Lab session 1

To study working of a hydraulic bench EDM Die Sinking Machine

Apparatus:
EDM Die Sinker

Figure:

Theory:
Electric Discharge

Machining:

Electric discharge

machining (EDM) is a

manufacturing

process whereby a

wanted shape of an

object of workpiece is

obtained using electrical discharges (sparks). The material removal from the
workpiece occurs by a series of rapidly recurring current discharges between
two electrodes, separated by a dielectric liquid and subject to an electric
voltage.

[1]

EDM Working Principle:

EDM is thermal erosion process where controlled electric spark discharge
takes place between tool and work-piece to have the eroding effect on workpiece to form a replica of tool on work-piece. As there is no mechanical
contact between both electrodes during whole process and erosion is
produced by electrical discharge. Electrical conductivity of electrode and
work-piece is the basic requirement of this process. So, electrical resistivity
of both electrodes must lie between 100 and 300 cm. This electric sparking
process is carried out in a dielectric liquid or in gas. Dielectric mush have

low-viscosity, high dielectric strength, quick recovery after breakdown,

effective quenching/cooling.

[3]

The tool is cathode and work piece is anode. When the voltage across the
gap becomes sufficiently high it discharges through the gap in the form of
the spark in interval of from 10 of micro seconds. And positive ions and
electrons are accelerated, producing a discharge channel that becomes
conductive. It is just at this point when the spark jumps causing collisions
between ions and electrons and creating a channel of plasma. A sudden drop
of the electric resistance of the previous channel allows that current density
reaches very high values producing an increase of ionization and the creation
of a powerful magnetic field. The moment spark occurs sufficiently pressure
developed between work and tool as a result of which a very high
temperature is reached and at such high pressure and temperature that
some metal is melted and eroded. Such localized extreme rise in
temperature leads to material removal. Material removal occurs due to
instant vaporization of the material as well as due to melting. The molten
metal is not removed completely but only partially.

As the potential difference is withdrawn as shown in Figure, the plasma

channel is no longer sustained. As the plasma channel collapse, it generates
pressure or shock waves, which evacuates the molten material forming a
crater of removed material around the site of the spark.
Important parameters:
Important parameters of EDM:
1) Spark On-time (pulse time or Ton):
The duration of time (s) the current is allowed to flow per cycle. Material
removal is directly proportional to the amount of energy applied during this
on-time. This energy is really controlled by the peak current and the length of
the on-time.
2) Spark Off-time (pause time or T off ):
The duration of time (s) between the sparks (that is to say, on-time). This
time allows the molten material to solidify and to be wash out of the arc gap.
This parameter is to affect the speed and the stability of the cut. Thus, if the
off-time is too short, it will cause sparks to be unstable.
3) Arc gap (or gap):
The Arc gap is distance between the electrode and work piece during the
process of EDM. It may be called as spark gap. Spark gap can be maintained
by servo system.
4) Discharge current (current Ip):
Current is measured in amp Allowed to per cycle. Discharge current is
directly proportional to the Material removal rate.

5) Duty cycle ():

It is a percentage of the on-time relative to the total cycle time. This
parameter is calculated by dividing the on-time by the total cycle time (ontime pulse off time).
= Ton/Ton+Toff
6) Voltage (V):
It is a potential that can be measure by volt it is also effect to the
material removal rate and allowed to per cycle. Voltage is given by in this
experiment is 50 V.
7) Diameter of electrode (D):
It is the electrode of Cu-tube there are two different size of diameter 4mm
and 6mm in this experiment. This tool is used not only as an electrode but
also for internal flushing.
8) Over cut:
It is a clearance per side between the electrode and the work piece after
the marching operation.

[5]

Advantages:
Some of the advantages of EDM include machining of:

Complex shapes that would otherwise be difficult to produce with

conventional cutting tools.

Extremely hard material to very close tolerances.

Very small work pieces where conventional cutting tools may damage
the part from excess cutting tool pressure.

There is no direct contact between tool and work piece. Therefore

delicate sections and weak materials can be machined without any
distortion.

A good surface finish can be obtained.

Very fine holes can be easily drilled.

Disadvantages:
Some of the disadvantages of EDM include:

The slow rate of material removal.

Potential fire hazard associated with use of combustible oil based

dialectrics.

The additional time and cost used for creating electrodes for
ram/sinker EDM.

Reproducing sharp corners on the workpiece is difficult due to

electrode wear.

Specific power consumption is very high.

Power consumption is high.

"Overcut" is formed.

Excessive tool wear occurs during machining.

Electrically non-conductive materials can be machined only with

specific set-up of the process.

[1]

Limitation of EDM:
1. The need for electrical conductivity To be able to create discharges, the
work piece has to be electrically conductive. Isolators, like plastics, glass

and most ceramics, cannot be machined by EDM, although some

exception like for example diamond is known.
2. Machining of partial conductors like Si semi-conductors, partially
conductive ceramics and even glass is also possible.
3. Predictability of the gap - The dimensions of the gap are not always easily
predictable, especially with intricate work piece geometry. In these cases,
the flushing conditions and the contamination state of differ from the
specified one.
4. In the case of die-sinking EDM, the tool wear also contributes to a
deviation of the desired work piece geometry and it could reduce the
achievable accuracy. Intermediate measuring of the work piece or some
preliminary tests can often solve the problems.
5. Low material removal rate- The material removal of the EDM-process is
rather low, especially in the case of die-sinking EDM where the total
volume of a cavity has to be removed by melting and evaporating the
metal. With wire-EDM only the outline of the desired work piece shape has
to be machined. Due to the low material removal rate, EDM is principally
limited to the production of small series although some specific mass
production applications are known.
6. Optimization of the electrical parameters - The choice of the electrical
parameters of the
7. EDM-process depends largely on the material combination of electrode
and work piece and EDM manufactures only supply these parameters for
a limited amount of material combinations. When machining special
alloys, the user has to develop his own technology.

[5]

Applications:
High speed machining methods have replaced ED machining in many
applications, including machining of hardened steel and small radius internal
corners. The high speed machining cutters can be very small. Despite of
these there is still a need for the die-sink ED machining method. Drafted
deep and very narrow slots, drafted small diameter holes and difficult
materials are typical examples of applications where there is no good option

for ED machine. The material hardness is not a restriction, but the material
must conduct electricity. Molds for parts which are designed with
strengthening and cooling ribs are typical examples of die-sink ED machining
applications.

Injection moulded parts are sometimes designed to have decorative rough

surfaces. Appropriately ED machined mold cavity produces nice decorative
surfaces to the moulded plastic part. Usually the ED machined pitted surface
is removed with manual tools and handwork, but sometimes the ED surface
is wanted. High speed machining methods have decreased the need for mold
cavity finishing operations. If there is a need to polish mold surface, the ED
machined surface must be totally removed with manual tooling. It can take a
very long time, especially if the shapes are deep and narrow. On the case of
pressure die casting molds the ED worked surface must always be totally
removed. The pressure die casting mold surface is a little rough, never
polished. The ED machined pitted surface is a potential starting point for
fatigue cracking. The pressure die casting mold surface will eventually crack,
but cracking will occur sooner if there is roughness after ED operations.
Common Electrode Materials:
The most common electrode materials are:

Graphite
Brass and other copper alloys
Pure tungsten and tungsten alloys
Copper graphite

[2]

80 90 % of the electrodes that are prepared for machining steels are

graphite.
Reasons to use graphite:
There are four reasons:

Graphite is relatively cheap material

It is easy to machine
It does not conduct heat very well
Its melting point is very high, over 3000 C

[2]

EDM Die Sinking Machine:

EDM die sinking machine consists of an electrode and workpiece that are
submerged in an insulating liquid such oil or, less frequently, other dielectric
fluids. The electrode and workpiece are connected to a suitable power
supply.
As the electrode approaches the workpiece, dielectric breakdown occurs in
the fluid forming a plasma channel and a small spark jumps. These sparks
usually strike one at a time because it is very unlikely that different locations
in the inter-electrode space have the very identical local electrical
characteristics which would enable a spark to occur simultaneously in all
such locations.
The EDM die sinking process is most widely used by the mould-making tool
and die industries, but is becoming a common method of making prototype
and production parts, especially in the aerospace, automobile and electronics
industries in which production quantities are relatively low.

[1]

Working:
Two metal parts submerged in an insulating liquid are connected to a source
of current which is switched on and off automatically depending on the
parameters set on the controller. When the current is switched on, an electric
tension is created between the two metal parts.

If the two parts are brought together to within a fraction of an inch, the
electrical tension is discharged and a spark jumps across. Where it strikes,
the metal is heated up so much that it melts.
Innumerable such sparks spray, one after the other (never simultaneously)
and gradually shape the desired form in the piece of metal, according to the
shape of the electrode. Several hundred thousand sparks must fly per second
before erosion takes place.
In the case of die-sinking EDM, the required shape is formed negatively in
the metal with a three-dimensional electrode. By superimposed movements
in the main axes x, y, c, z, the most varied shapes, indentations and cavities
are created, such as cannot in part be achieved by any other machining
system.

For example, a helicoid cavity or a rectangular hole in one single steel block
or the machining of an extremely thin, hardened steel sheet that may not be
subjected to any mechanical pressure.

[4]

References:
[1] http://docslide.us/download/link/die-sinking-report
[2] E. C. Jameson, Electrical Discharge Machining, Society of Manufacturing
Engineers, Michigan, 2001.

[3] http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajme/1/2/4/
[4] http://www.edmmachining.com/sinker_edm.htm
[5] http://web.uettaxila.edu.pk/CMS/AUT2014/ieMF&CAbs/labs%5CMFCA
%20Manual.pdf