Effect of static etchant concentration of chemical machining on surface roughness and metal removal rate of AL 6063 alloy

Abstract

Chemical machining process is one of non traditional machining methods. There is a need to study the basics of this process to control the variables affecting this important method of machining. In this work some logic arrangement for achieving a required metal removal rate with a higher surface smoothness was stated for machining one widely used aluminum alloys. Aluminum (6063) alloy was used to be chemically machined using an ferric etchants (FeCl3). The affecting parameters were used: machining time and concentration of etchant. Three concentrations of etchant (30, 50 and 60%) were considered. Each sample was machined in different machining times of (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 min). Metal removal rate was calculated based on the weight loss due to corrosion. The results showed that a minimum surface roughness of (Ra = 0.00240 µm) was recorded in the sample machined with 60% concentration of etchant at 2 min. Among the variables under study, concentration of etchant has the important effect on the metal removal rate and the surface roughness of the machined surface