Observation and modeling research of high-velocity flushing effect on the performance of BEAM

Blasting erosion arc machining (BEAM) is a novel high efficiency electrical erosion process, which is characterized by a powerful multi-hole inner flushing. In order to study the influence of the high-velocity flushing on the performance of BEAM, a single discharge experiment is carried out on a specially designed observation apparatus, and the phenomena that occurred during the discharge is observed using a high-speed video camera. During the discharge process, a spray cloud of the removed debris near the downstream side of the discharging point is captured by the camera. Tail shaped crater and erosion-corrosion features are also found on the workpiece and electrode surfaces, respectively. These observed phenomena imply that the high-velocity flushing can greatly improve the melting metal removal from the molten pool thereby improving the material removal rate (MRR). For purpose of exploring the mechanism behind, the flow field and pressure distribution of the high-velocity flushing are analyzed by using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) method. The analyzed results indicate that a low-pressure suction effect exists on the downstream side of the electrodes. With the help of the low-pressure suction effect, the high-velocity flushing can continuously take the molten metal out of the molten pool during the discharge, resulting in the reduction of the overheating of the molten metal and improve the efficiency of the discharging energy. Thereby, the work in this paper helps to explain why the high-velocity flushing can markedly promote the material removal rate.     

Investigating and removing the re-sticky debris on tungsten carbide in electrical discharge machining

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is an excellent method to machine tungsten carbide with high hardness and high toughness. However, debris from this material produced by EDM re-sticking on the workpiece surface remarkably affects working efficiency and dimension precision. Therefore, this study investigated the re-sticky phenomenon of tungsten carbide and how to reduce the debris re-sticking on the workpiece surface. In general, the polarity in EDM depended on the different electrical parameters of the machine input and the different materials of the tool electrode. The first item of investigation observed the re-sticky position of the debris to study the effect of different polarities during the EDM process. Next, the tool electrode was set at different conditions without rotation and with a 200 rpm rotational speed to evaluate the rotating effect in EDM. Finally, different lift distances of the electrode and different shapes of electrode with rotation were utilized to investigate the improvement for reducing debris re-sticking on the machining surface. The results showed that only negative polarity in EDM could cause the re-sticky phenomenon on tungsten carbide. On the other hand, debris would notably re-stick on any machining position when the tool electrode was not rotated in EDM. Besides, debris significantly stuck on the center of the working area with rotation of the electrode. Additionally, a larger lift distance of the tool electrode could reduce debris re-sticking on the working surface, but this process would decrease material removal rate in EDM. In the end, a special shaped design of the tool electrode resulted in the re-sticky debris completely vanishing, when the electrode width was 0.6 times the diameter of this cylindrical electrode.     

Effect on crystalline structure of AISI M2 steel using tungsten–thorium electrode through MRR,EWR, and surface finish

To investigate on the crystalline structure of AISI M2 steel by using tungsten–thorium electrode in electrical discharge machining (EDM) process was studied. Furthermore, the investigation were carried out for finding the value of material removal rate (MRR), electrode wear rate (EWR) and surface roughness (SR) of tool steel material depending upon three variable input process parameters. On the basis of weight loss, the value of MRR and EWR were calculated at optimized process parameter. Subsequently, surface topography of the processed material were examined through different characterization techniques like scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Optical surface profiler (OSP) and Atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. In XRD study, broadening of the peak was observed which confirmed the change in material properties due to the homogeneous dispersion of the particles inside the matrix. Lowest surface roughness and MRR of 0.001208 mg/min was obtained. Minimum surface roughness was obtained 1.12 μm and 2.18427 nm by OSP and AFM study, respectively. Also, minimum EWR was found as 0.013986 mg/min.     

MICRO ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING DEPOSITION IN AIR

A new deposition method is described using micro electrical discharge machining (EDM) to deposit tool electrode material on workpiece in air. The basic principles of micro electrical discharge deposition (EDD) are analyzed and the realized conditions are predicted. With an ordinary EDM shaping machine, brass as the electrode, high-speed steel as the workpiece, a lot of experiments are carried out on micro EDD systematically and thoroughly. The effects of major processing parameters, such as the discharge current, discharge duration, pulse interval and working medium, are obtained. As a result, a micro cylinder with 0.19 mm in diameter and 7.35 mm in height is deposited. By exchanging the polarities of the electrode and workpiece the micro cylinder can be removed selectively. So the reversible machining of deposition and removal is achieved, which breaks through the constraint of traditional EDM. Measurements show that the deposited material is compact and close to workpiece base, whose components depend on the tool electrode material.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of the material removal mechanism in micro-EDM

Electrical discharge phenomena in EDM occur in a very short time period and in a very narrow space, thus making both observation and theoretical analysis extremely difficult. For this reason, the material removal mechanism in EDM has yet to be understood clearly. In this paper, the forming process of discharge craters in three dimensions was simulated, and material removal mechanism in EDM was analyzed using Molecular Dynamics (MD). It was found that material removal mechanism in EDM can be explained in two ways; one by vaporization and the other by the bubble explosion of superheated metals. It was also found that the metal removal efficiency is 0.02-0.05, leaving most of the melted pool resolidified. In addition, the influence of power density on the removal process was investigated, and the results showed that as the power density increases, the diameter and depth of the melted area increase, as does the metal removal efficiency. In this study, the forming mechanism of the bulge around discharge craters was also analyzed, and it was found that bulge is formed due to two mechanisms. The first is the shearing flow of the molten material caused by the extremely high pressure in the superheated material, and the second is the accumulation of the ejected material on the bulge formed by the first forming mechanism. It was also found that existence of micro pores in the workpiece material increases the depth of the discharge crater and melted area, thereby increasing the machining surface roughness. Simulation of the distribution of removed materials in the gap showed that some part of the removed material becomes debris ejected from the gap, while another part settles on the surface of the opposite electrode, and the last part returns to the surface of the electrode from which it was ejected.     

Accretion of titanium carbide by electrical discharge machining with powder suspended in working fluid

A surface modification method by electrical discharge machining (EDM) with a green compact electrode has been studied to make thick TiC or WC layer. Titanium alloy powder or tungsten powder is supplied from the green compact electrode and adheres on a workpiece by the heat caused by discharge. To avoid the production process of the green compact electrode, a surface modification method by EDM with powder suspended in working fluid is proposed in this paper. After considering flow of working fluid in EDM process, the use of a thin electrode and a rotating disk electrode are expected to keep powder concentration high in the gap between a workpiece and an electrode and to accrete powder material on the workpiece. The accretion machining is tried under various electrical conditions. Titanium powder is suspended in working oil like kerosene. TiC layer grows a thickness of 150 μm with a hardness of 1600 Hv on carbon steel with an electrode of 1 mm in diameter. When a disk placed near a plate rotates in viscous fluid, the disk drags the fluid into the gap between the disk and the plate. Therefore, the powder concentration in the gap between a workpiece and a rotational disk electrode can be kept high. A wider area of the accretion can be obtained by using the rotational electrode with a gear shape.     

Micro electrical discharge machining using high electric resistance electrodes

In micro electrical discharge machining (EDM), because the material removal per single pulse discharge mainly determines the minimum machinable size of a micro EDM, decreasing the material removal per single pulse discharge is important. In this study, in order to decrease the material removal per single pulse discharge, high electric resistance materials such as single-crystal silicon are used for electrodes. Analytical results show that when the electrode resistance increases, the peak value of the discharge current decreases, whereas the pulse duration increases. In addition, the discharge energy decreases when increasing the resistance. Silicon is used as a tool electrode, and the effect of resistivity of the silicon tool electrode on the diameter of discharge craters generated on the stainless steel workpiece is examined. Experimental results reveal that with increasing silicon electrode resistivity, the diameter of discharge craters decreases. Because the diameter of discharge craters can be decreased to 0.5 μm, improved finished surfaces of R_z 0.03 μm are obtained.     

Fabrication of small aspheric moulds using single point inclined axis grinding

Single point inclined axis grinding techniques, including the wheel setting, wheel–workpiece interference, error source determination and compensation approaches, were studied to fabricate small aspheric moulds of high profile accuracy. The interference of a cylindrical grinding wheel with the workpiece was analysed and the criteria for selection of wheel geometry for avoiding the interference was proposed. The grinding process was performed with compensation focused on two major error sources, wheel setting error and wheel wear. The grinding results showed that the compensation approach was efficient and the developed grinding process was capable to generate small aspheric concave surfaces on tungsten carbide material with a profile error of smaller than 200 nm in PV value after two to three compensation cycles.     

Numerical study on the dynamics of an electrical discharge generated vapor bubble in EDM with different shapes of the tool and the workpiece

In this paper, the effect of the shapes of the tool and the workpiece on the dynamic behavior of an electrical discharge generated vapor bubble in the process of EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) is investigated. The boundary integral equation method is employed for numerical simulation of the problem. Results show that in the case of the concave tool and workpiece the lifetime of the electrical discharge generated vapor bubble is longer than the case of the flat tool and workpiece. By increasing the concavity of the shapes of the tool and the workpiece, the lifetime of the bubble increases. Results also show that in the case of the convex tool and workpiece, the lifetime of the electrical discharge generated vapor bubble is shorter than the lifetime of the bubble in the case of the flat tool and workpiece. In this case also, by increasing the convexity of the shapes of the tool and the workpiece, the lifetime of the bubble decreases. Numerical results show that in the case of the concave tool and workpiece the rate of pressure drop on the surface of the workpiece is higher than the rate of pressure drop on the workpiece in the cases of the flat and convex tool and workpiece. The high rate of pressure drop on the surface of the workpiece leads to the ejection of more molten material from the crater and consequently leads to more material removal rate.     

Analysis of the machining characteristics of EDM as functions of the mobilities of electrons and ions

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a process that can be used effectively to machine conductive metals regardless of their hardness. In the EDM process, material removal occurs because of the thermal energy of the plasma channel between the electrode and the workpiece. During EDM, the electrode as well as the workpiece is abraded by the thermal energy. Tool wear adversely affects the machining accuracy and increases tooling costs. Many previous studies have focused on mitigating the problems of tool wear by investigating various EDM parameters. In this study, the tool wear problem was investigated on the basis of the mobilities of electrons and ions in the plasma channel. The material removal volumes of both the electrode and the workpiece were compared as functions of the gap voltage. The material removal difference according to the capacitance was also investigated. The tool wear ratio was calculated under different EDM condition and an EDM conditions for reducing the tool wear ratio was suggested.     

Performance and surface alloying characteristics of Cu–Cr and Cu–Mo powder metal tool electrodes in electrical discharge machining

The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of Cu–Cr and Cu–Mo powder metal (PM) tool electrodes on electrical discharge machining (EDM) performance outputs. The EDM performance measures used in the study are material removal rate (MRR), tool electrode wear rate (EWR), average workpiece surface roughness (R_a), machined workpiece surface hardness, abrasive wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and workpiece alloyed layer depth and composition. The EDM performance of Cu–Cr and Cu–Mo PM electrodes produced at three different mixing ratios (15, 25, and 35 wt% Cr or Mo), compacting pressures (P_c = 600, 700, and 800 MPa), and sintering temperatures (T_s = 800, 850, and 900 °C) are compared with those machined with electrolytic Cu and Cu PM electrodes when machining SAE 1040 steel workpiece. Analyses revealed that tool materials were deposited as a layer over the work surface yielding high surface hardness, strong abrasion, and corrosion resistance. Moreover, the mixing ratio, P_c, and T_s affect the MRR, EWR, and R_a values.     

Process modeling of hybrid machining system consisted of electro discharge machining and end milling

This paper presents a novel hybrid machining process (HMP) that combines cutting action with machining using discharge pulses. Working conditions for a machine tool capable of combining micro-electro discharge machining (EDM) with milling is still an ill-defined problem relying on heuristics because there is insufficient knowledge of the discharge mechanism and the effects of machining parameters. The proposed HMP that combines micro-EDM and milling processes was applied to a steel alloy (AISI 1045) as the workpiece and end mill tungsten carbide as the tool electrode. Test results obtained from a number of experiments showed that the developed HMP yields reasonable machining time and surface roughness. Significant controlling variables for the machining response were identified and ranked using the Taguchi method. Furthermore, the response surface method was used to develop an empirical model based on the correlation between input variables and output responses.     

Workpiece and electrode influence on micro-EDM drilling performance

In recent years, the need for products containing micro-features has shown a pronounced and steady growth in several fields of application. For the development of micro-holed devices, one of the most important technologies is micro-EDM (Electro Discharge Machining). Micro-EDM can be considered as an ideal process to obtain burr-free micron-size features with high aspect ratios. In particular, micro-EDM is a non-contact material removal process in which rapid electric spark discharges remove the material composing the workpiece by means of melting and vaporizing phenomena. The present work deals with the fabrication of micro holes using micro-EDM technology. The investigation focuses on the influence of different electrodes and workpiece materials on the process performance, expressed in terms of tool wear ratio. In particular, the influence of four different workpiece materials (stainless steel, titanium, magnesium and brass), three electrode materials (copper, brass and tungsten carbide) and two different electrode shapes (cylindrical and tubular) was investigated. Moreover, an analysis of the geometrical characteristics of the micro holes in terms of conicity and diametrical overcut was carried out. An influence of electrode geometries, electrode material and workpiece material on the final output was found.     

Experimental and numerical investigations of material removal process in electrochemical discharge machining of glass in discharge regime

Electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM) can be applied as a non-traditional processing technology for machining non-conductive materials such as glass and ceramics, based on the phenomena of evoked electrochemical discharges around the tool electrode. The material removal mechanism of ECDM is noticeably complex and difficult to experimentally characterize. In this paper, finite element models were proposed to predict the material removal in the ECDM discharge regime. First, the single-pulse discharge on a tapered electrode was modeled. It was found that about 30.5% of the discharge energy is transferred to the workpiece. The continuous discharge on a cylindrical electrode was thereafter modeled according to this phenomenon, in which the removal of a layer of the workpiece material starts from the projected contour of the edge of the electrode end and extends inward during the ECDM processing. The effective discharge ratio for material removal was calculated to be 10.1%. The drilling depths of holes at different applied voltages were predicted by the proposed finite element method. It was found that the predicted values were consistent with the experimental results.     

基于单脉冲放电的钨微细电极快速成形方法及其应用研究

在传统电火花加工的基础上,通过单脉冲放电方式,在钨细线电极的端部瞬时成形出一个微米级的微细电极。运用试验研究详尽分析了各主要加工参数,如电极材料、加工极性、工作液介质、放电持续时间和峰值电流等对微细电极的成形影响,得出了微细电极瞬时成形的基本规律。此外,在试验的基础上对微细电极成形的机理进行了初步探讨,并对成形后的电极进行了能谱分析。通过本方法可以在直径0.125 mm的钨丝端部瞬间得到长350 μm,直径30 μm左右的微细电极,用该电极成功地完成了多个微米级微细孔的加工。微细电极的尖端半径约为100 nm,可作为扫描仪器和检测仪器的微细探针。极大地提高了微细电极或探针的成形效率,有望成为微细电极和微细探针制备的有力手段之一。     

Investigation on diffusion wear during high-speed machining Ti-6Al-4V alloy with straight tungsten carbide tools

During high-speed machining Ti-6Al-4V alloy, high-temperature at the tool–chip interface and the concentration gradient of chemical species between tool material and workpiece material support the activation of diffusion process, and therefore the crater wear forms on the rake surface of the cutting tool at a short distance from the cutting edge. In this paper, the diffusion analysis was theoretically proposed. The constituent diffusion at the contact interface between tool material and Ti-6Al-4V alloy at high-temperature environment, the crater wear on the rake surface of the tool, and the chips collected from high-speed milling Ti-6Al-4V alloy with straight tungsten carbide tools were analyzed by the scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The constituents inside the tool could diffuse into the workpiece and the diffusion layer was very thin and close to the interface. Compared with the diffusion of tungsten and carbon atoms, the pulling out and removing of the tungsten carbide (WC) particles due to cobalt diffusion dominated the crater wear mechanism on the rake surface of the cutting tool.     

空气中微细电火花沉积与去除可逆加工技术研究

论述了一种新的电火花加工方法。它使用通用的电火花成形加工机床,利用常见的电极材料,在空气介质中,通过脉冲放电在工件表面上沉积生长电极材料,再通过反转极性和适当的轨迹控制对所生成的沉积材料进行有选择的去除加工,进而实现材料的生长与去除可逆加工。通过对电火花加工理论的研究,预测和论证了实现这一新加工方法的可能性和实现条件。通过试验成功地将钢、铜和钨三种电极材料沉积到工件上,形成直径为 100~240 mm、高度为1 000~2 500 mm的微小圆柱体。并对沉积物进行了选择去除,实现了在同一设备上的可逆电火花加工。对沉积材料的致密性、硬度及其与工件的结合强度等进行了系统的分析,表明沉积物组织致密、坚硬,可以满足功能材料的要求。     

A novel method for micro-gap control in electrogenerated chemical polishing

In the electrogenerated chemical polishing (EGCP), material removal rate (MRR) is inversely proportional to the processing gap. To polish a workpiece with a large area, high and uniform MRR is necessary, which prefers a small and uniform processing gap. Based on the principle of the hydrostatic support, a novel micro-gap control method is proposed. The method uniformly controls the gap between the electrode and workpiece to a micro level over a large area. A relationship between the gap size and the inlet pressure is derived theoretically and verified experimentally. The proposed method is successfully applied to the polishing of a Cu surface with a diameter of 50 mm. Promising results are obtained that surface roughness and flatness are reduced from average roughness (Ra) 82 nm and peak-to-valley (PV) value 290 nm to Ra 4 nm and PV 120 nm, respectively.     

Size effects in finish machining of porous powdered metal for engineered surface quality

Porous tungsten is conventionally machined with the aid of a plastic infiltrant to achieve acceptable surface finish. For dispenser cathode application, both high surface porosity and low surface roughness are necessary. Cryogenic machining has already been demonstrated to be capable of eliminating the need for plastic infiltration by greatly reducing smearing of pores. In order to address the problem of undesirable brittle fracture during cryogenic machining, the importance of uncut chip geometry is investigated. The value of critical chip thickness, beyond which brittle fracture occurs, is found to be closely linked to the microstructure of the workpiece material. While machining with very low uncut chip thickness leads to ploughing and spalling of the workpiece surface, ductile mode machining of porous tungsten with cryogenic cooling is found to yield excellent surface quality. When the maximum uncut chip thickness is approximately equal to the average ligament diameter of 80% density porous tungsten (d ≈ 8–9 μm), ductile mode machining is possible under both dry and cryogenic conditions. Changes in shock compaction behavior of the workpiece material, leading to altered physical properties, is hypothesized to be the underlying mechanism of ductile mode machining of porous tungsten.     

Analysis of the effect of vibrations on the micro-EDM process at the workpiece surface

In this study, the effect of vibrations on the electrical discharges in the micro-EDM (electrical discharge machining) process was investigated. The electrical discharge machining of micro bores was chosen to represent a typical application. Using sophisticated measuring equipment to record and analyse current and voltage waveforms as well as electrode feeding during the process, deeper insight into the discharge mechanisms was achieved. It was found, that the micro-EDM boring process can be subdivided into three major parts, the start-up process, the major boring process and the workpiece breakthrough of the tool electrode. Extensive investigations have shown a delayed start-up process on the workpiece surface for conventional micro-EDM; however, this effect can be reduced by inducing vibration on the workpiece. The cause of this reduction was analysed by single discharge analysis which also provides a means to investigate the effect of vibration frequency.