Inter electrode gap detection in electrochemical machining with electroforming planar coils

A new eddy current sensor with planar coils designed for noncontact distance measurement was applied in the inter electrode gap detection in the electrochemical machining (ECM). The sensor consists of two micro electroforming planar coils (driver coil and sensitive coil) stacked on the magnetic core. The magnetic model of the detection principle was built, and a new micro motion system was developed as a test and machining platform also. The size of the sensor was: Φ5 mm × 1.5 mm. The results show that the sensor is compact enough to nondestructively assess the electrode gap distance and could be easily integrated into a tool cathode for real-time electrolytic machining gap detection.