Batch-2

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Experiment 1- Electro Discharge Machining

(Wire-EDM)

INTRODUCTION
Machining is a process used in manufacturing to shape or finish a piece of
material.
Types of Machining

1. Conventional Machining
● Conventional machining refers to material removal processes that use
mechanical energy to cut, shape, or finish a workpiece.
● This process typically involves direct physical contact between the cutting
tool and the workpiece.
● Examples include operations like lathe turning, drilling, and milling.

2. Non-Conventional Machining
 ● Non-conventional machining is an advanced material removal process that
does not rely on traditional cutting tools or direct physical contact with the
workpiece.
● Instead, it utilizes alternative forms of energy, such as electrical, thermal, or
chemical, to remove material from the workpiece.
● This method is often used for achieving superior surface finishes and
making very fine cuts. Examples include Electrical
Discharge Machining (EDM), laser cutting, and waterjet cutting.

This experiment focuses on using electric discharge machining.

Electric Discharge Machining (EDM)

This is an unconventional machining method that removes material from a
workpiece by generating a series of sparks between the tool and the workpiece.
Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is a highly precise technique that utilizes
rapid electrical discharges or sparks to erode material. The process takes place in
a dielectric fluid, which acts as an insulating medium, aiding in cooling the
workpiece and flushing away the eroded particles. This study primarily focuses on
Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM), a variant that employs a thin wire
as an electrode to produce sparks, facilitating accurate material removal in
targeted areas. The goal of the experiment is to explore how different process
parameters—such as peak current, pulse-on time, pulse-off time, wire feed rate,
wire tension, and servo voltage—affect the Material Removal Rate (MRR).
Some Important Terms:

● Discharge- Movement of free electrons & ions of atoms & molecules in

between electrodes kept at certain potential differences .

● Arc- Arc is a continuous and sustained discharge.

● Spark- Spark is a momentary discharge.

● Ampere- Rate of electron flow in an electric conductor. Its SI unit is

Coulomb/sec
● Coulomb- Quantity of electricity transported in one second by a current of
one ampere.
Coulomb=6.25 x 10^18
● Volt- Potential difference between two points that impact one joule of
energy per coulomb of charge that passes through it.

● Polarity- Polarity is the direction of electric current or the orientation of

electrical charges in a system.

1. Direct Current Straight Polarity-

● In this type of polarity electrode is negative and workpiece is positive.
● In this polarity ⅔ heat generation occurs on the workpiece.

2. Reverse Polarity-
● In this type of polarity electrode is positive and workpiece is negative.
● In this polarity ⅓ heat generation occurs on the workpiece.
 Process of EDM

1. Basic Setup: The EDM process involves two primary components:

0 Electrode (Tool): This is usually made of graphite, copper,
tungsten, or copper-tungsten alloy, and it serves as the cathode.
○ Workpiece: The material being machined, which must be
electrically conductive, serves as the anode.
2. Dielectric Fluid: The work area, which includes both the electrode and
the workpiece, is submerged in a dielectric fluid.
This fluid serves several functions:
0 Acts as an insulator until the electrical potential is high enough
to generate a spark.
○ Cool the workpiece and the tool.
○ Flushes away the removed material (debris) from the gap
between the electrode and the workpiece.

○
3. Electrical Discharge (Spark Generation):
 ○ A pulsed direct current (DC) voltage is applied between the tool and
the workpiece.
○ When the voltage between the tool and workpiece reaches a critical
value, a spark is generated across the small gap (spark gap) between
them.
○ The spark creates a localized temperature rise, which can reach
temperatures of up to 10,000°C (18,032°F).
4. Material Removal:
○ The high temperature of the spark causes a small amount of material
from both the workpiece and the electrode to vaporize and melt.
○ The molten material is then rapidly cooled by the dielectric fluid,
which causes it to solidify and be carried away by the dielectric fluid.
5. Repetition and Precision Control:
○ This process is repeated rapidly, with thousands of sparks generated
per second, removing tiny amounts of material with each discharge.
○ The movement of the electrode is precisely controlled by a CNC
(Computer Numerical Control) machine to achieve the desired shape
and dimensions on the workpiece.
○ The gap between the electrode and the workpiece (spark gap) is
maintained by an automatic gap control system to ensure consistent
machining conditions.

Types of EDM

1. Die-Sinking EDM (Sinker EDM or Ram EDM):

0 In this type, the electrode is shaped according to the desired cavity or
shape to be created on the workpiece.
○ It is used to create complex shapes, deep cavities, and intricate
details.

2. Wire EDM:
 0 This method uses a thin, continuously fed wire as the electrode.
○ The wire moves along a programmed path and cuts through the
workpiece like a bandsaw, allowing for very precise and intricate cuts.
○ Wire EDM is commonly used for making punches, tools, and dies.

Applications of EDM

● Mold and Die Making: EDM is widely used to manufacture complex

molds and dies that require high precision and intricate details.
● Aerospace and Automotive Industries: For manufacturing intricate parts
made of hard alloys.
● Medical Devices: Creating precise components used in medical
instruments.
● Micro-Machining: EDM is suitable for making micro holes, slots, and other
features in small, precise parts.

Advantages of EDM

● Can machine hard materials (like hardened steel, titanium, tungsten

carbide).
● Capable of producing complex shapes and fine details that are difficult to
achieve with traditional machining.
● No contact between the tool and workpiece, reducing the risk of
mechanical stress and deformation.
● High precision and good surface finish can be achieved.
Disadvantages of EDM

● Only works on electrically conductive materials.

● Relatively slow material removal rate compared to traditional machining.
● Tool wear can occur, requiring frequent replacement or redressing of the
electrode.
● Requires a dielectric fluid, which can increase operational costs and require
special handling.

EXPERIMENT
Objectives:
● To study the effect of peak current, pulse off time, wire feed
rate, servo voltage on MRR and quality of machining.
● To study the effect of pulse on time, and pulse off time for the
same duty cycle on the MRR and the quality of machining.
Apparatus required:
● Wire (zinc coated brass)
● Dielectric fluid (Deionized water)
● Workpiece material (Aluminum 2014 H15 - 8 mm thick)
● Electronica sprint cut machine
● Fixtures to clamp the workpiece

Process Parameters:
Thickness of workpiece (t) : 8mm
Length of cut (l) : 4mm
Diameter of the wire (d) : 0.25mm
From the above, we get the chip volume = 8*4*0.25=8mm3
● IP - Peak Current (Amperes) - The maximum current available for each
pulse from the power supply.

● Ton - pulse on time (μs) - The time interval during which the spark
occurs between electrode and workpiece.
● Toff - pulse off time (μs) - The time duration between consecutive sparks
during which there is no current supply to the electrodes and
deionization of dielectric takes place.

● WF - Wire Feed Rate - The feed rate at which the fresh wire is fed
continuously into the sparking zone during machining.

● WT - Wire Tension - The force tractioning the wire electrode to keep

the wire as a straight line in the axial direction.

● SV - Servo Voltage - Distance between tool and workpiece.

● Machining time (s) - The time taken for the completion of machining
operation.

● MRR - (Material removal rate (mm3/s))

 Tabulations:

Expt IP Duty WF WT SV Machining

Ton Toff
No. (A) Cycle (µ-m) Time MRR
(s) (s)
(s) (𝑚𝑚3/s)

1. 100 120 60 66.7% 3 4 20 1087 0.007359

2. 110 74 0.10811

3. 120 64 0.1250

4. 110 100 50 66.7% 3 4 20 521 0.01536

5. 110 120 40 75% 3 4 20 55 0.14045

6. 100 40 71.4% 307 0.02606

Wire Breakage -
7. 110 120 20 85.7% 3 4 20 at 13s

8. 110 120 60 66.7% 5 4 20 73 0.1096

9. 7 72 0.11111

10. 110 120 60 66.7% 3 4 40 95 0.08421

11. 60 142 0.05634

PLOTS AND OBSERVATIONS:

1) Machining time & MRR w.r.t peak current (IP) (exp 1-3):
 Explanation: Higher peak current results in more energy being
released during each discharge. This higher energy increases the
temperature at the point of discharge, which melts and evaporates
more material from the workpiece. As a result, the material removal
rate increases, and the machining time decreases.

2) Machining time, MRR w.r.t Ton and Toff for same Duty Cycle (exp 2 and

4):
4)Machining time, MRR w.r.t Toff (exp 2,5 and 7):
Explanation: As the Toff increases, the Machining Time also tends to
increase. This is because Toff represents the period during which no
electrical discharge occurs (i.e., no material is being removed). Longer Toff
intervals reduce the number of discharges per unit of time, lowering the
Material Removal Rate (MRR).

5)Machining time, MRR w.r.t Servo Voltage (exp 2, 10, 11)

Explanation: As the servo voltage increases, the gap between the tool
electrode and the workpiece widens. This larger gap makes it more
challenging for a spark to jump across, resulting in fewer discharges per unit
of time. With fewer discharges, the material removal rate (MRR) decreases,
leading to a longer machining time and lower MRR.
6) Machining time, MRR w.r.t. Duty cycle (exp 2,5,7)

Explanation: A lower duty cycle means that the proportion of time during
which the spark is actively eroding the material (pulse-on time) is reduced
relative to the total cycle time. This means that the machine spends more
time in the pulse-off period, where no material is being removed. As a
result, the overall material removal rate decreases, leading to longer
machining times.
Observations:
1) Effect of Peak current on MRR and machining time
As peak current increases, impulsive energy in the form carriers
available during the discharge increases. This leads to larger volumes
of material melting and vaporizing per discharge. Hence, MRR
increases or, rephrased, the machining time decreases for removing a
certain amount of material. Drawbacks of excessively high Peak
current include degradation of surface quality and thermal damage to
both the material and wire. Hence, an optimal value should be used.

2) Effect of Pulse on time(Ton) on MRR and Machining time A longer

pulse on time per discharge allows the setup to ruminate over the
material per discharge. The shedding of material thus becomes more
prominent and as a result, MRR increases and machining time
decreases. Vice versa if the pulse on time is reduced. However, keeping
the pulse on time excessively high might cause heating of the wire, and
then “wire breaking”.

3) Effect of Pulse off time(Toff) on MRR and Machining time

Extending the pulse off time allows for more time between discharges
for the removal of debris and cooling of the workpiece. This can be
beneficial for preventing the buildup of debris, which might negatively
affect the MRR. However, long off times also lead to lower MRR(or
higher Machining time) as the machine spends more time in the non-
discharging phase(dull).
 Conversely, if the pulse-off time is too low, the spark tends to turn into
an arc, which a wire of a small diameter can’t withstand. 4) Effect of
duty cycle

A higher duty cycle translates to more frequent material removal

during each cycle, increasing the overall MRR. With more time spent in
the pulse-on phase, more material is melted and vaporized per unit of
time. While a higher duty cycle can enhance MRR, it can also lead to
increased wire wear and potential overheating of the workpiece if not
appropriately managed.

A lower duty cycle implies that the machine spends less time in the
pulse-on phase relative to the pulse-off phase. As a result, the number
of discharges and thus the amount of material removed per unit time
is reduced, leading to a lower MRR. A lower duty cycle often reduces
the thermal load on the workpiece and the wire, which can improve
the surface finish and reduce wear on the wire.

5) Effect of Wire feed rate

Higher wire feed rate means the wire electrode advances through the
workpiece more quickly. This helps avoid wire decay as it can escape
the critical zone sooner. Also, the faster movement allows for the
discharge to be applied over a larger distance, improving material
removal to some extent. The wear of the wire, however, can increase
at greater speeds due to friction and contact. Conversely, lower wire
feed rate generally decreases the MRR, though the pattern is
sometimes inconsistent. The beneficial side includes improvising upon
the surface finish and precision.

6) Effect of Servo voltage on MRR

 Higher servo voltage typically enhances the wire feed mechanism's
ability to maintain a stable wire position, reducing deviations caused
by wire deflection or tension changes. However, because the wire goes
farther away from the material, more time is required for material
processing. Hence, machining time increases and MRR reduces. The
converse is true if servo voltage is low. The control over the wire
position is also less.

7) Effect of increasing duty cycle on the wire (breakage scenario):

A higher duty cycle in wire EDM signifies a proportionally longer spark-

on time relative to spark-off time. This extended spark duration can
transition the electrical discharge from a localised spark into a more
sustained arc. The wire electrode, subjected to both mechanical
tension and the erosive forces of the EDM process, gradually thins due
to material removal. This tapering, combined with the inherent
tension, causes the wire to fracture as the process progresses.

Figure: specimen with all 10 cuts (the shortest cut is the one corresponding to exp 5where the wire
broke). The exp-7 was not performed due to wire breakage.

CONCLUSION:
1) It is evident that each EDM process parameter possesses an optimal
operating range. Deviating from this range can result either in
extended machining times or on compromised surface finish or even
catastrophic wire failure.
2) Increasing Ton and not giving enough Toff can cause excessive wear to
the tool causing wire breakage.(exp 5&7).
3) The optimal parameters are:
● Peak Current: 120A
● Ton: 120
● Toff: 60
● Duty Cycle: 66.7%
● Wire Feed: 3
● Wire Tension: 4
● Servo Voltage: 20

4) Observed Machining Time and MRR: 62 sec and 0.1290 mm3/s

5) It can also be observed that:

● Peak current (IP) ∝ 1/(Machining Time) ∝ MRR

● Servo Voltage ∝ Machining Time ∝ 1/(MRR)
● Duty Cycle ∝ 1/(Machining Time) ∝ MRR