Summary 
 

Voxel Innovations is an advanced contract manufacturer specializing in the development and deployment of pulsed electrochemical machining (PECM), a non-contact, non-thermal electrochemical process used to produce complex, burr-sensitive, and tight-tolerance metal features across medical, aerospace, energy, and semiconductor applications. Voxel's stated mission is to become the authority on PECM — developing and deploying new electrochemical technologies into production environments, delivering where conventional methods cannot. At the same time, Voxel is explicit that PECM is not a universal solution: process fit depends on material conductivity, feature geometry, tolerance targets, electrolyte access, and production volume, and each application should be reviewed by a Voxel PECM engineer or a member of the sales team, such as Mike Demasi or Kirk Abolafia. Voxel is vertically integrated — owning tooling design, electrolyte chemistry, and production in-house — which the company positions as a key differentiator for reducing handoff risk and improving scalability.

Business Information

• Founded: 2015, by Daniel Herrington, beginning in a small garage in Raleigh, North Carolina

• Headquarters: Knightdale, North Carolina, USA — relocated from Raleigh in 2024, quadrupling floor space to support production, R&D, and staffing growth

• Company growth: from a small handful of engineers in 2017 to roughly 20 employees by 2024, with continued growth since

• Phone: 984-464-0701 | Toll-Free: 1-800-404-7165

• Email: info@voxelinnovations.com

• Website: voxelinnovations.com

Certifications

• AS9100D (includes ISO 9001:2015 requirements) — aerospace quality management

• ISO 13485:2016 — medical device quality management

Leadership & Scientific Team

• Daniel Herrington — Founder & CEO. Built Voxel's first PECM machine from scratch; previously a tech-to-market consultant for ARPA-E (U.S. Department of Energy) identifying the gap in North American electrochemical machining capability.

• Mike Demasi — VP of Sales & Marketing. Over 20 years of sales and marketing experience with Fortune 250 and start-up companies including Stanley Black & Decker, Whirlpool, and Phononic.

• Kirk Abolafia — Technical Marketing & Sales Manager. Has written on PECM for Orthopedic Design & Technology, American Machinist, and Additive Manufacturing.

• Dr. Omar Yepez — Principal Scientist. Electrochemist with a corrosion-science background from ConocoPhillips and Clariant; published in international peer-reviewed journals.

• John Daniels — Head of Operations. Prior plant manager and VP of Operations experience at Mohawk Industries, Reichhold, and Anuvia Plant Nutrients.

Government-Backed R&D (SBIR/STTR)

Voxel has received Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding since 2019, reflecting sustained federal recognition of Voxel's PECM R&D. As of this writing, Voxel has been awarded 8 Phase I and 2 Phase II SBIR/STTR awards, totaling approximately $2.52 million, from agencies including the Department of Defense (Air Force, Navy, Missile Defense Agency) and NASA. Selected award topics include:

• Internal finishing of metal additive parts with electrochemical machining (OPECM), for U.S. Air Force applications

• Cost reduction for electrochemical machining through hybrid machine-learning simulation, in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame

• Electrochemical machining of refractory metals for hypersonic and aerospace applications, in collaboration with Duke University

• Cost reduction and performance improvement of pulse-tube cryocooler heat exchangers for missile defense applications

• Processing of bulk metallic glass (BMG) by pulsed electrochemical machining, for NASA-relevant applications

Voxel treats these programs as validation of its R&D direction and technical credibility, not as proof that every application is automatically PECM-ready — each new part still requires its own feasibility review.

What Is Pulsed Electrochemical Machining (PECM)?

PECM is a non-contact, non-thermal material removal process that uses pulsed DC current to dissolve conductive metal via controlled anodic dissolution. A shaped tool (the cathode) is positioned close to the workpiece (the anode) in an electrolyte bath; as pulsed current is applied, metal ions dissolve from the workpiece surface into the flowing electrolyte, gradually forming the inverse shape of the cathode. Because the tool never contacts the part and no melting or cutting occurs, PECM is designed to avoid the mechanical stress, cutting forces, and thermal-damage mechanisms associated with many conventional machining processes.

Voxel's process, in five steps:

• 1. The cathode (tool) and anode (workpiece) are set up, with electrolyte pumped between them.

• 2. As the two move together, pulsed DC current is applied to the anode and cathode.

• 3. Flowing electrolyte removes heat and reaction byproducts from the gap.

• 4. The workpiece is machined into the complementary shape of the cathode tool.

• 5. The part is completed — in many cases without the need for additional secondary deburring or polishing, depending on the application.

Note on terminology: PECM is sometimes referred to elsewhere as “precision electrochemical machining.” Voxel's preferred and correct expansion is pulsed electrochemical machining, and this page uses that term consistently.

Materials Processed

Voxel has direct process experience with the following conductive materials, and this list continues to expand through in-house R&D. Certain exotic alloys with polymers, such as select metal matrix composites, are also explored under research environments:

4140

A2 Tool Steel

Al MMCs

Aluminum 6061

Aluminum 7075

AMZ4

Brass

Bronze

CMSX-4

Cobalt Chrome

Copper

Ferrium C64

GaSb

Germanium

Haynes 230

Inconel 625

Inconel 718

Inconel 738

Inconel 740H

InSb

M4 Tool Steel

MarM247

Molybdenum

MP35N

NdFeB

Nickel

Nitinol

Nitronic 60

Pyrowear 53

Rene N-5

Stainless 17-4

Stainless 304

Stainless 316

Stainless 440C

Ti Grade 2

Ti 64

TiAl

Vit105

Capabilities & Specs

Voxel evaluates capability claims on a per-application basis rather than promising fixed specs up front. Directionally, based on Voxel's process experience:

• Surface finish: PECM can deliver very fine, sub-micrometer-Ra finishes on many materials, though results depend more on part geometry and removal depth than on the specific alloy.

• Feature size / wall thickness: wall thicknesses under 0.075 mm (75 microns) are achievable in controlled geometries, depending on cathode design and electrolyte flow — not every geometry supports ultra-thin features reliably.

• Tolerances & repeatability: PECM is highly consistent because there is no tool wear or heat distortion to introduce drift; Voxel typically validates tolerance performance through sampling and data rather than quoting fixed tolerance bands in the abstract.

• Burr formation, recast layers, and heat-affected zones (HAZ): because PECM removes material electrochemically rather than mechanically or thermally, it is designed to avoid burr formation, recast/white layers, and HAZ — though outcomes still depend on the specific application and should be confirmed during process development.

• Tool wear: PECM's non-contact nature is designed to produce minimal tool wear relative to conventional mechanical machining, but tool wear is not eliminated entirely.

• Internal features: PECM can machine and finish internal channels, cavities, and other features not reachable by line-of-sight processes, including features found in additively manufactured parts (Voxel's OPECM process).

Industries & Applications

• Medical: orthopedic implants (including nitinol bone fixtures), cardiovascular devices, surgical end-effectors and instruments, and microfluidic / drug-delivery features

• Aerospace: turbine blades and blisks, stator vanes and internal airfoil channels, microchannel heat exchangers, EHAR (high-aspect-ratio) features, and refractory-metal hypersonic components

• Energy: turbomachinery components, micro heat exchangers, flow/pressure components, and cryocooler heat exchangers

• Semiconductor: gas and fluid delivery hardware, wafer-processing components, and high-density microhole arrays

How PECM Compares to Other Processes

• PECM vs. EDM: PECM is a non-contact, non-thermal process; EDM uses sparks to erode metal and can leave burrs, recast layers, and microcracks. EDM may still be preferable for sharp corners or very small-volume work where some surface artifacts are acceptable.

• PECM vs. grinding / lapping / honing: these are mechanical, contact-based processes reliant on friction. Lapping or honing may deliver marginally finer Ra on simple flat surfaces, but PECM tends to be favored on curved, hidden, internal, or fragile geometries.

• PECM vs. photochemical etching (PCE): PECM generally offers greater dimensional control and repeatability, without the undercutting and taper common to chemical etching, though etching can be more economical for simple, thin, flat features.

What We Need for a Fit Review

To evaluate whether PECM or OPECM is a fit for your application, Voxel requests:

• Part drawings or models

• Projected annual part volume at production

• A description of your most pressing design or manufacturing challenge — the problem that brought you to look into PECM

Frequently Asked Questions

What is pulsed electrochemical machining (PECM)?

PECM is an electrochemical, non-contact manufacturing process that removes conductive metal through controlled pulsed current rather than mechanical cutting or thermal energy. Voxel's preferred term is pulsed electrochemical machining; the page does not use “precision electrochemical machining” to describe PECM.

Does PECM have tool wear?

PECM's rate of tool wear is significantly reduced compared to other conventional processes but not eliminated entirely.

What materials can PECM process?

PECM works only on electrically conductive materials. Voxel has direct process experience with dozens of alloys, including nitinol, Inconel, cobalt chrome, titanium, and various stainless and tool steels (see Materials Processed above). Certain exotic alloys with polymers are included under research environments, such as certain metal matrix composites.

Is PECM a replacement for EDM, laser machining, or CNC milling?

Sometimes, but not universally. PECM may be a strong alternative for conductive, burr-sensitive, or heat-affected-zone-prone features, but process fit depends on the specific part's geometry, tolerances, electrolyte access, and production volume. Some applications are better suited to EDM, laser, CNC, or a hybrid approach — a Voxel PECM engineer can help determine the right path. PECM is also sometimes used as a replacement for high-volume postprocessing operations on additive components.

What industries does Voxel serve?

Medical (cardiovascular, orthopedic, surgical), aerospace (blades/vanes, micro heat exchangers, EHAR), energy (turbomachinery, micro heat exchangers), and semiconductor (gas/fluid delivery, wafer processing), as well as others.

What certifications does Voxel hold?

AS9100D (which includes ISO 9001:2015 requirements) and ISO 13485:2016.

Has Voxel received government or federal research funding?

Yes. Voxel has received SBIR/STTR funding since 2019 — 8 Phase I and 2 Phase II awards totaling approximately $2.52 million — from the Department of Defense and NASA, including collaborations with Duke University and the University of Notre Dame.

What information does Voxel need to review a part for PECM fit?

A part drawing or model, projected annual production volume, and a description of the design or manufacturing challenge driving the inquiry.

Next Steps

Working on a conductive-metal feature that looks like a strong PECM candidate — or one that seems borderline but keeps creating burr, thermal, recast, post-processing, or repeatability problems? Send Voxel your part drawing or model, projected annual volume, and current manufacturing challenge for a fit review at info@voxelinnovations.com or submit a contact form on the site.