Hybrid Ultrasonic Cavitation Abrasive Peening and Electrochemical Polishing on Additively Manufactured AlSi10Mg Components

Additive manufacturing processes face challenges when producing complex metallic components. Surface defects, such as incomplete melting, balling, and geometric inaccuracies, are common in printed metallic components with complex structures, such as lattice structures. These defects make it unfeasible to use these components commercially without further processing. Limitations such as inaccessibility and limited improvement in surface quality in existing post-processing techniques make the motivation for this study. This paper is largely based on the partial results of an ongoing thesis in the development of a novel hybrid process. The hybrid process combines electrochemical polishing (ECP) and ultrasonic cavitation abrasive peening (UCAP). It takes advantage of ECP's ability to brighten and smoothen surfaces and UCAP's ability to generate compressive residual stresses, enhance surface hardness, and improve the efficiency of ECP synergistically. The first part of this paper gives an overview of the need for an alternative post-processing technique and the benefits of a hybrid process. Further, results and discussion of investigative experimentation will be highlighted describing the effects and mechanisms of the hybrid process.