Advancement and emerging challenges in electric-field assisted manufacturing: a review

Electric-field assisted (EA) manufacturing is a promising hybrid manufacturing technique, offering significant advantages over conventional manufacturing methods. Extensive experimental and numerical studies have demonstrated that the application of electric current reduces flow stress in metals and alloys, thereby improving their manufacturability. This enhancement is attributed to the synergistic effects of electroplasticity and Joule heating, both induced by the applied current during processing. Several key manufacturing processes have garnered substantial interest from the research community for their potential enhancement through electric fields. Here, we present a comprehensive review of recent developments in EA manufacturing over the last decade. The findings of various researchers investigating different EA manufacturing processes are discussed, accompanied by detailed tables summarizing the materials and electric current parameters employed in each process.