrolyte containing 4–5 % of ammonium sulfate reduces twofold the temperature of working electrolyte. It is established that the multistep polishing allows decreasing the stainless steel surface roughness by 20–25 % in comparison with traditional polishing methods. Basing on the results obtained, the authors suggested technological modes of final treatment of austenitic stainless steels with the use of electrolytic-plasma polishing method, developed and produced the machine for electrolytic-plasma polishing of goods (MEPPG-1). This machine is universal and allows carrying out the final polishing of various conductive materials up to 250 cm2 in area used in manufacturing industry (copper, aluminum, steel, titanium and others) by means of the electrolyte composition and processing modes changes.