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In the EDM process an electric spark is used to cut the work piece, which takes the shape
opposite to that of the cutting tool or electrode. The electrode and the work piece are both
submerged in a dielectric fluid.A voltage difference is applied between work and tool
generating a spark.The heat from the spark melts tiny bit of metal from the work piece and
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thus machining is taking place. The dielectric is continuously pumped between the work
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piece and tool carries away the removed material. The dielectric is then filtered and circulated
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back. The machined surface is having the shape of tool.
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It is also known as spark erosion machining or spark machining. The electrode (tool) and the
work material are placed very close to each other, separated by a non-conducting liquid
called a dielectric (kerosene). Servo mechanism is provided to make the tool feed as the
machining is taking place to keep the gap constant.
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Now material removal rate is the ratio of material removed in a single spark to cycle time.
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Vc Vc
MRR
t on t off
t
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1. Can machine hard material economically with close tolerance.
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2. High degree of dimensional accuracy, so recommended for tool and die making.
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3. Complicated geometries can be produced which are very difficult otherwise.
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4. Highly delicate sections and weak materials can be processed –absence of force
5. Fine holes can be drilled easily and accurately.
6. A good surface finish can be obtained.
Disadvantages and Limitations of EDM Process
1. Electrically non-conducting materials cannot be processed by EDM.
2. EDM process is not capable to produce sharp corners.
3. The slow rate of material removal.
4. Specific power consumption is very high.
5. Excessive Tool wear affects dimensional accuracy
6. Cannot be used on large sized work pieces, constrained by the size of set up.
Application of Electric Discharge Machining
1. EDM is widely used for making dies and molds (where accuracy and complex
cavities are required -sharp internal corners, narrow slots, deep ribs and other intricate
shapes are involved).
2. Cutting very small and accurate dimension holes, e.g. in injection nozzles for engines
3. Shaping carbide tool, die tool steel, refractory materials etc -highly economical for
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4. Very well suited for making fragile parts which cannot take the stress of machining
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Rotary pulse type generator
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In pulse generator, solid-state devices are used instead of capacitor and resistance. In place of
capacitor, solid state switching devices, like transistors, are used. During operation, the
capacitor” C” is charged through the diode on half cycle. On the following half cycle, the
sum of the voltage from the generator and charged capacitor is applied to the gap.
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dielectric. If molten material from the work piece is not flushed out quickly, it will solidify
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and harden due to the cooling effect of the dielectric and gets adhered to the machined
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surface. The HAZ and recast layers could be 0.1 to 0.25 mm thick. It is extremely hard,
brittle and porous and may contain micro cracks.
There are two thermally affected sub-layers of material: the recast layer or white layer and
the heat affected zone.
1. Re-cast or “white layer”: This is the material that has melted and rapidly solidified
(rapidly quenched by the dielectric fluid) and is not flushed away by the electric fluid,
subsequently producing an extremely brittle surface. This layer is known as white
layer which has poor machinability. The recast layer is extremely hard and brittle; the
surface is porous and may contain micro cracks which is not a good characteristic of a
machined surface.
2. Heat-affected zone (HAZ), which has only been heated, not melted. The heat
affected zone retains the metallurgical structure of the parent material as the
temperature absorbed is not to the level to change the structure. Therefore, it is to be
seen how this heat affected zone can be minimized during this process.
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The factors that increases the MRR, increases the roughness and reduces the accuracy
(over cut/taper)
Surface quality and accuracy
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Each discharge, due to high energy concentration, removes from the work piece surface a
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small quantity of material in form of molten metal drops and vapours forming crater on the
surface. Crater geometry mainly depends on electric pulse power and it’s duration.
Surface roughness in EDM would increase with increase in spark energy and surface finish
can be improved by decreasing working voltage, working current and pulse on time.
Normally a tolerance value of ± 0.05 mm can be achieved in EDM.
Accuracy (taper and over cut)
Though there is a possibility of taper cut and overcut in EDM, they can be controlled and
compensated. In EDM, the spark occurs between the two nearest point on the tool and work
piece. Thus machining may occur on the side surface as well leading to overcut and taper cut.
Taper cut can be prevented by suitable insulation of the tool. Overcut cannot be prevented as
it is inherent to the EDM process. But the tool design can be done in such a way so that same
gets compensated.
3. Increases HAZ
Advantages
1. Accuracy and precision of dimensions are of very good quality.
2. Does not impose any force to work piece so used for very delicate and thin work
3. Hardness and toughness of work piece do not create problems in machining operation
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4. Efficient Production Capabilities - many parts can be more economically produced
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with wire EDM, rather than with conventional machining. (gears, cams and dies etc.)
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Disadvantages and Limitations of WEDM
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This process is that only electrically conducting materials can be machined. This
process is costly so recommended for use specifically at limited operations.
Application of wire EDM
1. Wire cut EDM is widely used to machine various molds, such as punch die, squeezing
die and powder metallurgy mold etc.
2. To mechanical parts machining, to machine special material which is not easy to
processed by conventional machines, special gear, forming cutting tools etc
3. It can also cut various silicon Steel Sheet, semi-conductive material or precious metal.
EDM Electrode
Electrode material should be such that it would not undergo much tool wear when it is
impinged by positive ions. Copper, brass and graphite are the some of the commonly used
EDM electrodes.
Thus the basic characteristics of electrode materials are:
1. High electrical conductivity – electrons are cold emitted more easily
2. High thermal conductivity –
3. Higher density –
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Dissolution reaction of iron (work material) in sodium chloride (NaCl) electrolyte
The result of electrolytic dissociation
and
Negatively charged anions: (OH)- and Cl- towards to anode,
Positively charged cations: H+ and Na+ towards to cathode.
At the anode:
Fe Fe 2e
Fe 2Cl FeCl 2
Fe 2(OH ) Fe(OH ) 2
At the cathode, the reaction generates hydrogen gas
2 H 2e H 2
The outcome of these electrochemical reactions is that the iron ions combine with other ions
to precipitate out as iron hydroxide Fe (OH)2and Fe Cl2 as sludge.
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ensure good flow conditions in the extremely narrow inter-electrode gap
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4. Be safe, non-toxic, low cost and less erosive to the machine body
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5. Have small variation in its conductivity and viscosity due to temperature rise
Process parameters and performance factors
Supply voltage = 10 to 20V,
Current (I) = 50 to 5000 A.
Electrode gap is typically 0.1 to 0.2 mm.
Tool material - Cu, Brass, Steel
Tool feed rate,
Electrolyte composition and temperature etc
MRR is about 1600mm3/min per 1000 A
Surface finishes 0.1 to 0.5 microns using ECM
Specific power consumption 7W/mm3/min
Advantages of ECM Process or process capabilities
1. Machining of hard and brittle material is possible with good surface finish
2. Good for complicated shapes.
3. There is almost negligible tool wear so cost of tool making is one time
4. No direct contact between tool and work and absence of force or heat, so no scope of
mechanical and thermal residual stresses in the work-piece.
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Electrochemical dissolution is governed by Faraday’s laws
The first law states that the amount of electrochemical dissolution or deposition is
proportional to amount of charge passed through the electrochemical cell
m I *t
where m = mass of material dissolved, or deposited
I = current intensity
t=time
The second law states that the amount of material deposited or dissolved further depends
directly on atomic weight and inverse of valency of material.
Combining both laws, we get
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m I *t *
n
1 N
MRR * I *t *
96500 n*d
1
where electroche mical cons tan t
96500
N atomic weight
n valency
t time
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d density of material
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Heat affected zone (HAZ)
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Since it is a chemical process where generation of heat is very less, there is no heat affected
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zone comparing with other non-traditional machining process.
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removed. USM is mainly used for machining brittle materials {which are poor conductors of
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electricity and thus cannot be processed by Electrochemical and Electro-discharge
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machining. The electrode gap normally varies from 0.005 mm to 0.50 mm
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5. Used in machining of dies for wire drawing, punching and blanking operations
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6. Cutting holes with curved or spiral centre lines and cutting threads in glass etc
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Process capability of USM
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1. Can machine the work pieces harder than 40 HRC to 60 HRC like carbides, ceramics,
tungsten glass that cannot be machined by conventional methods. USM is not
applicable to soft and ductile materials such as copper, lead, ductile steel and plastics,
which absorb energy by deformation.
2. Tolerance range: 7 to 25 microns.
3. Holes up to 76 microns have been drilled. Hole depths up to 51 mm have been
achieved easily. Hole depth of 152 mm deep is achieved by special flushing
techniques.
4. Aspect ratio 40: 1 has been achieved.
5. Linear material removal rate: –0.025 to 25 mm/min.
6. Surface finish: – 0.25 micron to 0.75 micron.
7. Non-directional surface texture is possible compared to conventional grinding.
8. Radial overcut may be as low as 1.5 to 4 times the mean, abrasive grain size.
Following are the USM process criteria
1. Material removal rate
2. Geometrical accuracy
3. surface finish
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4. Out of roundness
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The main process parameters which govern the ultrasonic machining process is as follows
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1. Amplitude of vibration (15 to 50 microns)
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2. Frequency of vibration (19 to 25 kHz).
3. Feed force (F) related to tool dimensions
4. Abrasive size
5. Abrasive material
Al203, SiC, B4C, Boron silicarbide, Diamond.
6. Contact area of the tool
7. Volume concentration of abrasive in water slurry
8. Tool
a. Material of tool
b. Shape
c. Amplitude of vibration
d. Frequency of vibration
e. Strength developed in tool
9. Work material
a. Material
b. Impact strength
c. Surface fatigue strength
10. Slurry
a. Abrasive – concentration
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c. Density
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Tool/ electrodes in EDM
The geometry which is to be machined into the work piece decides the shape and size of the
tool. The electrode is conductor, usually copper, graphite, tungsten and brass etc. Tool is
given negative polarity. The tool material selected should be easy to machine, high wear
resistant. Tool is made slightly under size for inside machining and oversized for outside
machining.
1. High electrical conductivity
2. High thermal conductivity –the local temperature rise would be less
3. High melting point – high melting point leads to less tool wear
4. Easy manufacturability
5. Less wear rate
Tool Feed Mechanism
In case of EDM, feeding the tool means controlling gap between work piece and the tool.
This gap is maintained and controlled with the help of servo mechanism. The electrode gap
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normally varies from 0.005 mm to 0.50 mm. Since tool wear is expected, tool wear rate is
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The tool holder holds and connects the tool to the transducer. The concentrator is usually a
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cylindrically shaped metal rod which amplifies and concentrates the vibration to the tool from
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the transducer. The device is necessary because the amplitudes provided by the transducers
themselves are insufficient for most practical applications of power ultrasound
Cutting Tool
Tool of USM vibrates with small amplitude at high frequency to vibrate abrasive slurry to cut
the work-piece material. The tool is attached to the arbor (tool holder) by brazing or
mechanical means. . The tool is made of relatively soft material.
Feed Mechanism
Tool is fed to the machining zone of work piece. The tool is shaped as same to the cavity of
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be produced into the work piece. The tool is fed to the machining area. The feed rate is
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The volume of material (Vg) removed assuming hemi-spherical crater due to fracture cycle is
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given by
1 4
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Vg r 3 since the volume of hemishere is half of sphere
2 3
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r2 d h
r dh
1 4
3
Vg ( d h ) 2
where d= diameter of grit and h= indentation depth
2 3
Thus, volume of work material removal rate (Q)
Q α Vg Z ν
where, V = volume of the work material removal per impact
Z = number of particles making impact per cycle
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ν = frequency
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