Electrochemical machining method with optimal machining pulse duration

The invention relates to a method for electrochemical machining of an electrically conductive work piece using an electrochemical machining device including a tool electrode opposing the work piece across a predetermined machining gap filled with electrolyte, the electrochemical machining device further comprising means for supplying machining voltage pulses across the machining gap. For an electromechanical machining of a work piece there is an optimal pulse duration for the machining pulses corresponding to the maximum copying accuracy. Such an optimal pulse duration corresponds to a certain value of the gap. By alternating the machining pulses with measurement pulses it is possible to obtain an accurate information about the gap dimensions on-line during the electrochemical machining process. The process control means () are used to automate the electromechanical machining, while keeping it in the optimal mode. For this purpose the process control means () comprise the pulse control unit () to establish the pulse duration of the voltage pulses to be applied across the gap ().