Abstract
 
Faraday Technology, Inc. researches and develops advanced electrochemical technologies for edge and surface finishing of difficult to cut metallic and alloy materials, prominent in the medical industry, such as titanium (Ti), Ti-alloys, stainless steel and Ni-Ti alloys. This advanced finishing technology involves alternating non-steady state electric field pulses of reverse polarity between the work piece and tool, instead of the usual direct current.  Through the proper selection of the electric field parameters (e.g. electrochemical waveform), electrolyte hydrodynamic uniformity in the interelectrode gap can be maintained, improving metal removal rate and dimensional accuracy by removing heat, gas bubbles, and metal precipitation during the reverse and off-time in the presence of water based, neutral salt electrolytes (e.g. sodium chloride), unlike other finishing processes that work with highly acidic and toxic fluids. Further improvements in surface quality, such as decreasing surface roughness and reducing surface microdefects, are achieved by minimizing oxide film rehealing through a reduction of the oxygen concentration near the workpiece during the reverse period. The theoretical aspects of the advanced Faradayic process technology, results of particular interest to the medical field and an update of our accomplishments to date, as well as continuing work on hydrodynamics and electrically mediated process parameters will be presented in this paper.