Amirkabir Journal of Mechanical Engineering

Amirkabir Journal of Mechanical Engineering

Evaluation of Surface Integrity of AISI 304 in Electrochemical Grinding through Simultaneous Analysis of Surface Roughness and Porosity

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
1 Department of Mechanical engineering , trabiat modares university
2 Department of mechanical enginering, Tarbiat modules university
3 tarbiat modares university
10.22060/mej.2026.25003.7926
Abstract
The electrochemical grinding (ECG) process, as a hybrid technique combining mechanical abrasion and anodic dissolution, offers an efficient approach for improving surface quality and minimizing thermal damage in hard-to-machine steels, particularly AISI 304 stainless steel. However, the surface roughness and porosity in this process are strongly affected by operating conditions, exhibiting inherently nonlinear behavior. In this study, a dedicated experimental setup was designed and developed to investigate the effects of three key parameters: electrolyte concentration (20–180 g/L), applied voltage (5–25 V), and wheel rotational speed (500–2500 rpm). Surface roughness was measured using a laser profilometer, while porosity was quantified through image analysis in ImageJ software. Results indicated that increasing electrolyte concentration gradually reduced surface roughness from approximately 15 to 4 μm, while porosity increased from 1.2% to over 5%. Moreover, voltage variation exhibited a nonlinear trend, and an optimal balance between roughness and porosity was achieved within the range of 10–15 V. Higher voltages led to excessive corrosion and loss of surface uniformity. Increasing wheel speed up to around 1500 rpm also resulted in a moderate improvement in surface finish. Overall, the combination of 180 g/L electrolyte concentration and 15 V applied voltage was identified as the optimal condition for producing a smooth surface with controlled porosity.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 23 July 2026