6. Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of ECM are :

• machining of all conductive materials (ordinary and stainless steels, nickel- or cobalt-based refractory alloys, titanium-based alloys, sintered materials, etc.), regardless of their metallurgical state;

• surface machining with high penetration speed, while obtaining a finished surface without metallurgical disturbance;

• no roughing operation;

• reproduction of complex shapes ;

• drilling with very high depth/diameter ratios (< 200);

• machining of thin walls by simultaneous machining of both sides of the part, e.g. for turbine blades;

• absence of tool wear ;

• easy control of machining...