Experimental investigation of an electrochemical jet machining of thin sheet: A parametric study effects on dimensional accuracy

Although electrochemical jet machining (EJM) has demonstrated strong potential for precision machining of difficult-to-cut materials, limited studies have focused on quantifying the influence of process parameters including applied voltage, electrolyte jet velocity, and tool feed rate on the dimensional accuracy and surface characteristics of stainless-steel components. Moreover, the absence of a controllable and reliable experimental setup has limited the ability to conduct repeatable and accurate investigations in this field. To address these challenges, a laboratory-scale EJM system with precise control of electrical and mechanical parameters was employed to investigate the effects of the process parameters. Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and a Box–Behnken design, fifteen tests were performed to analyze the effects of the selected parameters on machining performance and hole geometry. The results revealed that a combination of high jet speed and moderate feed rate produced smaller and more uniform hole diameters, emphasizing the importance of balancing these parameters to achieve stable machining and superior dimensional accuracy in the EJM process. Finally, this study confirmed the non-conical geometry of the internal hole surface and high geometric accuracy under specific combinations of the three selected process parameters.