Electrically Assisted Manufacturing<\/h1><\/h1><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>Electrically assisted manufacturing (EAM) is broadly defined as the direct application of an electric current or electromagnetic field to a workpiece during a manufacturing process, which covers applications such as forming, forging, cutting, sintering, and heat treatment. In addition to resistive heating and electromigration, various anomalous effects, termed electroplastic effects, have been discovered. For over 60 years, the existence of these effects has been debated and several theories have been proposed to explain these observed behaviors.<\/p>\n<\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/EAM-Definition.png\" "\\"EAM")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>Effects of Power Supply<\/h2><\/h1><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>It is essential in research to consider all variables while testing. An overlooked variable in electrically assisted manufacturing is the output of the power supply. See in this image how a “DC” power supply can sometimes have fluctuations in the output signal.<\/p>\n
This power supply can output up to 4,000 amps, a substantial load. Generally used within the electroplating industry, its practical use is not effected by this poor signal. However, it should be considered when used in research.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Website-Compressed-44.jpg\")
<\/span><\/li>![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Darrah-Steady-State-Scope-scaled.jpg\")
<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Image](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Website-42-e1586966585144.jpg\")
<\/span><\/li>![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SGA_Scope-scaled.jpg\")
<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Even research grade power supplies, like this one shown here, can have this effect.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Another consideration with power supplies is that there is usually a delay between when the power supply is turned on and when the current begins to flow. In research, not accounting for this delay can throw off calculations, resulting in erroneous results.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SCR-scope_R1-scaled.jpg\" "\\"SCR")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SGASCR-St-30A-003s-scaled.jpg\" "\\"SGASCR-St-30A-003s\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>We’ve found that these signals can actually affect our testing. Here are the results of tensile tests that used a constant current amplitude and one that pulsed the current throughout the test. Note in this image the differences between the red and black lines, which represent two different power supplies.<\/p>\n
More information on this work can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>One of the very few ways to produce a clean DC output is to use batteries. In order to have full control of the specifications of our battery, we designed and built our own! Find more information related to our battery bank here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/IMG_4210-1-scaled.jpg\" "\\"IMG_4210-1\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Electrically assisted manufacturing (EAM) is broadly defined as the direct application of an electric current or electromagnetic field to a workpiece during a manufacturing process, which covers applications such as forming, forging, cutting, sintering, and heat treatment. In addition to resistive heating and electromigration, various anomalous effects, termed electroplastic effects, have been discovered. For over 60 years, the existence of these effects has been debated and several theories have been proposed to explain these observed behaviors.<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Effects of Power Supply<\/h2><\/h1><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>It is essential in research to consider all variables while testing. An overlooked variable in electrically assisted manufacturing is the output of the power supply. See in this image how a “DC” power supply can sometimes have fluctuations in the output signal.<\/p>\n
This power supply can output up to 4,000 amps, a substantial load. Generally used within the electroplating industry, its practical use is not effected by this poor signal. However, it should be considered when used in research.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
- <\/span><\/li>
- <\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
- <\/span><\/li>
- <\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Even research grade power supplies, like this one shown here, can have this effect.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Another consideration with power supplies is that there is usually a delay between when the power supply is turned on and when the current begins to flow. In research, not accounting for this delay can throw off calculations, resulting in erroneous results.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>We’ve found that these signals can actually affect our testing. Here are the results of tensile tests that used a constant current amplitude and one that pulsed the current throughout the test. Note in this image the differences between the red and black lines, which represent two different power supplies.<\/p>\n
More information on this work can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>One of the very few ways to produce a clean DC output is to use batteries. In order to have full control of the specifications of our battery, we designed and built our own! Find more information related to our battery bank here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
It is essential in research to consider all variables while testing. An overlooked variable in electrically assisted manufacturing is the output of the power supply. See in this image how a “DC” power supply can sometimes have fluctuations in the output signal.<\/p>\n
This power supply can output up to 4,000 amps, a substantial load. Generally used within the electroplating industry, its practical use is not effected by this poor signal. However, it should be considered when used in research.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
- <\/span><\/li><\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
- <\/span><\/li><\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Even research grade power supplies, like this one shown here, can have this effect.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Another consideration with power supplies is that there is usually a delay between when the power supply is turned on and when the current begins to flow. In research, not accounting for this delay can throw off calculations, resulting in erroneous results.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>We’ve found that these signals can actually affect our testing. Here are the results of tensile tests that used a constant current amplitude and one that pulsed the current throughout the test. Note in this image the differences between the red and black lines, which represent two different power supplies.<\/p>\n
More information on this work can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>One of the very few ways to produce a clean DC output is to use batteries. In order to have full control of the specifications of our battery, we designed and built our own! Find more information related to our battery bank here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Homopolar-Generator-image.jpg\")
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Constant-Force-vs-Baseline-Website_Baseline-scaled.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Constant-Force-vs-Baseline-Website_CF-scaled.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Honda-Force-Controlled-Pulse-Website_Baseline-scaled.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Honda-Force-Controlled-Pulse-Website_FCP-scaled.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/StainlessThermalAssumption.jpg\" "\\"StainlessThermalAssumption\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/cecas.clemson.edu\/manufacturing-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Hypothesis.jpg\" "\\"Hypothesis\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>