Quantitative surface roughness analysis of selective masking electrochemical polishing in additive manufactured lattices using a novel X-ray computed tomography based method

Shamim Pourrahimi; Nicolas Vanderesse; Philippe Bocher; Mahdi Habibnejad-Korayem; Lucas A. Hof

doi:10.1007/s40436-026-00612-0

Advances in Manufacturing ›› :1 -18. DOI: 10.1007/s40436-026-00612-0

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Quantitative surface roughness analysis of selective masking electrochemical polishing in additive manufactured lattices using a novel X-ray computed tomography based method

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¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure, Montréal, Canada

²University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600, Pessac, France

³AP&C, a Colibrium Additive Company, GE Aerospace, Montréal, Canada

^a lucas.hof@etsmtl.ca

Shamim Pourrahimi

Shamim Pourrahimi received her B.Sc. in Materials Engineering and Mechanical Engineering (dual honours) and her M.Sc. in Materials Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic). She obtained her Ph.D. from École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS), where she focused on the electrochemical post-processing and characterization of additively manufactured Ti-alloy parts using electrochemical and image processing techniques. She is currently a postdoctoral associate at Western University.

Nicolas Vanderesse

Nicolas Vanderesse completed his Ph.D. at École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS) and is currently a research engineer at French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). His expertise lies in the application of computed tomography and computing in mathematics, natural sciences, engineering, and medicine, with a background in mechanical and materials engineering.

Philippe Bocher

Philippe Bocher works at École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS) in Montréal, Engineering School of University of Quebec. He has been working for 25 years on metallic manufacturing processes to produce parts with robust and enhanced performance. He is the director of the Laboratory for the Optimization of Advanced Manufacturing Processes, a group that has developed an expertise in material characterization in terms of microstructure, residual stress, and mechanical properties.

Mahdi Habibnejad-Korayem

Mahdi Habibnejad-Korayem is the senior manager of external R&D at AP&C, a Colibrium Additive Company, a division of GE Aerospace. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Habibnejad-Korayem is responsible for overseeing R&D programs that focus on developing new technologies, materials, and processes in the field of additive manufacturing. In addition to this leadership role, he holds an adjunct professor position at University of Waterloo.

Lucas A. Hof

Lucas A. Hof is an associate professor in Department of Mechanical Engineering at École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS), Québec, Canada. He has developed extensive experience on high-precision machining of hard-to-machine materials, advanced manufacturing systems and processes with a specific focus on circular production methods using smart technologies. Prof. Hof is the director of the Laboratory of Smart and Circular Manufacturing at ÉTS and active member of other research groups and networks in Québec that operate in the field of manufacturing, materials technology and sustainability.

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Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) has enabled the fabrication of complex lattice structures with unique mechanical properties, making them valuable for applications in biomedical and aerospace industries. However, the inherent surface roughness of as-built AM parts can adversely affect mechanical performance and corrosion resistance, particularly in complex structures like lattices. This study investigates the effectiveness of electrochemical polishing (ECP) strategies using an eco-friendly electrolyte, consisting of 1 mol/L NaCl in ethylene glycol with 20% ethanol, applying selective area masking and varying treatment durations on surface roughness reduction in Ti5553 lattice structures. A novel developed methodology based on X-ray computed tomography (XCT) was employed to quantify roughness parameters across central and edge struts, providing a detailed analysis of roughness evolution by different ECP strategies. Results reveal that ECP with masking enhances surface smoothness in internal struts while minimizing over-polishing in external ones, thereby achieving more uniform material removal across the lattice structure. The proposed eco-friendly approach achieved roughness reductions of up to 57% in central regions, reaching the minimum R_a values between 1.89 µm and 1.73 µm in central and edge areas, while maintaining the geometric integrity of the lattice structure. This study demonstrates the potential of the developed XCT-based roughness analysis for accurately assessing post-processing effects on complex AM structures and provides insights into optimizing ECP techniques for improved surface quality in lattice geometries.

Keywords

Additive manufacturing (AM) / Electrochemical polishing (ECP) / Lattice structures / X-ray computed tomography (XCT) / Surface roughness

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Shamim Pourrahimi, Nicolas Vanderesse, Philippe Bocher, Mahdi Habibnejad-Korayem, Lucas A. Hof. Quantitative surface roughness analysis of selective masking electrochemical polishing in additive manufactured lattices using a novel X-ray computed tomography based method. Advances in Manufacturing 1-18 DOI:10.1007/s40436-026-00612-0

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