State of the art in processing of shape memory alloys with electrical discharge machining: A review

Author(s):  
Ranjit Singh ◽  
Ravi Pratap Singh ◽  
Rajeev Trehan

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) have been well known for their superior and excellent properties which makes them an eligible candidate of paramount importance in real-life industrial applications such as; orthopedic implants, actuators, micro tools, stents, coupling and sealing elements, aerospace components, defense instruments, manufacturing elements, bio-medical appliances, etc. In spite of their exceptional properties, the effective processing of these alloys is always seen as a challenge by researchers around the globe. The present article has been therefore attempted to explore the numerous studies conducted to process these alloys by employing the principles of electrical discharge machining (EDM) and its allied approaches. The NiTi-based SMAs have been revealed to be explored majorly among the several types SMAs. The several investigations carried out in the domain of EDM, Wire-EDM, and some conventional processing of various types of SMAs have also been critically reviewed and reported. It also highlights the numerous experimental, theoretical, modeling, and optimization-based researches attempted in EDM of SMAs. It was also reported that the proper selection of process variables, tool electrode, and the dielectrics can substantially improve the overall process effectiveness. Among the various accessible EDM variants used for the processing of SMAs, attempted by the umpteen investigators, the wire-cut EDM process has been revealed as the most explored one for cutting SMAs than the other allied processes such as: die-sinking EDM and powder-mixed EDM. The micro-machining applications of EDM have also been deliberated briefly. The last section of the article reports about the opportunities and the challenges for future research.

Author(s):  
Sagil James ◽  
Sharadkumar Kakadiya

Shape Memory Alloys are smart materials that tend to remember and return to its original shape when subjected to deformation. These materials find numerous applications in robotics, automotive and biomedical industries. Micromachining of SMAs is often a considerable challenge using conventional machining processes. Micro-Electrical Discharge Machining is a combination of thermal and electrical processes, which can machine any electrically conductive material at micron scale independent of its hardness. It employs dielectric medium such as hydrocarbon oils, deionized water, and kerosene. Using liquid dielectrics has adverse effects on the machined surface causing cracking, white layer deposition, and irregular surface finish. These limitations can be minimized by using a dry dielectric medium such as air or nitrogen gas. This research involves the experimental study of micromachining of Shape Memory Alloys using dry Micro-Electrical Discharge Machining process. The study considers the effect of critical process parameters including discharge voltage and discharge current on the material removal rate and the tool wear rate. A comparison study is performed between the Micro-Electrical Discharge Machining process with using the liquid as well as air as the dielectric medium. In this study, microcavities are successfully machined on shape memory alloys using dry Micro-Electrical Discharge Machining process. The study found that the dry Micro-Electrical Discharge Machining produces a comparatively better surface finish, has lower tool wear and lesser material removal rate compared to the process using the liquid as the dielectric medium. The results of this research could extend the industrial applications of Micro Electrical Discharge Machining processes.


2007 ◽  
Vol 445-446 ◽  
pp. 486-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.L. Chen ◽  
S.F. Hsieh ◽  
H.C. Lin ◽  
M.H. Lin ◽  
J.S. Huang

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh Chaudhari ◽  
Jay J. Vora ◽  
Vivek Patel ◽  
L. N. López de Lacalle ◽  
D. M. Parikh

Shape-memory alloys such as nitinol are gaining popularity as advanced materials in the aerospace, medical, and automobile sectors. However, nitinol is a difficult-to-cut material because of its versatile specific properties such as the shape-memory effect, superelasticity, high specific strength, high wear and corrosion resistance, and severe strain hardening. Anunconventional machining process like wire-electrical-discharge-machining (WEDM) can be effectively and efficiently used for the machining of such alloys, although the WEDM-induced surface integrity of nitinol hassignificant impact on material performance. Therefore, this work investigated the surface integrity of WEDM-processed nitinol samples using digital microscopy imaging, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. Three-dimensional analysis of the surfaces was carried out in two different patterns (along the periphery and the vertical plane of the machined surface) andrevealed that surface roughness was maximalat the point where the surface was largely exposed to the WEDM dielectric fluid. To attain the desired surface roughness, appropriate discharge energy is required that, in turn, requires the appropriate parameter settings of the WEDM process. Different SEM image analyses showed a reduction in microcracks and pores, and in globule-density size at optimized parameters. EDX analysis revealed the absence of wire material on the machined surface


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 2533
Author(s):  
Rakesh Chaudhari ◽  
Jay Vora ◽  
L.N.López de Lacalle ◽  
Sakshum Khanna ◽  
Vivek K. Patel ◽  
...  

In the current scenario of manufacturing competitiveness, it is a requirement that new technologies are implemented in order to overcome the challenges of achieving component accuracy, high quality, acceptable surface finish, an increase in the production rate, and enhanced product life with a reduced environmental impact. Along with these conventional challenges, the machining of newly developed smart materials, such as shape memory alloys, also require inputs of intelligent machining strategies. Wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) is one of the non-traditional machining methods which is independent of the mechanical properties of the work sample and is best suited for machining nitinol shape memory alloys. Nano powder-mixed dielectric fluid for the WEDM process is one of the ways of improving the process capabilities. In the current study, Taguchi’s L16 orthogonal array was implemented to perform the experiments. Current, pulse-on time, pulse-off time, and nano-graphene powder concentration were selected as input process parameters, with material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness (SR) as output machining characteristics for investigations. The heat transfer search (HTS) algorithm was implemented for obtaining optimal combinations of input parameters for MRR and SR. Single objective optimization showed a maximum MRR of 1.55 mm3/s, and minimum SR of 2.68 µm. The Pareto curve was generated which gives the optimal non-dominant solutions.


Metals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1040
Author(s):  
Sergey N. Grigoriev ◽  
Marina A. Volosova ◽  
Anna A. Okunkova ◽  
Sergey V. Fedorov ◽  
Khaled Hamdy ◽  
...  

The material removal mechanism, submicrostructure of surface and subsurface layers, nanotransformations occurred in surface and subsurface layers during electrical discharge machining two structural materials such as anti-corrosion X10CrNiTi18-10 (12kH18N10T) steel of austenite class and 2024 (D16) duralumin in a deionized water medium were researched. The machining was conducted using a brass tool of 0.25 mm in diameter. The measured discharge gap is 45–60 µm for X10CrNiTi18-10 (12kH18N10T) steel and 105–120 µm for 2024 (D16) duralumin. Surface roughness parameters are arithmetic mean deviation (Ra) of 4.61 µm, 10-point height (Rz) of 28.73 µm, maximum peak-to-valley height (Rtm) of 29.50 µm, mean spacing between peaks (Sm) of 18.0 µm for steel; Ra of 5.41 µm, Rz of 35.29 µm, Rtm of 43.17 µm, Sm of 30.0 µm for duralumin. The recast layer with adsorbed components of the wire tool electrode and carbides was observed up to the depth of 4–6 µm for steel and 2.5–4 µm for duralumin. The Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm was used to mathematically interpolate the dependence of the interelectrode gap on the electrical resistance of the material. The observed microstructures provide grounding on the nature of electrical wear and nanomodification of the obtained surfaces.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1036 ◽  
pp. 20-31
Author(s):  
Jun Jie Ye ◽  
Zhi Rong He ◽  
Kun Gang Zhang ◽  
Yu Qing Du

Ti-Ni based shape memory alloys (SMAs) are of excellent shape memory effect, superelasticity and damping property. These properties of the alloys can be fully displayed only after proper heat treatment. In this paper, the research progresses of the effect of the heat treatment on the microstructure, phase composition, phase transformation behaviors and shape memory properties in Ti-Ni based SMAs are reviewed, the correlation influence mechanism is summarized, and the future research directions in this field are pointed out. It is expected to provide reference for the development of Ti-Ni based SMAs and their heat treatment technologies.


2015 ◽  
Vol 656-657 ◽  
pp. 335-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Pin Chuang ◽  
Yan Cherng Lin ◽  
Hsin Min Lee ◽  
Han Ming Chow ◽  
A. Cheng Wang

The environment issue and green machining technique have been induced intensive attention in recent years. It is urgently need to develop a new kind dielectric to meet the requirements for industrial applications. The aim of this study is to develop a novel dielectric using gas media immersed in deionized water for electrical discharge machining (EDM). The developed machining medium for EDM can fulfill the environmentally friendly issue and satisfy the demand of high machining performance. The experiments were conducted by this developed medium to investigate the effects of machining parameters on machining characteristics in terms of material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness. The developed EDM medium revealed the potential to obtain a stabilizing progress with excellent machining performance and environmentally friendly feature.


2008 ◽  
Vol 381-382 ◽  
pp. 451-454
Author(s):  
Atsutoshi Hirao ◽  
S. Tai ◽  
H. Takezawa ◽  
Naotake Mohri ◽  
Kazuro Kageyama ◽  
...  

In electrical discharge machining (EDM), an electrical discharge occurs between a tool electrode and a work-piece, and removal of materials is carried out by vaporized explosion between the electrode and the work-piece. However, the mechanism of material removal in EDM is not well understood. In order to clarify this issue, the acoustic emission (AE) method has been applied to examine the force of explosion, and the Schlieren visualization method has been applied to observe the explosion. In this study, we investigate the effect of discharge current behavior on the occurrence of the AE waves by means of an optical fiber vibration sensor.


Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1018
Author(s):  
Ziliang Zhu ◽  
Dengji Guo ◽  
Jiao Xu ◽  
Jianjun Lin ◽  
Jianguo Lei ◽  
...  

Titanium-nickel shape memory alloy (SMA) has good biomedical application value as an implant. Alloy corrosion will promote the release of toxic nickel ions and cause allergies and poisoning of cells and tissues. With this background, surface modification of TiNi SMAs using TiC-powder-assisted micro-electrical discharge machining (EDM) was proposed. This aims to explore the effect of the electrical discharge machining (EDM) parameters and TiC powder concentration on the machining properties and surface characteristics of the TiNi SMA. It was found that the material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness, and thickness of the recast layer increased with an increase in the discharge energy. TiC powder’s addition had a positive effect on increasing the electro-discharge frequency and MRR, reducing the surface roughness, and the maximum MRR and the minimum surface roughness occurred at a mixed powder concentration of 5 g/L. Moreover, the recast layer had good adhesion and high hardness due to metallurgical bonding. XRD analysis found that the machined surface contains CuO2, TiO2, and TiC phases, contributing to an increase in the surface microhardness from 258.5 to 438.7 HV, which could be beneficial for wear resistance in biomedical orthodontic applications.


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