Electrochemical Metal Removal. The use of electrolysis to dissolve metal from the surface often of a fabricated object. The workpiece becomes the anode; the cathode is part of the tooling; a low voltage current is used to effect the removal. The electrolyte is continuously fed over the surface to be treated at a high velocity carrying away the dissolved particles. Electrochemical metal removal (ECMR) is similar to electrochemical machining (ECM) and electrochemical grinding (ECG) and also electropolishing. The later is widely used in the jewelry field; in this process a few thousands of an

inch of metal is removed, leaving a smooth, polished, often mirrorlike surface.

The process is limited in the medallic field. It is easier to proof polish any portion of a die to strike all items with a mirrorlike surface, than to electropolish that portion of every object.