C[~ Paper International Journal of Electrical Machining, No.

3, January 1998

Simulation of Die-Sinking EDM by Discharge Location Searching Algorithm

Masanori Kunieda and Masakazu Kiyohara
(Received May 9, 1997)

Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering

Tokyo University of Agriculture & Technology
Tokyo 184, Japan

Abstract

This paper deals with simulation of workpiece geometry eroded by a die-sinking EDM using a newly
developed simulation algorithm for faithful imitation of the actual phenomena which are occurring in the gap.
The algorithm is a simple repetition of the procedure which is comprised of: (1) determining the next
discharge location where the dielectric breakdown strength is lowest, (2) removing the tool and workpiece
electrodes, (3) distributing the debris particles, and (4) feeding the tool electrode. The simulation takes into
account a variety of influential factors such as tool electrode wear, gap width distribution, curvature and
inclination of the tool electrode, and debris particle concentration, all of which affect each other in a very
complex manner. The simulation results for the geometries of the tool electrode and the workpiece after
machining and for the gap width distribution agree well with the experimental results for machining of a flat
and square surface.
Key words: die sinking EDM, simulation, machining accuracy, tool electrode wear, discharge gap, debris
particles

1. INTRODUCTION the workpiece and the tool electrode, followed by

the tool electrode feed. The process model used
The geometrical accuracy of the workpiece in in their simulations is analogous to electrochemical
die-sinking electrical discharge machining (ED M) machining and does not consider of each discharge
deteriorates due to tool electrode wear and the location. Therefore, their method can neither
uneven distribution of the working gap width. simulate the distribution of discharge locations nor
Therefore, simulation of machining accuracy is take the distribution of debris particle concentration
necessary for determining the dimensions of the into account.
tool electrode and generating the tool-electrode- Many researchers have reported that the debris
location data to obtain a high accuracy of drifting in the dielectric fluid reduces the electrical
machining. breakdown strength of the dielectric fiuid 4)-7) and
As shown in Fig. 1, the geometrical accuracy of that the locally elevated concentration of debris
the workpiece is influenced by distributions of the causes uneven distribution of the gap width, which
tool electrode wear and the gap width over the in turn reduces the machining accuracy8)-1l).
working surface. These distributions are dependent Among them, only one groupll) gave a quantitative
on each other and are affected by many factors, relation between the gap width and the debris
although working conditions such as pulse concentration.
generator settings, properties of dielectrics and Our goal is to develop a simulation algorithm
thermophysical properties of electrode materials
remain the same.
Crookall1) estimated planar electrode-face wear
based on the fact that the initial tool surface of
inclination e to a plane workpiece, having been
fed into the workpiece, is worn due to the variable
erosion history or duty. However, Crookall did Tool electrode
not take the gap width distribution into account.
Dauw2) and Kunieda and Mori3) simulated a
workpiece geometry considering both the tool
electrode wear and the gap width distribution.
Experimentally, they obtained the workpiece
removal and the tool electrode wear as a function
of the gap width. One simulation cycle is
composed of the removal of thin surface layers of
Fig.1 Influential factors on workpiece geometry

-79 -
 Removal of tool electrode
per single pulse discharge

Debris
Gap

Removal of workpiece
per single pulse discharge

a) Gap model

· h t Debris particles
D ISC arge spo

Fig.2 Simulation algorithm

0.10 b) Distribution of newly

produced debris particles

Fig.3 Simulation model

a
a
..c:~

.u 0.05 Table 1 Working conditions

.~
Discharge duration t, 25011s
0. Approximated
C\I
o .! . . curve Discharge interval to SOils
.- .
Discharge current i, 21A
Tool electrode Copper
o 1 2 3 4 Workpiece Tool steel (S 45 C)
4
Debris concentration, X 10- Working surface area 18mm X 18mm
Flushing condition No jumping of
Fig.4 Relation between debris concentration
and gap width tool electrode

which describes the procedure of identifying the
next discharge location based on an index defined
so that its value correlates with the probability of
discharge breakdown. Our method takes into
account all of the relations indicated by *) in Fig.
1. However, we ignore the influence of the
deposition of the electrode materials12) and
carbon 13)-16) over the tool electrode surface on tool
electrode wear, because the quantitative relation
between the thickness of the deposited layer and
electrode wear has not yet been obtained.
2. OUTLINE OF SIMULATION
2.1 Algorithm
In the actual EDM process, the discharge is
intermittent and there is only one discharge
location for each pulse discharge. The discharge

- 80-
location is determined by the dielectric breakdown
strength of the gap, which is influenced by the gap
width and the concentration of debris particles.
The developed simulation algorithm shown in Fig.
2 describes the phenomena occurring in the
working gap and is composed of the following
steps.
First, over the working surface of the tool
electrode, which has been formed of mesh, we
search for the mesh point at which the index of
discharge probability, which will be described later,
is highest. Considering the gap width and the
curvature at the mesh, we calculate the depth of
the layer removed from the tool electrode and the
workpiece based on the data obtained
experimentally. Then, as shown in Fig. 3(a), the
coordinate of the section of mesh is displaced by
the distance equal to the calculated depth of the
layer removed in the direction normal to the
surface. In the third step, newly generated debris
particles are placed around the discharge spot (Fig.
3(b)), and all the existing debris particles are
relocated corresponding to the rapid expansion of
a bubble which is composed of the vapor and the
dissociated gases of the dielectric liquid. In the
last step, the tool electrode is fed and the resultant
gap distribution is calculated.
2.2 Geometrical Model
The geometry of the tool electrode is described
using a surface model. One mesh section is
equivalent to the measured area of a discharge
crater, 0.36 X 0.36 mrn2, under the conditions used
in the present work, which are shown in Table 1.
Each mesh section has five independent variables:
the x, y and z-components of its coordinate, the
number of debris particles allocated to the mesh
section and the gap width. From these variables,
the curvature and the concentration of debris
particles can be calculated. The diameter of the
debris particles is calculated from the average
diameter of debris particles measured using an
optical microscope.
We do not need a geometrical model of the
workpiece, because it can easily be obtained from
the geometry of the tool electrode and the gap
width distribution. Removal of the workpiece is
expressed as the increase of the gap width. Wear
of the tool electrode is represented by movement
of the coordinate of the mesh section inwardly in
the direction normal to the surface.
3. STEPS IN THE SIMULATION
ALGORITHM
3.1 Index of Discharge Probability
The discharge location is defined as the mesh
- 81-
section at which the index of discharge probability
described below is highest. Figure 4 shows the
relation between the gap width and the debris
particle concentration which was obtained by
Kunieda and Moril1). Here the debris particle
concentration at the mesh section is defined as the
volume fraction of debris particles in the gap
region whose volume is expressed as the product
of the mesh area and the gap width. With respect
to the calculated debris particle concentration, we
can obtain the equilibrium gap from Fig. 4, which
is the normal gap to be maintained in the steady
state at the constant feed rate of the tool electrode.
Here, subtraction of the current gap width from the
equilibrium gap gives the index of discharge
probability at the mesh section.
On a flat surface of the tool electrode, the
electric field is given by:
(1)
where u j is the open voltage and hflol is the gap
width. At a vertex whose radius of curvature is r,
the electric field on the surface can be
approximated by that between two concentric
spherical surfaces whose radii are rand r+hVUU!X'
respectivel y.
uj(r+hvuta)
Ewrta = - - - - (2)
rhverta
This means that a larger curvature gives a higher
electric field with the same gap width. Therefore,
in order to estimate the index of discharge
probability for a mesh section where the curvature
is not zero, the gap width should be transformed
to the equivalent gap width which would give the
same electric field on a flat surface by equating
Eq. (1) with Eq. (2). Furthermore, since the
electric field on an edge can be approximated by
that between two coaxial cylindrical surfaces, the
equivalent gap width which would give the same
electric field on a flat surface could be obtained
the same way.
3.2 Removal of Tool Electrode and Workpiece
3.2.1 Influence of gap
Dauw2) and Kamide and Hashiguchil7) reported
that the volume of workpiece and tool electrode
removed per pulse discharge, Ve and Vw'
respectively, depends on the gap width. We
obtained the dependence of Ve and Vw on the gap
width, which is shown in Fig. 5, from the
experiment described below.
The normal open voltage of the pulse generator
used in this research was 90V, and the measured
gap width was 0.13mm. To increase the gap
 1----1
1J1SL 1
- - Tool electrode I I
--0--- Workpiece ~------~ I
I
I
Power source of 1
higher voltage
---- "''0'''- . . __ Tool 90V I
I
--- _-- 170V - electrode
------._- ..... -
...
240V-=- I
I
I
I
Pulse generator
0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18 4
Fig.6 Discharge circuit used to increase
Gap width, mm
the gap width
Fig.5 Dependence of the volume of workpiece
and tool electrode removed per pulse Tool electrode surface
discharge on the gap width Ve=Sed e
Workpiece surface
width, a power supply of higher voltage, 170V or
240V, was connected in parallel with the pulse
generator, as shown in Fig. 6. Here, the FET for
switching the high voltage and the diodes are
necessary because, if the high voltage is
superimp.osed without them, the averaged gap
voltage mcreases and the servo mechanism feeds
the tool electrode so that the averaged gap voltage
decreases and equals the reference voltage of the
servo mechanism, which will keep the gap width
unchanged. Fig.7 Influence of curvature on the depth
. The circuit shown in Fig. 6 cannot give a gap of removal per pulse discharge
WIdth narrower than O.13rnrn without replacing the
power source of the pulse generator used in our reference planes, each of which is attached to an
research with one whose open voltage is lower electrode. The measurement is carried out after
than 90V. Therefore, in order to get a narrower the tool electrode is moved a known distance from
gap without replacing the power source, the the position which has been maintained against the
reference voltage of the servo mechanism was workpiece during the machining process.
decreased. However, this increased the discharge
frequency, which changed the gap temperature and 3.2.2 Influence of curvature
As shown in Fig. 7, Se is the area of the mesh
the debris p~i~le concentration. Then, the change
of gap condItions affects the thickness of the section at point P on the tool electrode. Suppose
carbon layer deposited on the tool electrode area Sw and point Q on the workpiece are facing
surface16) resulting in a change of the rate of tool Se and P, respectively, in the direction normal to
~lectrode wear13)-16). Therefore, the discharge the tool electrode surface, then the relationship
mterval was adjusted to be longer so that the same between Sw and Se is given by:
discharge frequency was obtained. = (1
:0 . obtain the data in Fig. 5, we used a
cylmdncal tool electrode whose cross section has
Sw + h/r;c)(1 + h/ry ) Se ' (3)

the same surface area as that of the tool electrode

where 'xand 'y
are the curvatures in the two
orthogonal directions on the tangential plane at P.
used in the simulation. The shape of the The depth of the layer removed from the tool
workpiece was the same as that of the tool
electrode surface per pulse discharge at P, de' can
electrode.
be obtained by dividing Ve by Se' and
The measurement of the gap width was based
correspondingly the depth of the layer removed
on the method proposed by Kojirna and Kunieda9).
from the workpiece surface at Q, dw , can be
The profiles of the working surfaces of the tool
obtained by dividing Vw by Sw'
and workpiece electrodes are measured against the

- 82-
 Contour of
tool electrode

Discharge spot

Contour of
bubble electrode
Scattered debris particles Fig.9 Caculation of the contour of
bubble and relocation of debris
Fig.8 Distribution of newly produced particles
debris particles

3.3 Calculation of Debris Particles Concentration
3.3.1 Distribution of newly produced debris
particles
Yoshida and Kunieda 18) found that most of the
debris particles produced by a pulse discharge in
the dielectric liquid are distributed on the periphery
of the bubble which is generated by the same
discharge. Hence, newly produced debris particles
are distributed uniformly in all the directions to the
mesh sections on the periphery of the bubble as
shown in Fig. 8. The contour of the bubble can
be obtained by the method described in the next
paragraph. The number of debris particles newly
produced can be calculated by dividing the total
volume removed from both electrodes per pulse
discharge, which is the summation of Ve and Vw,
by the averaged volume of one debris particle
which can be measured using an optical
microscope. The debris particles which already
exist at the mesh section where the discharge
occurs are redistributed in the same way as the
newly produced debris particles are distributed.
3.3.2 Contour of bubble
A bubble is formed according to the evaporating
and cracking of the dielectric liquid. For
simplicity, it is assumed that the bubble expansion
is a steady incompressible flow between two
parallel plates which is generated by a source
placed at the discharge spot, and that its density p
and viscosity f.1 are equal to those of the dielectric
liquid.
The expansion b B in the e -direction depends
on the distance 1£) between the source and the
boundary of the working surface due to the viscous
force of the dielectric liquid. Here, be can be
roughly estimated from the velocity of a radial
flow whose source is at the center of two parallel
circular plates whose radius is 1£). Assuming that
the radius of the source is equal to the radius of
the discharge crater a, the radial velocity v £) at
r=a is given by:
(4)
where Po is the pressure at the source. From the
equation of continuity, the expanded distance b £)
can be roughly estimated by:
A " ~ Poh\ . (5)
6~
Here we can determine the constant A from the
next integral equation:
Vo ="2hI be2 de, (6)
where Vo is the measured volume of the bubble
generated per pulse discharge.
3.3.3 Relocation of debris particles
We assumed that the debris particles which
already exist at the mesh sections, except at the
discharging mesh section, are also relocated due to
the expansion of the bubble. From the equation of
continuity for the dielectric liquid we can obtain
the displacement 01 £) of the dielectric at point W
as shown in Fig. 9.

- 83-
 - - experiment
.......... simulation
0.04
~ki:(21 x
B I'~
0 2l ' \~~~: j
-10 0 10
Position on tool electrode surface X, mm
Fig.lO Distribution of depth of the layer
removed on the tool electrode
ale = VPw'l + b; - PW (7)
Assuming that the debris particles drift with the
dielectric liquid flow, they are relocated according
to the above equation. In this manner, we obtain
the resultant distribution of debris particles after
the pulse discharge.
3.4 Feed of Tool Electrode
With the renewed distribution of debris particle
concentration, the debris particle concentration for
each mesh section is averaged over the working
surface. Using this averaged value, we obtained
the averaged equilibrium gap width as shown in
Fig. 4. Then the averaged equilibrium gap width
is subtracted from the averaged current gap width
which is the average of the equivalent gap width
on a flat surface for each mesh section, which was
described in 3.1, averaged over the entire working
surface. The difference indicates the feed distance
by which the tool electrode should be moved
forward.
The feed of the tool electrode should be
followed by the renewal of the gap width
distribution. When the surface inclination angle is
a from the horizontal surface, the renewed gap
width at the mesh section can be obtained by
subtracting the feed distance mUltiplied by cos a
from the current gap width.
4. RESULTS OF SIMUIATION
We estimated the simulation accuracy by
comparing the simulated results of the contours of
the workpiece and the tool electrode and gap width
distribution with the experimental results. The
- 84-
Position on workpiece surface X, mm
Fig1!. Distribution of depth of the layer
removed on the workpiece
working surfaces of both the tool electrode and
workpiece are flat and square, with dimensions of
18mm square. In the simulation, the pulse
discharge was repeated 7 X 106 times under the
conditions shown in Table l.
Figure 10 shows the distribution of depth of the
layer removed from the surface of the tool
electrode after 7 X 106 pulse discharges. In the
experiment, the depth of the layer remo~ed was
obtained from the surface topography WhICh was
measured along the center line A and the line B
which is taken very close to the side. The
simulated result coincides with the measured one
in the center of the working surface. Close to the
side however, the measured depth of wear is
larg~r than that of the simulated one. Thi~ is
because, in practice, the thickness of the depOSIted
layer of carbon is thinner near the sides which
results in a higher rate of tool electrode wear 15)16).
Although the measured surface roughness is 5 f.1 m
Rmax, the simulated surface is very smooth. This
is because the simulation does not take the
upheaval around the discharge crater into account.
Figure 11 shows the distribution of depth of the
layer removed on the workpiece. The error of the
simulation is less than 5%. The larger depth of
removal near the center results from the convex
shape of the worn tool electrode.
Figure 12 shows the good agreement between
the simulated distribution of gap width and the
measured one. It is found that the gap width is
narrower at the sides of the working surface,
because the concentration of debris particles is
thicker in the cent er. Here, it is found that the
maximum gap width shown in Fig. 12 is much
greater than the gap width shown in Fig. 4. This
is because Kunieda and Moril l) obtained the gap
 --experiment
..._,.- simulation A 4)
o.
E JSPE, 6, 1, (1972), pp.8-14.
E 5)
..c::~
-0
.~
0.1
0.
as
0
B Measurements for EDM Dielectrics, Annals of
-10 0 10
Position on tool electrode surface X, mm
Fig.12 Distribution of gap width
width under the condition that a dielectric liquid
flows radially in the gap at a high speed for the
purpose of flushing debris. Thus the gap width
extrapolated from the approximated curve shown in
Fig. 4 was used in the simulation.
5. CONCLUSIONS
We simulated the machining accuracy of die-
sinking EDM using the newly developed simulation
algorithm which describes the procedure of
searching for the next discharge location based on
an index which correlates with the gap width and
the debris particle concentration. Although the
algorithm is very simple, the simulation can take
into account many factors, such as tool electrode
wear, gap width distribution, curvature and
inclination of the tool electrode, and debris particle
concentration, which affect each other in a very
complex manner and exert a combined influence
on the machining accuracy. The simulated results
of the worn shape of the tool electrode and the
gap width distribution coincided well with the
experimental results. Therefore, the simulated
shape of the workpiece showed good agreement
with the measured result in the machining of a flat
and square surface. It was found that
consideration of the deposition of the carbon layer
on the tool electrode surface is necessary to obtain
a much higher simulation accuracy.
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