Electrical Discharge Machining

• The newly developed machining processes are

often called modern machining processes or non-
traditional machining processes (NTMP).
• In EDM, the removal of material is based upon
the electro discharge erosion (EDE) effect of
electric sparks occurring between two electrodes
that are separated by a dielectric liquid.
• Metal removal takes place as a result of the
generation of extremely high temperatures
generated by the high intensity discharges that
melt and evaporate the two electrodes.
 Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)
• EDM is a thermal erosion
process whereby material
is melted and vaporized
from an electrically
conducive workpiece
immersed in a liquid
dielectric with a series of
spark discharges between
the tool electrode and the
workpiece created by a
power supply.
• The EDM system consists of a shaped tool or
wire electrode, and the part.
• The part is connected to a power supply to
create a potential difference between the
workpiece and the tool.
• When the potential difference is sufficiently
high, a transient spark discharges through the
fluid, removing a very small amount of metal
from the workpiece.
 Working principle of EDM
• As shown in Figure, at the beginning of EDM operation, a
high voltage is applied across the narrow gap between the
electrode and the workpiece.
• This high voltage induces an electric field in the insulating
dielectric that is present in narrow gap between electrode
and workpiece.
• This cause conducting particles suspended in the dielectric
to concentrate at the points of strongest electrical field.
• When the potential difference between the electrode and
the workpiece is sufficiently high, the dielectric breaks
down and a transient spark discharges through the
dielectric fluid, removing small amount of material from
the workpiece surface.
• The volume of the material removed per spark discharge is
typically in the range of 10-6 to 10-6 mm3.
• The material removal rate, MRR, in EDM is
calculated by the following foumula:
MRR = 40 I / Tm 1.23 (cm3/min)
Where, I is the current amp,
Tm is the melting temperature of workpiece in 0C
 Electrodes
• The EDM electrode is the tool that determines
the shape of the hole or cavity ultimately
generated
• Most Impt. Criteria for selections of tool are
electrode material and design
• Materials: Copper, Brass, Cu-Tungsten,
Graphite and Cu-Graphite
 Advantages of EDM
The main advantages of EDM are:
• By this process, materials of any hardness can be
machined;
• No burrs are left in machined surface;
• No cutting forces
• High aspect ratios
• Intricate cavities produced in one operation
• Unaffected by material hardness
• One of the main advantages of this process is that thin
and fragile/brittle components can be machined
without distortion;
• Complex internal shapes can be machined
 Disadvantages of EDM
• Low removal rates
• Electrode consumable
• Limited to electrically conductive workpiece
• Produces recast and heat affected zone
• Complex electrodes can require long lead
times for fabrication
• Lacks flexibility for quick changes in hole
shapes
 Limitations of EDM
The main limitations of this process are:
• This process can only be employed in electrically
conductive materials;
• Material removal rate is low and the process
overall is slow compared to conventional
machining processes;
• Unwanted erosion and over cutting of material
can occur;
• Rough surface finish when at high rates of
material removal.
 Application of EDM
• The EDM process has the ability to machine
hard, difficult-to-machine materials.
• Parts with complex, precise and irregular
shapes for forging, press tools, extrusion dies,
difficult internal shapes for aerospace and
medical applications can be made by EDM
process.
• Some of the shapes made by EDM process are
shown in Figure 3.
 Dielectric fluids
Dielectric fluids used in EDM process are hydrocarbon oils, kerosene
and deionised water.
The functions of the dielectric fluid are to:
• Act as an insulator between the tool and the workpiece.
• Act as coolant.
• Act as a flushing medium for the removal of the chips.

The electrodes for EDM process usually are made of graphite, brass,
copper and copper-tungsten alloys.
Design considerations for EDM process are as follows:
• Deep slots and narrow openings should be avoided.
• The surface smoothness value should not be specified too fine.
• Rough cut should be done by other machining process.
• Only finishing operation should be done in this process as MRR for
this process is low.
• Difficult internal parts made by EDM process
Examples of parts made using EDM
Stepped cavities
Process capabilities and characteristics
• EDM is a very inexpensive process (machine tool
cost as well as operation costs are low).
• The processing rate is slow, but the machine can
operate unattended: just load the part and return
when it is done.
• Fairly complex shapes can be produced,
especially mould cavities, non-circular profile
holes, etc.
• Dimension control is good, and surface finish
depends on the MRR (high MRR leads to poor
surface finish).
 EDM Process Capability
• MRR
– Range from 2 to 400 mm3/min. High rates produce rough finish,
having a molten and recast structure with poor surface integrity
and low fatigue properties.
• Dimensional Tolerances
– Function of the material being processed
– Typically between ±0.005 - ±0.125 mm
• Surface Finish
– Depends on current density and material being machined
– Ra varies from 0.05 – 12.5 μm
– New techniques use an oscillating electrode, providing very fine
surface finishes.
 Wire EDM
• EDM, primarily, exists commercially in the form of die-
sinking machines and wire-cutting machines (Wire
EDM).
• The concept of wire EDM is shown in Figure 4.
• In this process, a slowly moving wire travels along a
prescribed path and removes material from the
workpiece.
• Wire EDM uses electro-thermal mechanisms to cut
electrically conductive materials.
• The material is removed by a series of discrete
discharges between the wire electrode and the
workpiece in the presence of dieelectirc fluid, which
creates a path for each discharge as the fluid becomes
ionized in the gap.
• The area where discharge takes place is
heated to extremely high temperature, so that
the surface is melted and removed.
• The removed particles are flushed away by the
flowing dielectric fluids.
• The wire EDM process can cut intricate
components for the electric and aerospace
industries.
• This non-traditional machining process is
widely used to pattern tool steel for die
manufacturing.
Wire EDM
Wire erosion of an extrusion die
• Sparked eroded extrusion dies
• This process is usually used in conjunction
with CNC and will only work when a part is to
be cut completely through.
• The melting temperature of the parts to be
machined is an important parameter for this
process rather than strength or hardness.
• The surface quality and MRR of the machined
surface by wire EDM will depend on different
machining parameters such as applied peak
current, and wire materials.
 Conclusion
• The aim of the study Electro discharge machining illustrate the
difference in saving time and effort as well as precision in
execution.
• The results showed the huge difference between Elect rod is charge
machining and traditional machining through manufactured
products in both cases and the superiority of Electro discharge
machining infinite precision, as well as save time by using fewer
tools.
• Hence we see that EDM have become part and parcel of the
modern industrial system and needs in all areas of engineering and
industry.
• It is clear from the above-mentioned EDM that are suitable for
certain situations but not in all cases and can conclude that the
operations that can be investigated by the machinery of EDM
economic benefits has the following characteristics:
• 1. Designs required for the manufacture of narrow pieces.

• 2. The processing requires several operations.

• 3. Quantities of metal you want to remove the large
manufacturing.
• 4. The need to examine the quality of the product by 10%.
• 5. Cavities with thin walls and fine features can be
produced.
• 6. Difficult geometry is possible.
• 7. The use of EDM is not affected by the hardness of the
work material.
• 8. The process is burr-free
 Recommendations
• Laboratory results showed the EDM is active in places
which require speed in production and high production
rate.
• Laboratory result showed that the machines of EDM
high-cost primary.
• Tests proved to us on the machine that have a high
potential to deal with difficult formations and complex
curves.
• Through a feasibility study appeared to us that the
machine with a high cost in maintenance.
• Through the initial views of the machine, it is very
sensitive to external stimuli.
 References
• 1- Wang, C.-. And Lin, Y.C., 2009. Feasibility study of electrical discharge
machining for W/Cu composite. International Journal of Refractory Metals
and Hard Materials, 27(5), 872-882.
2- Tsai, H.C., Yan, B.H. and Huang, F.Y., 2003. EDM performance of
Cr/Cubased compositeelectrodes. International Journal of Machine Tools
and Manufacture, 43(3), 245-252.
3- Habib, S. S. (2009). Study of the parameters in electrical discharge
machining throughresponse surface methodology approach. Applied
Mathematical Modelling, 33(12), 4397-4407.
4- Saha, S.K. and Choudhury, S.K., 2009. Experimental investigation and
empirical modelingof the dry electric discharge machining process.
International Journal of Machine Tools andManuf., 49(3-4), 297-308.
5- Sohani, M.S., Gaitonde, V.N., Siddeswarappa, B. And Deshpande, A.S.,
2009.Investigations into the effect of tool shapes with size factor
consideration in sink electricaldischarge machining (EDM) process.
International Journal of Advanced ManufacturingTechnology, , 1-15.