Elsyca ECMMaster is a unique 3D software tool for electrochemical machining process simulation and optimisation.

Elsyca ECMMaster provides the ECM industry an intelligent tool for managing costs, attaining higher productivity, accelerating ecological gains and simultaneously improving customer service & product quality.

Detailed documentation and customised on-site training by Elsyca, guide you through the simulation stages:

1. 1. CAD creation: Elsyca ECMMaster creates (or imports from file) the complete geometrical ECM setup (cathode tool/workpiece) using state-of-the art CAD tools
2. 2. Pre-processing: Elsyca ECMMaster reads the electrolyte bath characteristics from file or database
3. 3. Meshing: Elsyca ECMMaster automatically meshes your ECM setup
4. 4. Boundary conditions: Elsyca ECMMaster enables to impose direct or (bipolar) pulsed currents through multiple electrodes, to set up the feed rate for the moving cathode tools and define the total process time
5. 5. Solving: Elsyca ECMMaster computes the current density and the electrode shape change rates and creates a CAD model of the final workpiece surface
6. 6. Post-processing: Elsyca ECMMaster has powerful visualisation tools within the user CAD environment
7. 7. Optimization and reverse engineering: Elsyca ECMMaster enables to rework and optimize the cathode tool geometry using a limited number of iteration steps in order to achieve a predefined workpiece shape.
8.  

Download the Elsyca ECMMaster datasheet.

Elsyca ECMMaster is a valuable simulation tool for the evaluation and optimisation of different electrochemical machining applications:

• electrochemical drilling (e.g. cooling holes of turbine blades)
• electrochemical imaging (e.g. turbine blade formation)
• deburring of workpiece edges
• formation of internal cavities in a drilled hole (e.g. diesel injection systems)
• formation of dies for pil stamping
  

The acquisition and use of the Elsyca ECMMaster program will benefit your ECM-business in several ways:

1) ELSYCA ECMMASTER = SOLUTION TO REDUCE COSTS AND INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY

• designing electrochemical machining equipment “right-first-time”;
• reducing significantly cathode tool design time for new products (from weeks or even months to only a few hours);
• substantially reducing of trial-and-error runs on your ECM production lines: number of “wet” runs (wet run=ECM line test run) can be reduced with a factor 5;
• reducing waste, scrap and energy consumption;
• decreasing process time while still meeting product quality specifications;
• meeting new ecological regulations in the most cost efficient way.

2) ELSYCA ECMMASTER = SOLUTION TO SHORTEN TIME-TO-MARKET

• integrating the ‘expert’ solution in the design cycle (design-for-manufacturability);
• reducing the set - up and engineering of processes and determination of ‘best’ configuration.

3) ELSYCA ECMMASTER = SUPERIOR MARKETING TOOL

• offering a differential advantage with respect to competitors;
• showing (simulated) ECmachined products to internal and external customers/prospects even before a wet run is performed.

4) ELSYCA ECMMASTER = KNOWDLEGDE MANAGEMENT TOOL

• provides in-depth insight into and better understanding of your ECM processes;
• is a means to capture, accumulate and distribute the implicit process know-how available in your company.
  

Elsyca ECMMaster includes several high-end key features:

• entirely integrated in the SolidWorks CAD environment (hence including fast import of CAD files for parts to be processed, ….). The features “Parts” and “Assemblies” of a SolidWorks license are part of the Elsyca CPMaster license.
• file import from numerous CAD packages such as IGES, STEP, CATIA, SAT (ACIS), VDAFS, DXF, PARASOLID, ProE, Inventor, …
• fast, easy-to-use and highly accurate hybrid grid generator
• robust and prompt numerical solver calculating potential and current distributions for complex 3D configurations
• visualization of results within the SolidWorks CAD environment
• additional optional output of results in Tecplot (.plt) format.

The Elsyca ECM-Master software tool (without topology changes) enables to predict work piece shape changes, based on the potential model, taking into account the following phenomena:

• a full 3D electrochemical cell configuration (including position and shape of cathode tool and possibly screens, current robbers etc.)
• ohmic drop effects in the solution
• anodic and cathodic reaction polarisation behaviour
• dissolution efficiency
• imposed current through one or more electrodes
• imposed potential on one or more electrodes
• moving cathode tools (constant or variable feed rate)

The release of the next Elsyca ECMMaster version with topology changes (e.g. break-through of a drilled hole with a second cavity) is foreseen for 2006.

Hardware recommendations :

• Highly performing PC (e.g. P4 3.2 GHz processor, …)
• Min. of 2 GB RAM
• Hard disk size > 100 GB
• CD/DVD Read/Write
• Video Card:
  for a new PC: NVidia QuadroFX and Quadro4 recommended
  for a current PC: please check on: http://www.solidworks.com/pages/services/videocardtesting.html
•  

Software requirements: Windows 2000, NT, XP

Elsyca ECMMaster + SolidWorks environment takes only about 100 – 300 MB when no solver is running

To view a larger image of the pictures, simply click on the picture.

CAD model of reactor configuration for ECM drilling in a stainless steel plate with perforation of a lateral cylindrical hole

Edge and surface mesh detail at worktool and workpiece for an intermediate process time step.

CAD reconstructed workpiece shape before perforation of the lateral channel.

CAD reconstructed workpiece shape after perforation of the lateral channel.